Tag Archives: 2017

Two trophies for Neil Ellis Pinotage at 21st edition of Absa Top 10

THE 2017 ABSA Top 10 Pinotage competition culminated with the presentation of trophies to winning wine producers at Cavalli estate outside Somerset West. The event commemorated 21 years of the Pinotage Association’s competition that contributes to setting benchmarks as regards South Africa’s most successful ‘indigenous’ variety. There were 147 entries and the laureates were applauded as fine ambassadors of Wine

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Northern Cape on the radar again after Winemag red blend report

THE 2017 Signature Red Blend Report on Winemag.co.za follows the assessment of 82 combos from 62 producers – Shiraz-led Rhöne style, Pinotage-driven Cape Blends and various other alternatives to the Bordeaux model typically moulded around Cabernet or Merlot, sometimes Cabernet Franc. By the end of the competition, the panel of judges – Winemag’s Christian Eedes (chair) with Wine Cellar’s Roland Peens and

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Sommeliers stir things up a bit with somewhat surprising winelist

IT’S A UNIQUE COMPETITION insofar as all of the judges are members of the South African Sommelier Association – although it’s owned and run by Darielle Robertson of DnA Events Management in Cape Town. It’s also unusual, insofar as the judging culminates in drawing up a Cape Winelist, with listings presented according to Wine by the Glass, Fresh & Crunchy, Elegant

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South Africa’s finest dessert wines among the best in the world

THERE WERE 214 still and sparkling wines from 25 countries entered in the 2017 edition of Muscats du Monde, the international competition held where Muscat de Frontignan is said to have originated in France… There were 55 critics involved and the judging took place over two days at the historical Voltaire House in Frontignan-la-Peyrade of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, culminating in

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Bargain Wine SA: good reviews and under R100 pb – Jan to July 2017

SA CHARDONNAY UNDER R100 Douglas Green Chardonnay 2016 – gold medal at Chardonnay du Monde, approx retail price of R55 pb KWV Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay 2016 – high silver at Decanter Awards and silver at International Wine Challenge, R90 pb ex-cellar in Paarl Simonsig Chardonnay 2015 – silver medal at Chardonnay du Monde and among Top 100 at National Wine Challenge, R90 pb

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Five standouts among premier Cap Classiques as of July 2017

THE ORGANISERS of the Decanter World Wine Awards in the UK describe their competition as the “most influential”. Ditto the International Wine Challenge, also of the UK, which goes further in claiming to be “the finest” and the “most meticulous”. But these are modest compared to The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships: “The most respected, prestigious and rigorous… No

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Winemag Merlot Report showcases five ‘excellent’ expressions but…

THE 2017 Winemag Report on SA Merlot involved the assessment of 67 wines from 50 producers and culminated in five wines rated 90-plus (see below). Published in association with the industry’s producer body that goes by the name of the Merlot Forum, the full report posted on Winemag.co.za states that: “Local Merlot often makes for less ambitious and less expensive wines

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South Africa seventh-biggest wine producer in the world – 2017 stats

ACCORDING to statistics provided by the Paris-based International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) in June 2017, the area under vine throughout the world was estimated at 7.5 million hectares in 2016, with total wine production estimated at 267 million hectolitres (9% less than in 2015). South Africa now ranks seventh among the biggest wine-producing countries in the world: 1 Italy (50.9

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Boplaas Tawny Non-Vintage takes the title at Cape Port Challenge

FOR THE report on the 2017 Challenge convened by the Cape Port Producers Association and the full results of the competition, see here. The panel of judges included Christine Rudman CWM (chair), Cathy van Zyl MW, Winnie Bowman CWM, Colin Frith (Hon CWM), Raymond Noppe CWM and sommelier Gregory Mutambe. TOP CAPE PORTS IN 2017 CHALLENGE Boplaas Cape Tawny NV –

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Thelema Rabelais top-scores in Winemag ‘Cape Bordeaux’ Blend Report

FOR THE third annual South African Bordeaux-Style Red Blend Report by Winemag.co.za, see here. There were 60 wines from 45 producers assessed by a panel comprising the website’s editor Christian Eedes (chair) with Roland Peens and James Pietersen of the Wine Cellar in Observatory, Cape Town. Twenty-five wines were rated 90-plus, with Thelema Rabelais 2013 emerging as the trio’s favourite

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‘Organic’ Landzicht Reserve Cab prevails in spite of the ‘desert’

ONE OF THE most talked-about South African reds following the announcement of the 2017 Trophy Wine Show results is Landzicht’s 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. Judged top of its class ahead of many fancied Stellenbosch Cabs, it’s a wine from the Northern Cape, not that far from the Free State, over 900km from Cape Town… 955m above sea level in a

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Fairview, Rustenberg and Saronsberg dominate at Shiraz Challenge

THE CEDERBERG Private Cellar, KWV and Fairview of Paarl, Eagles’ Nest of Constantia and Saronsberg of Tulbagh have the best track records at the Shiraz SA Challenge since its inception in 2013. At the 2017 edition, all triumphed once again, with Rustenberg of Stellenbosch also sharing the limelight as one of three cellars to earn a couple of trophies on the day.

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Tokara, Leeuwenkuil and DeMorgenzon ‘top guns’ at Trophy Wine Show

THE 2017 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show celebrates the achievements of producers from Constantia to the Northern Cape and properties that have been part of the Cape wine landscape for centuries as well as those where winemaking only began within the past 10 years. Winner of the trophy for Most Successful Producer: Tokara of Helshoogte, on the slopes of the

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PC and KC among Best Wines on Show at Decanter Awards, London

RECEIVING 17 200 entries for the 2017 edition, the World Wine Awards convened by Decanter magazine (UK) is the largest wine competition on the planet. Special kudos to Paul Cluver of Elgin and Klein Constantia as the only South African wineries to get through the final round of judging when, of the 209 platinum award winners, 34 were chosen as the

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I told myself I wouldn’t eat at Harbour House again, but then again …

FOR MANY who are fond of good wining and dining in Cape Town, when dreaming about seafood and a room with a view, your thoughts might well turn to Harbour House in the V&A Waterfront or Kalk Bay. Very appealing, but lunching there is not an automatic choice: a great plate of prawns and chips isn’t guaranteed at these bayside destinations and then there’s

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Top spot at Syrah du Monde 2017 goes to Driehoek of the Cederberg

SYRAH du Monde 2017 involved 372 entries from 26 countries. Judging took place over two days at the Ampuis Castle overlooking the Rhône River and surrounded by grapevines in the heart of the Côte-Rôtie, France – although 55 of the 100 panel members were from outside France. Once all was said and done, gold medals were awarded for 33 wines,

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Boschendal and Paul Cluver take top trophies at IWC 2017, London

TWENTY-THREE gold medals to South African wines with seven beauties going on to win trophies at the 2017 International Wine Challenge in London. Some are recent vintages of wines with great track records, such as Cape Point’s flagship white blend, DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin, Bouchard Finlayson Pinot, Stellenrust Chenin and those champions from Paul Cluver and Saronsberg that feature regularly in the

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Top South African Chardonnay – Decanter Panel Tasting Results, UK

Full report here: Top South African Chardonnay – Decanter Panel Tasting 120 wines assessed: seven considered outstanding, 47 highly recommended. The judges: Masters of Wine Tim Atkin, John Hoskins and Greg Sherwood. Top-Scoring Chardonnays of the tasting: Ataraxia 2015 Kershaw 2014 Neil Ellis Whitehall 2015 Paul Cluver Estate 2015 Paul Cluver Seven Flags 2015 Rustenberg Stellenbosch 2015 Sutherland 2015 (Thelema)

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Tough going for Cape wine cellars at Spanish edition of Mondial

OH DEAR! Ninety ‘grand golds’ go to wonderful wines from around the world at the 2017 edition of Concours Mondial, but none of them to South Africa – despite the entry of some vintages from Cape cellars that have built up some pretty solid reputations for their Cabernet, Shiraz, Pinotage and various red blends, for example. Nevertheless, 10 gold medals for

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Neil Ellis “the most exciting Cab in South Africa right now” – Winemag

INTERESTING results there were from the 2017 Winemag tasting of South African Cabernet Sauvignon. From a line-up of 65 Cabs that producers were invited to submit for assessment, panel chair Christian Eedes together with fellow judges Roland Peens and James Pietersen of Cape Town merchants Wine Cellar found 15 beauties they regarded as ‘excellent’ – but none great enough to warrant

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