The best medium-sized wine lists in South Africa 2023
Here is the guide to the best wine places in South Africa with medium-sized wine lists – 200-600 different labels. These venues were all Best Medium-Sized List finalists in Star Wine List of the Year South Africa 2023, presented by Amorim Cork. Check out all the venues and the winning wine lists!
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Amorim Cork
Amorim, the world’s leading supplier of cork stoppers and cork products, was founded in Portugal in 1870. The ethos of tradition and the values of a family business remain the cornerstones of a company committed to excellence and innovation, supported by modern scientific research and a continual drive to ensuring products of supreme quality.
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![Staff members behind the bar at Culture Wine Bar in Cape Town, South Africa]()
Phone: +27 212160035
Address: 103 Bree Street, Cape Town
By the Glass List of the Year International Open 2026
Culture Wine Bar, on Cape Town’s vibrant Bree Street, has firmly established itself as a premier destination for wine enthusiasts. Under the ownership of UK-born chef Matt Manning, the bar offers an impressive selection of over 50 wines by the glass, providing guests with a diverse tasting journey that spans both local and international varietals. The ambiance is further elevated by weekly live music sessions, creating a lively yet intimate atmosphere that complements the expansive wine offerings. The bar’s dedication to excellence has been recognised on prestigious platforms, garnering signi...
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![Capito, a wine bar and restaurant in Pretoria, South Africa.]()
Phone: +27 012 346 1932
Address: Corner Pinestar &, 18th Street, Hazelwood, Pretoria
This Italian restaurant in Hazelwood, Pretoria, is as well-known for its stellar wine list as they are for its take on traditional Italian fare. The list features a suitable by-the-glass list – available in 150ml or 250ml pours, and a superb offering of local wines (with the occasional international option too), which span a host of varietals from the expected to the unexpected. While the usual likes of Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Cabernet and Merlot run a good dozen bottles long per varietal, there are also the likes of Palomino, Viognier, Sangiovese and Tempranillo, which make this an exciting...
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![Tables at FYN restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa, a Star Wine List Red Star wine destination.]()
Phone: +27 21 286 2733
Address: 5th Floor, Speakers Corner, 37 Parliament Street, Cape Town
FYN Restaurant, perched above Church Square with striking city views, is where South African flavours meet Japanese precision in a thrilling fine-dining experience. Chef Peter Tempelhoff and Executive Chef Ashley Moss craft a dynamic, kaiseki-inspired menu that highlights the purity of local ingredients – think Karoo lamb, sustainably sourced seafood and indigenous botanicals, all presented with intricate, minimalist elegance. The open kitchen and sleek, industrial design create a dining space that feels both intimate and theatrical, drawing guests into the creative energy behind each dish....
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![Ivory Manor Boutique Hotel, a hotel and restaurant in Pretoria, South Africa.]()
Phone: 012 110 4380
Address: 280 Jochem Street, Rietvalleirand, Pretoria
Experience the refined elegance of Ivory Manor Boutique Hotel, reminiscent of a twentieth century English manor house and located amidst lush gardens. As a distinguished five-star establishment in Gauteng, the hotel offers exceptional comfort and a serene natural backdrop. The wine list, curated by the esteemed sommelier Germain Lehodey, boasts an impressive selection of over 400 options. Notably, approximately 14% of the collection comprises vintage wines dating back to the 1970s, including some particularly rare vintages, which guests can either sample in the hotel’s cellar or purchase to e...
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![The dining room at La Colombe restaurant in Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa - a Star Wine List Red Star wine destination.]()
Phone: +27 21 794 2390
Address: Silvermist Wine Estate, Main Road, Constantia Nek, Cape Town
La Colombe is South African fine dining at its best with white table cloths, a horde of service staff, refined detail everywhere and set on the mountain side surrounded by a forest of blue gum trees on Silvermist Wine Estate at the end of a steep and winding road leading up from the top of Constantia Nek. This is terrain that reassures 4x4 drivers that they made the right vehicle choice, don’t try to walk it up. The food and service is top notch and the wine service is quirky, showing confidence and personality. You will always have a good time here.
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![Marble Restaurant, a restaurant in Johannesburg, South Africa.]()
Phone: +27 10 594 5550
Address: Trumpet on Keyes Corner 19 Keyes and, Jellicoe Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg
The restaurant Marble, by Chef David Higgs, situated within the Trumpet Building on Keyes Art Mile, has established itself as a key player in Johannesburg’s restaurant scene. The upmarket eatery, focusing on open-flame cooking, offers a menu of refined fare. While meat is certainly their speciality – with the option of a selection of beef cuts sourced from around the world – they also offer up an exciting array of poultry, pescetarian, vegetarian and even vegan dishes, most of it not all, with an element cooked over fire. The restaurant boasts stunning interiors and is the perfect place to cat...
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![Signature Restaurant Sandton, a wine bar and restaurant in Johannesburg, South Africa.]()
Phone: +27 011 884 8888
Address: Shop U13, Morningside Shopping Centre Cnr Rivonia & Outspan Roads, Morningside, Johannesburg
The opulent restaurant within the affluent Johannesburg suburb of Morningside is a luxurious, sophisticated and fashionable affair. The extensive menu ensures something to everyone’s fancy, be it sushi, salads, steaks or seafood. The sultry sounds of jazz and blues, along with the plush furnishings, make it a great place for elaborate and long-lasting evenings. The wine list spans the globe and is even accompanied by maps of the various countries and wine-growing regions it features, as well as tasting notes for each of the wines on offer. Running 65 pages long, much like their food menu, th...
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![Signature Restaurant Umhlanga, a restaurant in Durban, South Africa.]()
Phone: +27 031 010 7888
Address: 9 Lagoon Drive, Umhlanga, Durban
