It is ‘new-release’ season. As we move out of winter the wines of 2015 and longer-aged 2014s start showing their true colours and are released to the market. High inflation, the weak Rand and surging demand, both local and globally, is dramatically pushing up the prices of fine South African wine. An opportune time even considering our depressed economic outlook, the increases are being matched by higher quality wines.

Early praise for the 2015 vintage is fast being confirmed. I have yet to taste better young South African wines, especially the whites. Supply is constrained by a handful of small producers and leading wine estates that have ability to push the quality limit.

The Sadie Family, arguably South Africa’s finest producer, has been rather conservative with an average increase of 10% in their prices for 2016. Icon Columella is priced at R750 for the 2014 vintages, seemingly expensive, it is relatively cheap compared to its luxury counterparts.

The Mullineux Family and Alheit Vineyards have been more aggressive with their new releases, moving up 20% and 28% respectively. Mullineux Single Terroir Syrahs are now R900 per bottle while Alheit’s flagship whites of Magnetic North Mountain Makstok and Radio Lazarus are over R600 per bottle.

One of South Africa’s most expensive wines, Delaire’s flagship Laurence Graaf jumped this year by 33% to R2450 per bottle. Reportedly fully allocated both overseas and locally, there will unlikely be much resistance to these new price levels.

South Africa produces 12 wines that currently sell on release at over R1000 per bottle.