THE WINERY of Good Hope’s featuring Radford Dale Freedom Pinot Noir 2012 among the wines on tables at the Stockholm wedding banquet of Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip, son of Sweden’s King Carl Gustaf, prompted flash-backs to various other occasions prior to this June 2015 event that South African wines have been served to royalty… Graham Beck Brut NV Cap Classique
Read moreFOLLOWING good reviews for the 2012 vintage, The Pierneef Collection Syrah Viognier from La Motte joined a very select group of beauties in the Top Wine SA Hall of Fame with eight or more vintages to receive very good ratings from top tasting panels locally and/or overseas during the past 10 years. And with a gold medal won at the 2015 Trophy
Read moreAS ONE OF the Cape’s ‘First Growths’ with a history of winemaking going back to the 1700s and uninterrupted since 1892, Rustenberg in Ida’s Valley and on the slopes of the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch has not been resting on its laurels. Far from it. The Barlow family stands out as one of South Africa’s Top 20 producers as regards dry reds and whites
Read morePARTICULARLY good reviews for Rustenberg and Groot Constantia on the show circuit in 2015 have revived discussions about the so-called ‘First Growths’ in the winelands of South Africa – First Growths being defined as the areas or wines from those areas regarded as among the very finest of a particular district or region, based on the concept of terroir, which has to
Read moreDEMORGENZON, Elgin Vintners, Lomond, Paul Cluver and Perdeberg were among the International Trophy winners at the 2015 Decanter World Wine Awards – DeMorgenzon (Stellenbosch) with their flagship white blend, Elgin Vintners with their Pinot Noir, Lomond with a Syrah, Paul Cluver (Elgin) with a Riesling for UK retailer Marks & Spencer and Perdeberg (Paarl) with a Chenin from their Dryland Collection. Overall, Paul Cluver was
Read moreYOU MIGHT well wonder why Rustenberg Peter Barlow was excluded from the line-up for Winemag.co.za’s 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon report, i.e. given the wine’s great track record over the past 10 years, given that it was scored 5 Stars in the 2014 edition of the report and then chosen as the international judges’ overall favourite at this year’s Trophy Wine Show. You might also wonder
Read moreWOW! There will be Syrahs from nearly 80 cellars to experience at the Shiraz Showcase on 18 June – 18:00 to 21:00 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Expect well over 100 beauties available for tasting – including most of the 2015 Shiraz SA Challenge winners. For more info about the Showcase and for tickets to the event, click here. The participating producers
Read moreTEN 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
Read moreONE OF THE things that differentiates the international wine competition Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is that also its held in a different country every year. Although the organisers are based in Brussels, Belgium, the 22nd edition of the event was held in Jesolo, Italy – Jesolo being a beach resort near Venice. And among the most remarkable outcomes of Mondial 2015
Read moreCOULD wine lovers take a big liking to South African red wines made solely from Grenache? It’s early days still, but notable how many leading cellars in the Cape have warmed to this variety, widely planted in Spain and France, typically used in Rhône-style, Shiraz-led blends but also making for very respectable single-varietal wines. That SA Grenache on its own
Read moreAT 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
Read moreTHE LATEST round of awards for SA white wines at the inaugural Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge again raises the issue of what South Africa hangs or should hang its hat on – in other words, what the industry’s strong suits or trump cards are. Certainly there’s a case to be made for Chenin, and if Chenin is to
Read moreALL OF THE South African wines below are included in the latest SA Chardonnay Classification, with those having the very best track records highlighted and the listing limited to wines whose accolades include very good reviews in 2013/14. Prices are for the latest releases/vintages to be rated – rands per standard 750ml bottle and ex-cellar in most instances (approximate retail
Read moreSOUTH AFRICA’S 2014 Wine & Cellar Classifications based on the best track records in 25 local and international blind-tasting forums over the past 10 years feature eight new inclusions among the Top 100 Cellars: De Morgenzon, Laborie Wine Estate, Newton Johnson Family Vineyards, Nitida Cellars, Quoin Rock Winery, Rall Wines, Reyneke Wines and Van Loveren. However the majority of the
Read moreTHE TOP SA red blends in 2013… The following wines achieved outstanding reviews from the judges at blind-tastings around the world during the past 12 months: TOP SA RED BLEND RATINGS IN 2013 AA Badenhorst Red 2010 – 4½ Stars in Platter’s Guide Anthonij Rupert Red 2007 – 4½ Stars in Platter’s Guide Ashton Kelder Roodewal 2011 – Gold Medal at Trophy Wine
Read moreBEYERSKLOOF, Kanonkop, KWV, L’Avenir and Rijk’s top the list of contenders for Champion Pinotage Producer in 2013… The following wines achieved outstanding reviews from the judges at blind-tastings around the world during the past 12 months: TOP PINOTAGE RATINGS IN 2013 Anura Reserve 2011 – Top 10 in Top 10 Pinotage Competition, Double Gold Medal at Michelangelo Awards Beyerskloof Diesel 2010 –
Read moreTOP SA PINOT NOIR in 2013… The following wines achieved outstanding reviews from top panels judging ‘blind’: TOP SOUTH AFRICAN PINOT NOIR RATINGS IN 2013 Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak 2011 – 4½ Stars in Platter’s Guide Chamonix Reserve 2011 – Trophy at Classic Wine Trophy Competition Chamonix Reserve 2012 – Double Gold Medal at Six Nations Wine Challenge, 4½ Stars in Platter’s
Read moreAS IN MANY previous years, there were slim pickings when it came to the very top SA Merlot in 2013… Only the following wines achieved really outstanding reviews from the judges at blind-tastings in 2013: TOP SOUTH AFRICAN MERLOT RATINGS IN 2013 De Grendel 2010 – Double Gold Medal at Veritas Awards Eagles’ Nest 2009 – Double Gold Medal at
Read moreTOP SA SHIRAZ in 2013… The following wines achieved outstanding reviews from the judges at blind-tastings around the world during the past 12 months: TOP SOUTH AFRICAN SHIRAZ RATINGS IN 2013 Asara 2010 – Gold Medal at Trophy Wine Show Boekenhoutskloof 2003 – 5 Stars in Christian Eedes Report Boekenhoutskloof 2011 – 4½ Stars in Platter’s Guide Boschendal Reserve Collection 2011 – Trophy at
Read moreTOP SA CABS in 2013… The following wines achieved outstanding reviews from the judges at blind-tastings around the world during the past 12 months: TOP SOUTH AFRICAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON RATINGS IN 2013 Boekenhoutskloof 2011 – 5 Stars in Platter’s Guide Cederberg Five Generations 2011 – 5 Stars in Platter’s Guide, Double Gold Medal at Veritas Awards Delaire Graff Reserve 2009 – Trophy at
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