Cape vineyards triumph in World's 50 Best

The Cap Classique corks will be popping across the Cape winelands this week, with the news that two Cape estates have cracked the top 10 in the prestigious The World’s 50 Best Vineyards competition for 2025. And perhaps even bigger news is that Klein Constantia has leapfrogged long-time African champion Creation Wines!

Now in its seventh year, the annual ranking – organised by William Reed, the team behind The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and World’s 50 Best Hotels – has been rebranded as The World’s 50 Best Vineyards and folded into the wider 50 Best portfolio.

The 2025 list was announced on 19 November in Margaret River, Western Australia, in partnership with Tourism Western Australia. Topping the list for 2025 is Vik in Millahue, Chile, which rises one position to be named The World’s Best Vineyard 2025 and Best Vineyard in South America. 

Second place goes to Germany’s historic Schloss Johannisberg in the Rheingau, while Spain’s striking Bodegas Ysios in Rioja rounds out the global top three. Uruguay’s Bodega Garzón and Bordeaux’s Château Smith Haut Lafitte complete the top five.

But the big story for South Africa comes in the next two slots.

In sixth position – climbing an impressive 35 places from its 2024 ranking – is Klein Constantia, which also claims the title of Best Vineyard in Africa 2025. Due to that remarkable 35-place jump, it also received the Highest Climber Award 2025. 

Situated on the cool slopes of the Constantia Valley and renowned for its legendary sweet wine, Vin de Constance, the estate combines classic Cape Dutch architecture with modern touches, seasonal farm-to-table dining in the Bistro, and refined tasting experiences. 

According to the World’s 50 Best, that impressive rise in the rankings reflects not only the continuing quality of the wines but also the enhancement of the overall visitor experience. 

Hot on their heels, though, in seventh place, is Creation Wines in the Hemel-en-Aarde.

Perched in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley above Hermanus, Creation has earned its reputation for exceptional cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, set among fynbos-framed vineyards and an ever-evolving menu of wine-and-food pairings. For the past five years, the estate has dominated the regional category, being voted Best Vineyard in Africa on multiple occasions – including 2024, when it was ranked third in the world and once again outperformed icons such as Château d’Yquem and Champagne Bollinger. 

Beyond the top 10, South Africa also performs well on the extended 51–100 list, with Tokara Wine & Olive Estate (No. 71), Delaire Graff Estate (No. 79), La Motte Wine Estate (No. 94), and Hamilton Russell Vineyards (No. 99) all recognised among the world’s leading wine tourism destinations.

So, for South African wine enthusiasts or anyone planning a wine-tasting journey for the year ahead, the message is clear: you don’t have to leave the Cape to visit some of the world's finest vineyards. 

But if you do want to, here are the 25 top-ranked estates in the world for 2025:

1. Vik – Chile
2. Schloss Johannisberg – Germany
3. Bodegas Ysios – Spain
4. Bodega Garzón – Uruguay
5. Château Smith Haut Lafitte – France
6. Klein Constantia Wine Estate – South Africa
7. Creation – South Africa
8. Maison Ruinart – France
9. Château d’Yquem – France
10. Montes – Chile
11. Durigutti Family Winemakers – Argentina
12. Bodegas Salentein – Argentina
13. Jordan Vineyard & Winery – USA
14. Aperture Cellars – USA
15. Champagne Bollinger – France
16. Weingut Dr. Loosen – Germany
17. El Enemigo – Argentina
18. Pago de Carraovejas – Spain
19. Ceretto – Italy
20. 98Wines – Japan
21. Bodegas Tío Pepe (González Byass) – Spain
22. Perelada – Spain
23. Maysara Winery – USA
24. Vivanco – Spain
25. Gramona – Spain