Three South African wines have made the prestigious Drinks International 'World's Most Admired Wine Brands' list for 2018 — the most representation South African wine has ever had on the important ranking.
At the top of the 50 wine brands on the list is Nederburg, at position 41, followed by KWV, at position 45, and Tokara — who are on the list for the first time — at position 48, and are one of the youngest brands on the list, being only 15 years in the making.
"To be named as one of the 'World's Most Admired Wine Brands' is a true testament to Tokara's forward-thinking vision," said Karl Lambour, Tokara's general manager, when the announcement was made.
Over 200 of the world's top masters of wine, sommeliers, educators and journalists pitted top brands against one another this year, asking if the wine is of consistent or improving quality, if it reflects its region or country of origin, if it responds to the needs and tastes of its target audience, and if it is well-marketed and packaged and appeals to a wide demographic.
At the number one spot of the list this year is the Spanish Torres wine brand, which was founded in 1870, and is surprisingly affordable, with some bottles retailing at under R90 at some South African stores.