Tag Archives: Decanter

Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir shines in Decanter panel-tasting

FOR THE December 2023 issue of Decanter Magazine in the UK, a panel comprising Masters of Wine Anne Krebiehl (chair), Justin Knock and Dirceu Vianna Junior assessed 134 Pinot Noirs from Australia (44), New Zealand (63) and South Africa (27) – all priced at £30+ per bottle in the UK or the equivalent in their domestic markets. Of these, 12

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These are THE top SA wine events in November and December 2023

NOVEMBER 2023 1 NOVEMBER Caroline’s White Wine Review | Cape Town 1 NOVEMBER Veritas Tasting | Johannesburg 4 NOVEMBER Cap Classique Affair | Stellenbosch 4 & 5 NOVEMBER Pick n Pay Wine & Food Festival | Johannesburg 4 NOVEMBER Swartland Seaside Party | Saldanha 8 NOVEMBER Iconic Sauvignon Blancs | Cape Town 9 NOVEMBER Botriver Vineyards Roadshow | Johannesburg 9 NOVEMBER Veritas Tasting |

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Iona on top of the world after great show at Decanter Awards

THE ACHIEVEMENT of Iona with the 2021 Chardonnay in their Elgin Highlands range at the 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards (UK) was impressive, to say the least. Of all the Chardonnays entered in the competition, it was one of only 16 rated 97+ on the judges’ 100-point scale and one of only three honoured among the ‘Best in Show’ (Top

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2020 Le Riche Reserve Cab looks set to be rated best vintage yet

DESCRIBED AT the 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards in the UK as “graceful and accomplished”, the Le Riche Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 was the most highly rated red from South Africa and, from over 18 000 entries internationally, one of 50 wines celebrated as ‘Best in Show’. What the panel of judges experienced was: “Dark, black-red in the glass, with

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South Africa’s Iona and Le Riche among very best at Decanter WWA

IONA Chardonnay 2021 of the Elgin Highlands and the 2020 Reserve Cab from Le Riche in the Helderberg vineyards of Stellenbosch were the panels’ favourite South African wines at the 2023 Decanter Awards in London. A record-breaking 18 250 entries were received from 57 countries, assessed by 236 judges including 53 Masters of Wine and 16 Master Sommeliers. After weeks of

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Ses’fikile 2021 one of THE standout SA Chenins of the year

AMAZINGLY, at the time of writing, it was still not yet sold out. At under R100, the most keenly-priced of the 28 top-scoring Chenin Blancs and Chenin-driven blends in a panel-tasting of 223 South African bottlings reviewed for the international Decanter Magazine. This is one of the bargains of the year, with an interest value that had Masters of Wine

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Swartland Chenins score top marks in Decanter panel-tasting, UK

IN THE March 2023 issue of the British magazine Decanter, no fewer than 28 of South Africa’s Chenin Blancs (or blends comprising at least 85% Chenin) were considered outstanding, excellent wines of great complexity and character, rated between 95 and 97 on a 100-point scale. This followed a three-day panel tasting of 223 wines submitted by either the producers or

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South African beauties among Decanter’s Wines of the Year

In the January 2023 issue of the UK’s Decanter Magazine, three South African wines are included among the team’s favourites during the previous 12 months: Mullineux Olerasay NV, Piekenierskloof Grenache 2020 and Rascallion Devonian Chenin Blanc 2021.

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Constantia Glen Sauvignon Blanc one of South Africa’s best

WHO SAYS YOU can’t enjoy a chilled Sauvignon Blanc in the winter! Especially on those warm days… Plus, 97 points and a platinum award at the Decanter World Wine Awards (UK) is enough to put the 2021 vintage from Constantia Glen on any wine lover’s radar! Top-scoring South African Sauvignon as judged by Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers at

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Whitehall Chardonnay has aficionados smiling internationally

THE 2020 VINTAGE of Neil Ellis’s Whitehall Chardonnay had only been on the market for a few months when it was included among the Top 4 in Winemag‘s 2021 South African Chardonnay Report. By the end of the year it had been Highly Recommended in Platter‘s SA Wine Guide, and after some more time in bottle it was considered 95+ on

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Ken Forrester Chenin Best in Show at World Wine Awards 2022

THE DECANTER World Wine Awards in the UK are mega. 18 244 entries in 2022, a world record as international wine competitions go. Judged over two weeks, with the various panels comprising some 250 experts including more than 41 Masters of Wine and 13 Master Sommeliers. 8074 bronze medals awarded, 5900 silvers, 676 golds, 165 platinum medals and 50 wines

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Decanter critics loving Pinotage, Winemag brains trust not so much

  THE “SECOND EVER” panel-tasting of Pinotage by Decanter in the UK was described by judge Greg Sherwood MW as “a huge success”, with the results published in the Feb 2022 issue of the magazine. It had been over 20 years since the publishers last reviewed this class of red wines in such a focused manner and the jury praised

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Top quality, great value SA Chenin endorsed by Decanter panel, UK

2022 HAD ALREADY got underway when Decanter (UK) announced the names of their Wines of the Year 2021. Experts around the world and on the Decanter team nominated those wines that had impressed them most during the year to October 2021, and these were then re-assessed by a panel comprising three of the publication’s judges: Master of Wine Michelle Cherutti-Kowal,

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A journal of six generations striving for what the farm is truly capable of

WHAT TO MAKE of Diemersdal… A Sauvignon Blanc specialist. A Pinotage specialist. A good all-rounder. With a pretty decent ‘Farm Eatery’ to lunch or dine at in the winelands of Durbanville… Short of energy they’re not. In fact the Louw family and their team sometimes seem at risk of over-stretching themselves, regularly adding to the range and tweaking their strong

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Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ‘a really sophisticated offering’

WITH MUCH more focus these days on the name of a cellar in Paarl than that of the producer or the name it trades under, the label is an artwork in itself. Warshay Investments’ KWV Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc has been a friend of discerning wine lovers for many years, ranking among the Top 20 in the South African Wine Classification.

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From mountains high, Cederberg Shiraz 2018 latest in line of stunners

  NO OTHER SHIRAZ from South Africa has been as successful on the world stage in 2021 as the 2018 vintage from the team at the Cederberg cellar of David Nieuwoudt: Highly Recommended in Platter’s SA Wine Guide; one of the Top 10 gold medallists at Syrah du Monde in France; one of 12 champions in the Shiraz SA Challenge;

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Five Generations Cab ranks among Top 50 at 2021 World Wine Awards

AMAZINGLY, given the ramifications of COVID-19 disaster restrictions internationally, there was a record number of entries from producers in 56 countries vying for a top spot in the Decanter World Wine Awards (UK). The 2021 edition of the competition was contested by 18 094 wines, assessed by nearly 170 experts including 44 Masters of Wine and 11 Master Sommeliers. Over

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From the unforgiving, majestic Cederberg, a wine of distinction and class

  GOLD MEDAL and a score of 96 at the Decanter World Wine Awards (UK), Best in Class at the Trophy Wine Show (SA), Grand Gold Medal at Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (BE). Amazing accolades for the 2017 vintage of Cederberg Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon in 2020 – or rather, as to be expected! And no doubt there will be

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Five Soldiers regarded as one of top four Chardonnays in the world

ONCE AGAIN, France was awarded the most (12) ‘Best in Show’ medals (pick of the platinum medallists) at the UK’s international Decanter World Wine Awards with entries received from Bordeaux, Champagne, Alsace, Burgundy, Provence and the Loire. Italy claimed second place with eight of the 50 wines considered the best on show in 2020, followed by Australia (6) Portugal (5)

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SA Semillon worth seeking out – and not all what they might seem at first

“THERE’S SOMETHING strange happening in South Africa’s Semillon vineyards. Green bunches turn red the one year, then back to green the next. Hung like Christmas baubles on gnarled bushvines, the shapeshifting clusters are an enduring mystery” – Malu Lambert talking about Semillon Gris in Decanter (UK). Full article here. One of the Semillons recommended in the piece is La Colline

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