Whalehaven presented a selection of its top performing wines at the Tim Atkin MW Best of South Africa 2026 consumer tasting, held in London on 6 May 2026.
Compiled annually by Tim Atkin, one of the foremost voices on South African wine, the South Africa Special Report provides a widely regarded assessment of the country’s leading producers and wines. The London tasting brings together a concentrated selection of top-performing wineries drawn from the upper tiers of Atkin’s annual classification.
Among the wines presented by Whalehaven was the Reserve Series Seascape Chardonnay 2023, which has received significant international recognition across leading wine competitions and publications, including:
- The ‘Master’ Medal at the The Drinks Business Global Chardonnay Masters
- Inclusion in Decanter’s Top 100 Wines of the World 2025, with a 97-point score in the January 2026 issue
- The International Wine Challenge 2024 receiving 96 points and the Hemel-en-Aarde Trophy
- A 93-point rating in the Tim Atkin South Africa Report 2025
Together, these results position the Whalehaven Seascape Reserve Chardonnay as a leading wine within the Whalehaven range and a clear indicator of the producer’s continued performance in Chardonnay.
Situated at the gateway to the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Whalehaven focuses on small-batch Chardonnay and Pinot Noir shaped by strong maritime influence, with an emphasis on balance, texture, acidity, and saline precision.
Under the direction of Silvana Bottega, and in collaboration with Richard Kershaw since 2023, Whalehaven has refined its approach toward greater freshness, structure, and regional definition in line with the cool-climate conditions of the valley.
“Our focus is on producing wines that remain true to the natural conditions of the Hemel-en-Aarde region,” says Silvana Bottega. “The influence of the region was clearly reflected in the response from the trade in the room – from top sommeliers to wine writers alike – showed a strong appreciation for the wine’s minerality, salinity, and layered nuances across both the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc profiles.”
Whalehaven’s inclusion in this year’s tasting reflects the producer’s growing international profile and continued recognition within South Africa’s premium cool-climate wine landscape.
Whalehaven wines are available in the United Kingdom through Amathus Drinks online and in-store in London. Visit their website at www.amathusdrinks.com.