Tag Archives: 2015

The Single Tree Chardonnay given its due at Drinks Business Masters

THE BRITISH Masters of Wine on the tasting panels of leading UK trade publication The Drinks Business included a number of South African wines among the laureates applauded in the 2015/16 Global Chardonnay Masters, Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters and Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters competition results announced recently. Chief among them was the 2014 vintage of The Single Tree Chardonnay from Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards

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Nuy ‘oasis’ showcases Inspiration, Mastery, Legacy… and top Muscadel

IT WAS ABOUT TIME! Long overdue, you might say… By far and away South Africa’s leading producer of fortified dessert wines over the past 30 years or so and with a reputation for great-value quaffers too, Nuy Winery east of Worcester had made do with a rather humble cellar-door tasting and sales facility until the new showcase venue, restaurant and deli opened

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Bellingham all the more reason to make a pit stop at Franschhoek Cellar

THERE ARE VERY FEW successful wines of the serious kind which don’t have a place to call home. Until recently, Bellingham was virtually such a brand – a lovely collection of wines in The Bernard Series and a few other ranges that also have interest value, but if you wanted to go for a tasting or purchase from the cellar door it was

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South Africa’s Uber Value Wines – Best of the Best at Under R100 in 2015

OF ALL THE reds, whites, desserts and ports to receive good reviews in 2015, those honoured as ‘Uber Value’ on Top Wine SA are South Africa’s Best Value Wines with the Best Track Records at Under R100 a bottle. All top-rated – gold, double gold or platinum, 90 points or better out of 100, highly recommended, 5 Stars, trophy laureates, competition winners –

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Best value red blends – lots to choose from at under R100 a bottle

THE RED BLENDS from South Africa’s winelands that were the subject of good reviews in 2015 include plenty to choose from at under R100 a bottle. At under R50 there are fun labels such as Balance (depicted by an elephant on a stool) from Worcester’s Overhex, wines with a story behind them such as Sixpence of Opstal, Rawsonville, as well less frivolous

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Super Syrah ain’t cheap but there’s still reliable Shiraz at under R100

IF YOU’RE LOOKING for top-rated Shiraz in the bargain bins, there’s virtually nothing from South Africa at under R50 a bottle these days. However, between R50 and R100 there are a number of reliable wines that qualified for the 2015 SA Shiraz Classification, such are their good track records over the past 10 years. The following all received good reviews in 2015 and

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Plenty of Sauvignon Blancs under R100 received good reviews in 2015

THERE IS PLENTY on offer in the way of good South African Sauvignon Blanc at under R100 a bottle – including quite a number of wines with good track records over the past 10 years. At under R50 a bottle, Merwida has been building a good repution, and for a few more greenbacks you can get some of the Top 20

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Three classified wines among good value Pinotage options under R100

REALLY GOOD Pinotage at under R100 a bottle is becoming increasingly scarce – particularly if you’re looking for wine with a really good track record over the past 10 years. However, of the bottlings that did bring smiles to the faces on one or more of the top tasting panels in 2015 and whose price tags have been kept to double digits,

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Best Value Chenin – top-rated Chenin Blanc under R50, under R100

AT UNDER R50 a bottle, South Africa’s top Chenin Blancs in 2015 include several classified wines, namely Alvi’s Drift ADS from Worcester, Simonsig of Stellenbosch and Windmeul from Paarl. Stretch to R100 a bottle, and your options expand to encompass the Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection, one of the Top 10 Chenin Blancs in the country on the basis of great track

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Finding good SA Cabernet under R100 a bottle is a big ask, and yet…

IT’S VERY DIFFICULT to find a classified Cabernet Sauvignon in South Africa at under R100 a bottle these days – a wine of the quality that’s recognised with good reviews for several vintages over the past 10 years, let alone year after year. What you will find is a bunch of wines with interest value and some more than others –

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Top SA Chardonnay at under R100 a bottle – even under R50 a bottle!

WHEN BARGAIN-HUNTING for good South African Chardonnay at under R100 a bottle, generally speaking it pays to look at what’s coming out of the cellars up and down either side of the Breede River, from the top end of the Breedekloof just south of Wolseley, through Rawsonville and Worcester to Robertson and Bonnievale, where Fröhlich Family Wines are among the newcomers

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Choosing South Africa’s 2015 Wine of the Year not for faint-hearted

THE LATEST of the most outstanding achievements going the way of South African wines and cellars – the IWSC Winemaker of the Year award to Abrie Beeslaar of Kanonkop – inevitably raises the question about top contenders for 2015 SA Champion(s) status. The following ranked as favourites among the top tasting panels this year – 25 wines from 24 producers: Bellingham The Bernard

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Wine auction results point to savvy buyers who knew their stuff – generally speaking

LOOKING BACK on what went down at the 2015 Nederburg Auction of rare South African wine in September and the Cape Winemakers Guild Auction of special bottlings in October, as was to be expected, clearly bidders were primarily interested in the classified wines and cellars  on offer – those with good track records. Also in demand were wines that have been properly matured

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Inaugural Ultra Value Wine Challenge picks up where Best Value Wine Guide left off

THE FIRST Ultra Value Wine Challenge for SA wines priced at under R100 a bottle was a curious affair with the judges scoring “almost 500” wines according to a 100-point scale involving both quality and price. Top value rating of 99 went to the Bordeaux-style red blend Dominique 2013 from Louisvale in Devon Valley, Stellenbosch – which at R75pb must be a case

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Dombeya and Diemersdal the value champs at Winemag’s inaugural Red Hot Awards

THE RESULTS of Winemag.co.za’s Riscura ‘Red Hot Wine Awards’ confirmed the good credentials of numerous Bordeaux-style blends from the Cape – including a couple priced at around a third of what the top-rated wines are going for and a helluva lot less than the winner of the competition. In the final taste-off the honours went to the Mvemve Raats de Compostella

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South Africa the seventh biggest wine producer in the world – 2015 industry stats

ACCORDING to 2015 statistics announced by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) based in Paris, France, South Africa now ranks 7th among the biggest wine-producing countries in the world: 1 France (16.7%), 2 Italy (16%), 3 Spain (14.9%), 4 USA (8%), 5 Argentina (5.4%), 6 Australia (4.3%), 7 South Africa (4.1%), 8 China (4%), 9 Chile (3.8%). Spain has the most

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Top seeds aplenty among Top 20, Top 12 and Top 4 at Shiraz SA Challenge 2015

THERE WERE 202 entries in the latest Challenge staged by Shiraz SA – 162 single-varietal wines and 40 Shiraz-based blends. TOP 12 SINGLE-VARIETAL WINES IN SHIRAZ SA CHALLENGE 2015 Bellingham The Bernard Series Basket Press Syrah 2013 – Franschhoek Cederberg Shiraz 2013 Christina van Loveren Shiraz 2013 – Robertson Driehoek Shiraz 2012 – Cederberg Eagles’ Nest Shiraz 2012 – Constantia Fairview

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Oldenburg and DeMorgenzon dazzle at International Wine Challenge, London

TEN YEARS ago Oldenburg Vineyards in Banghoek outside Stellenbosch en route to Franschhoek hadn’t yet bottled their first wine. Today they have a growing reputation for good Chenin, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, two of which have excelled at one of the world’s biggest wine shows, now in its 32nd year… Also stepping into the spotlight more than once at

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2015 Chardonnay du Monde: Groot Constantia on a roll with top Chardonnay accolade in France following ‘iconic’ performance with trio of red wines on home soil

THE WINEMAKING team led by cellarmaster Boela Gerber at Groot Constantia have got off to a great start to the year, first with a haul of silverware and certificates at the South African Classic Wine Trophy competition and now with a place among the Top 10 at Chardonnay du Monde in Burgundy, France. Groot Constantia Chardonnay 2013 was the only SA wine included among

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South Africa’s Best Bubblies 2015 – Silverthorn grabbing plenty of attention, with Thelema among most high-profile newcomers

AT THE DAWN of the new millennium there were only 20 or so South African wineries producing sparkling wine according to the traditional or classic method for which the French are famous. Today there are over 100 cellars in the Cape making Cap Classique on a regular or occasional basis. The category has been booming, in part at least thanks

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