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From David C:
What about wines that are really poor and hide beneath brands, and higher price points? Nothing is worse than a 'great South African wine' that is really just badly over-rated.

My top-5 over-rated South African wines trading on their name:
1. Meerlust Rubicon (anything pre 2000)
2. Meerlust Chardonnay
3. Ernie Els
3. Vilafonté
4. Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc

• Wow! Any defenders of these? Or accusers of others?

From Derick Robertson:
As with all things in life, quality unfortunately comes at a price (whether it's over rated or not). As one of these ultra premium winery owners (let's leave the names) once said to me: 'If the overseas market pays me this kind of money, why must I then sell it cheaper on the local market? If you want it, pay for it.'

From Mark:
Not sure why these wines are considered poor, all seem to be rated 4 stars or more, Vergelegen is even given the tick of good value in Platter. All ratings conducted by Tim and Angela for 2006 Platter!Maybe David just expected more?
(The one of David's list I tasted for Platter is the Vergelegen Sauvignon. I think it's very good indeed, and the Schaapenberg Reserve I think the best sauvignon in the country – although it's not the most 'typical' (including some wood influence), which is perhaps why I like van Rensburg's way with this grape as I'm not really a sauvignon fan. – TJ)

From Clive SIndelman:
Vergelegen Sauvignon at R65 a bottle off the estate hardly seems a price to quality misalignment. Does the writer refer to the reserve?

From Cassuis:
To David: Stating that the wines you list are ‘poor’ I think is a little overcooked. None of those wines are poor as such. Putting words in your mouth, did you mean ‘of a quality not befitting the price and “prestige” of said wine’? Not much more I can say on that; this is a opinion of one consumer and is as valid as the judgement of the Platter crew.

To Chris Williams: It's a bit of a sting that he included two of your wines in the list, but to demand identity of a writer? Your ‘engagement’ won’t change his opinion, or make him buy the wine or speak favourably of it. You are lucky enough to be at a farm which has a track record; that also comes with huge amounts of responsibility, which I’m sure you are more than aware of. The problem is none of the other producers listed have a track record! Sounds absurd, but thats a fact, Vilafonté (four years old) Ernie Els (5 years old) Vergelegen (old farm with amazing winemaker, which actually transcends the personal paradigm, Andre is Vergelegen!! and he is in year 8). You are well traveled and versed in international wines, so stcking to your guns that, 4,5 and 8 is a huge track record in wine terms...... I don't know!

My personal opinion: Everybody is right, no one is wrong. Wine and the price of wine runs on a linear relation to a certain point. At that point quality forms a plateau but price keeps rising?!
Why, therein is the charm of wine: at that level, quality is non-negotiable – it’s a given. Then the finer nuances kick in, track records built on reliability on consistency, brand and exclusivity.
I have said this before, wine is not Coca-Cola. If you want something that is special to you, ask yourself what are you willing to pay and what did you expect. After all, does a M6 BMW drive any slower or less comfortable than a Bentley Phantom...... no, why pay four times the price then?
 

From Keith Prothero
I think I know who David C is!!! If I am correct he is someone who is based in the UK but visits the Cape regularly, and certainly enjoys quite a few of the wines. His comments I suspect are made partly to cause comment. Certainly, IMHO he has a point with the price of the Vilafonté wines and Ernie Els. Both are priced for the American market where consumers think a wine must be no good unless expensive! The Rubicon and other wines he mentions, are excellent wines, with a proven track record and fairly priced.

From winewriter Jean-Pierre Rossouw
Can't agree with Chris Williams [first comment, above] that Ernie Els and Vilafonte have a track record yet, but do agree that this must be a primary measure of a wine's true worth. A track record says something about the value of the site and all the factors that make better wine.

From Andras Salamon:
I cannot comment on the Els, since I have yet to taste it -- but its high price and star branding could possibly qualify it for the label proposed.  However, the other wines on the list seem badly chosen for the "over-rated, trading on their name" tag.

Vilafonte is on their second released vintage -- as a new label, they hardly have a name to trade on as yet.

I personally don't enjoy the style of the Meerlust wines.  However, examples of the Rubicon have aged with distinction for up to two decades. There are also many who clearly enjoy the wine and will confirm that preference even in blind tastings. So for me there is no question, the wine has pedigree and deserves respect. I'm also not convinced Meerlust wines are overpriced at release, but the wines lend themselves (as products of one of the most recognizable SA wine brands) to extortionate markups by less scrupulous restaurateurs and retailers. Clearly the demand is there, though.

The Vergelegen is a branded wine that competes on the low end of the premium market, and seems to me correctly positioned to bask in the glow of the high end wines from the producer.  It also doesn't seem especially "over-rated".

From David Muttillo: [added 25 May 2006]
Having tasted all of these wines over in the US within the last year, the only one that I think is overpriced for its quality is the Meerlust Chardonnay.  The Ernie Els has been exceptional in every vintage, Meerlust Rubicon hasn't fallen off best I can tell.  Vilafonte, only one vintage with two wines, but they were both drinking exceptionally well, at least as of last week, and all the hallmarks of a serious producer.  Vergelegen is solid if unexceptional for the price.

A correction should be offered to Keith Prothero who mistakenly asserts that American consumers think a wine must no good unless it is expensive.  This perception is widespread and grossly inaccurate.  I was a retailer for 8 years in the US and can tell you that the average American consumer wants wine that over delivers on a price to quality ratio.  Expensive is not a benchmark here.  And those wine producers who believe the fallacy that American consumers will think it is junk unless it is expensive will find themselves sitting on their stocks for quite some time to come.  The key to the American market ... give the consumer great value for the money!!  Give them a fair value or less and you will sit with the also rans.

The original contributor, David C, writes:

First, I must take back that any of these wines are poor. That was an inappropriate word to use. Second, I speak from the view of a wine professional based in the US. Thus emphasis here is on the price-quality ratio of each wine, on an international level. David Muttillo is spot on in saying the (American) consumer wants value. Wines from South Africa - still an alternative international category - need to over-deliver on value. The wines on my list just don't deliver fair value. Being fortunate enough to regularly taste comparative wines from other world regions has made this very, very clear. I've tasted these five wines with several sommeliers and wine buyers in the US, on more than one occasion, and the verdict has always been unanimous: these wines are too expensive for what they offer.

South Africa makes some stunning wines that can stand up to and beat the international competition. These five aren't those wines. Certain wines clearly trade on their brand equity within South Africa. Meerlust has a South African following that is unquestionable. But in the US, the Rubicon is frequently referred to as 'austere' and the Chardonnay as 'unbalanced'. And what of the track record, almost entirely local (save from a few sporadic high international ratings) and thus irrelevant to the foreign markets? Further proof is that they had to drop the suggested retail price of both wines in the US in recently. A wine's value should not be judged by history, but by how it competes within the current market.

Vergelegen's unexceptional Sauvignon Blanc sells for 20% more than the Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc - unquestionably the most consistently top rated and revered Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa in the US. Where's the fair value? Vilafonté is only $70/bottle because celebrity-winemaker Zelma Long is involved, and they can create some nice PR to help sell it. The same goes for Ernie Els. Does anyone honestly believe the Ernie Els would sell for $87/bottle in the US if it were called the Jean Engelbrecht? Never! Both wines should retail for less.

The beauty of wine is that it is purely subjective. A matter of opinion. I am not saying these wines are bad. I am simply saying that they don't trade at fair value. And this happens to be my opinion (though it also happens to be shared by several other wine professionals I know).

To note: I have nothing against Chris Williams's winemaking abilities. His Foundry Viognier is perhaps South Africa's best white wine. But then hey, that's just like my opinion of course.
 

Briefly from Tim James: Seeing Chris Williams's name is being mentioned again, it should be pointed out that he has not been responsible for any Meerlust Rubicons yet released. He was assistant winemaker at Meerlust for a while, but has only been in the big job since early 2004. As to the wine's status in South Africa: many local 'wine professionals' felt during the 1990s how remarkable it was - and lucky for the producer - that Meerlust was keeping its popular reputation, with static or even declining quality for its red wines. Rubicon seems to be improving again with the 2001, and I have no doubt at all that Chris is going to bring the wine's quality back into accordance with its reputation - though I do hope that it retains a character that many Americans will think of as too 'austere'! (There are more than enough sweet, lush red wines about.) The Chardonnay has always been controversial; personally I agree with David C that it is problematical. 
 

From Clive D:
I think David is 100% spot on with his last comment, Chris Williams is a fantastic winemaker. The Foundry Viognier is perhaps the best South African white I have tasted in the last six years. You can't fault him for the quality of any of his Foundry wines, but like many winemakers in South Africa who take on personal 'pet labels' they  are almost universally superior to the wines they produce for the farm. Case in point: Rudi Schultz [winemaker at Thelema who also makes wine under his own name] and Chris Williams.
 

From Roland Peens:
I can't quite understand why the wines mentioned above have to always be equated to price. There is a niche market out there that doesn't consider price to be an issue. For SA to compete in the international market, we need expensive wines! Unfortunately they don't always correspond to quality but for them to be taken seriously, icon-aimed wines need to create hype with their pricing. Is Romanee Conti at $1500 on release ever measured up to price/value? Echezeaux next door may be just as good and it's half the price. These are icon wines, and price doesn't matter, the same with wines such as Torbeck at $220, Harlan at $210 etc. Let Ernie Els and Vilafonté try and make a name for themselves and achieve icon states. Both are made in relatively tiny quantities and the enormous amounts of time and procurement that is added to these wines I believe justifies the price. Both are doing extremely well internationally to boost the recognition of SA wine. If they are too expensive you then there is plenty of value out there for one to find.

  From Andrew Milne, of Southern Sky Wines
A very interesting blog with many pertinent points being made.  First, all these wines are very good, some might argue great. Canonization ... well I reckon that might be a step too far as I think death is a prerequisite for Sainthood. 

David - I agree that there are wines that offer better value but as Roland quite rightly said some buyers are not concerned with price or value but rather identify with the brand, history (e.g. Meerlust) and the overall relationship and marketing effort. Some producers get it right and that's why we have cult and icon wines. The market loves it and the ensuing debate is priceless. Keep it up.