TO WIN the trophy for top-scoring wine at the Veritas Awards is a fairly big deal! In 2023, there were 1247 entries (including spirits) in what is the biggest, longest-running SA wine competition. Of these, 81 were considered worthy of a double gold medal by panels of local and international judges, 70 in total, with double gold being the top
Read moreFROM A SINGLE, east-facing vineyard in Franschhoek, planted around the time that Leeu Passant was founded just 10 years ago, “this is the first release of this stunning and classy Cabernet Franc,” says winemaker Andrea Mullineux of the wine that fetched the highest price paid at the 2023 Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) Auction. “These steep, terraced slopes have a permanent
Read moreCOGNAC, ARMAGNAC, CAPE BRANDY… An acquired taste, some would argue. Thrice as strong as most red and white wines. Aqua vitae, the water of life! Distilled wine, in basic terms, but in its finest form a wonderful spirit savoured in sips. And those bottles… Medicine for the soul! Originating in the vineyards, as they do, the brandies of South Africa
Read moreWHAT TO LIKE about Winemag‘s pick of South Africa’s ‘Top 20 Wines’ in 2021, ‘The Best Wines in South Africa’ and their choice of ‘Winery of the Year’? Well, good to see Vergelegen in the spotlight again: top estate, veteran winemaker, impressive track record. Interesting to see what Winemag rated most highly: Cavalli Filly Chenin Blanc 2020 and DeMorgenzon Maestro
Read moreTHERE WERE A NUMBER of familiar labels among the ‘Best in Class’ and ‘Wine of the Year’ laureates that shone in the 2021 SA National Wine Challenge, but nobody could have anticipated the identity of the overall red wine champion. A newcomer from the Koelenhof Winery, The Legacy 2017 is the first (Cab-led) red blend in the premium ‘Stellenbosch 1679’
Read moreAS WINEMAG points out, there is no official definition for a ‘Cape White Blend’, but their proposal is that such wines, as opposed to the Bordeaux-style Semillon-and-Sauvignon-Blanc combos, can be made from any combination of varieties as long as they include a significant Chenin Blanc component, specifically more than 15% and less than 85%. Winemag editor Christian Eedes reasons that
Read moreIT CAN TAKE a while to get your head around the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards held in South Africa. Platinum medals are presented for wines scored 96+ out of 100, but not if they go on to win a trophy. Trophies are awarded to wines that scored highest in their classes, but they are not awarded in every
Read moreWHITES from Tokara and Raats, reds from Haut Espoir, La Bri, Rustenberg, Remhoogte and Tokara, sweets from Nederburg and Boplaas… The top-scoring South African producers in Winemag’s 10 Year Old Report 2019. To quote Christian Eedes, who chaired the three-man panel that included Roland Peens and James Pietersen of Cape Town merchant Wine Cellar: “The 2009 vintage is generally considered
Read moreTOTAL SALES at the 2018 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction amounted to over R10-million for 2012 cases (6 x 750ml or equivalent), with the average prices of R5 265 per case and R878 per bottle exceeding what was achieved in 2017. The line-up of 48 wines included 31 reds, 14 whites, two Cap Classique sparkling wines and a Cape Port, with the red blend Kanonkop
Read moreODD that perennial sweet wine favourites Alvi’s Drift, Nuy and Orange River Cellars didn’t get a look in at the 2018 Muskadel SA Awards for fortified desserts, but maybe they didn’t field any of the 31 wines entered this time round. Then again, two of the Top 10 cellars in this category came storming through – Bon Courage winning with both
Read moreTHERE WERE around 600 wines judged at South Africa’s National Wine Challenge 2018 convened by Robin von Holdt’s Buybetterwine.com. The judges comprised chairman Greg Sherwood (UK Master of Wine), Ginette de Fleuriot (Cape Wine Master), sommelier Wayve Kolvesohn, with winemakers Duncan Savage, Matthew Day of Klein Constantia, Richard Kershaw (Master of Wine) and JD Pretorius of Steenberg. Sommelier Higgo Jacobs was
Read moreFOR 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 –
Read moreJUST WHEN you think you’ve heard about, seen or drunk every port-style fortified wine from Boplaas Family Vineyards in Calitzdorp, along comes another. And the point can be well made by way of their fine Tawny, which is rather topical of late. According to their pricelist and website, the Nel family is currently selling a non-vintage Boplaas Cape Tawny for R100
Read moreWELL WOULD YOU look at that! While the trophy winner at this year’s CAPPA Port Challenge is again from Calitzdorp in the Klein Karoo, three of the six gold medal-winning producers are not from the ‘Port Capital’ of South Africa! Besides the Cape champion and runner-up overall from Boplaas, a wine from De Krans and another from Peter Bayly (all of Calitzdorp), two of
Read moreThe sort of weather to expect in Calitzdorp this weekend – although the Boplaas vineyard pictured above is bound to look rather different in the middle of winter BOPLAAS, De Krans and TTT Cellar are among THE wineries to head for during the next few days if you fancy a drive through the Karoo, wine that’ll warm the heart and
Read moreCalitzdorp might be the ‘Port Capital’ of South Africa, but it’s not the only place in the country where they know how to do it Portuguese style THE JUDGING PANEL was sound and the competition has a good track record, but the announcement of the Cape Port Producers’ Association’s 2013 Challenge results prompted as many questions as it provided answers.
Read moreTHE STAND-OUT port-style wines from South Africa, the best reviews of the year… Klein Karoo producers Axe Hill, Boplaas, the Calitzdorp Cellar and De Krans remain dominant, with Bergsig of the Breedekloof and KWV of Paarl offering the main alternatives at this level of quality – a standard that irked the Portuguese so much that the European Union banned South African cellars from using
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