One topic you can be sure will arise – and arouse heated discussion - at any wine tasting is that of scoring systems.

Some will defend with their life the twenty point system, while others feel the need for the more nuanced one hundred point system. In reality, these two are 10 and 50 point systems, since anything less than these halfway marks is considered a write off, so why bother with the detail. On the other hand, Platter (declaration of interest here) opts for the five stars, which is actually a ten point rating, given the permissible half a star gradation.

Despite the store set by numbers, a score alone tells one little more than the person who has awarded it considers the wine excellent, faulty or various indeterminate levels in between. Without a critique, there is no idea whether the wine under discussion is white, red, still, sparkling or fortified, let alone whether it shows varietal typicity or stylistic authenticity. The taster’s own preferences also need to be borne in mind; as much as I, as an independent reviewer, hold no candle for any producer, I do have stylistic preferences – elegance and understatement rather than ultra ripe and obviously oaky.

Comments by a panel of tasters, especially from a blind line up are another matter, rarely achieving much of use to the reader. Perhaps it’s a general inadequacy when it comes to wine descriptions, or sheer laziness on the part of consumers, but they do appear to be blinded by scores, especially, the Americans with Robert Parker the über-guide.

It was thus interesting, during a post-Vilafonté tasting, to hear an American journalist present, suggest Parker’s scores might be becoming less influential for a new generation of winelovers. There was much discussion as to how wine ratings should or will evolve, without satisfactory conclusion.

So, only a little frivolously, may I suggest if numbers and words are used to define wine, why not pictures? I often visualise a wine in my mind as I experience it (please don’t tell me I’m alone in doing this?); of course, it is a very personal view, but then so are words and numbers. It just might be another tool to help winelovers relate to what the taster thinks of the wine.

As an experiment, I’ve had a go at replicating on paper how I’ve visualised three of the wines we recently tasted for Grape’s new releases (please understand I’m no Kentridge!); I hope the drawings match up to my descriptions. But forget any deep analysis, they are intended to be fun and personal interpretations!

We were surprised to find a wine selling for R35 released as a two year old. The Flat Roof Manor Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon 2008 (14/20) has benefited from the extra time, allowing the semillon to develop some characterful waxy notes with sauvignon adding a grassy overlay. For me it seems a little weaker on the palate than the nose would suggest, though Tim doesn’t agree. That niggle aside, it provides good value and should continue to drink well for at least another year.

A trio of sauvignon blancs, all from cool climate spots and the highly-reputed 2009 vintage made for interesting comparison. Names such as Bouchard Finlayson, Paul Cluver and Oak Valley inspire confidence and there is little disappointment with any.

The doubts we have with the Bouchard Finlayson (15) are mainly driven by the ‘Reserve’ and consequent R100 price tag; for that figure we would hope for more concentration and character. The bright tropical fruit and assertive acid clearly speak of sauvignon for me but Tim finds it a mix of ripe and lean and a little sickly, while guest taster, Ingrid Motteux deems it dull. Since it spent a brief period in oak and includes 12% semillon, perhaps it still needs time to settle.

The Paul Cluver (16) is true to its house style, understated and will definitely continue to improve with a few more years. Typically very pale with dainty, lees-enriched tropical tones, it has a lively, lissom feel with agreeable natural acid adding a savoury note to the lengthy finish.

Our favourite on the day was the Oak Valley (17), a precise, unshowy wine with great fruit purity, including a touch of flinty/fume. It has a tight, polished feel, a wealth of rich flavours and stimulating savoury acidity, all of which linger on the tapered, dry finish. No need to hurry over opening this one.

Both local and international reviews mention South African reds still have some way to go to catch up with the whites. On the showing of Heron Ridge The Flight Shiraz 2006 R69 (13) and Shiraz 2005 R105 (14.5) as well as Nederburg Twenty10 Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 R70 (15), there’s little advance here.

The Orpen family bought the 4 hectare farm, Heron Ridge, on the Helderberg in 1997 and decided to focus on shiraz.

The Flight, matured in a mix of French and American oak, 40% new, has dim spicy aromas but suffers from over-ripeness, leaving a sweetish alcoholic glow and drying tannins. The Shiraz has fresher fruit – floral snatches and dark berries - though is still very ripe, with noticeable oak and tannin grip; already five years old, we’re doubtful about how much more it will soften before the fruit fades.

As the Nederburg team have shown in recent vintages, overall quality is consistently improving; this cabernet sauvignon exemplifies that trend. In my view, it is also well-styled for its intended audience (it is one of the official wines for the soccer World Cup), in that it’s accessible yet not too complicated; Ingrid dubs it ‘superior steakhouse’, a good description; Tim goes a few steps up, placing it in the ‘admirably serious’ category. Whatever one’s view, this good vintage has produced well-defined soft black berries enhanced by well-judged oak and a fresh spine. Time should see the tannins resolve, but we doubt it will introduce further complexity.