THE PRICE of over R1000 a bottle puts Bouchard Finlayson’s flagship Pinot Noir from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley into the realm of South Africa’s luxury wines, although for less than half that you can get the same vintage of their Galpin Peak. In fact it wasn’t that long ago that the “cameo selection” Tête de Cuvée also carried the name Galpin
Read moreNOW IN ITS 38th year, the International Wine Challenge (IWC) is one of the world’s most rigorous wine competitions. Every medal winner is assessed ‘blind’ on at least three separate occasions by a minimum of two panels of judges tasting together, and then again by two of the show’s co-chairs, who in 2022 comprised Tim Atkin MW, Sam Caporn MW,
Read moreMANY WOULD ARGUE that their Chardonnay is more impressive than their Pinot, and they make some other outstanding wines here too – with a number of the cellars’ beauties originating in vineyards outside the area! But it tends to be Pinot Noir that the Hemel-en-Aarde winelands are best known for, and certainly its what the winemakers make the most noise
Read moreIN THE LAST of the world’s major wine competitions of the year, Boschendal (Franschhoek) and Groot Constantia (Cape Town) scooped two of the top trophies going – Boschendal Elgin Chardonnay 2018 named top South African White Wine and Groot Constantia Sauvignon Blanc 2019 judged best Sauvignon Blanc. Period. This was the first time in 10 years that the top Sauvignon
Read moreTHE ANNOUNCEMENT of the top award winners at the 2020 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) was not without a surprise or two… No doubt the 2015 vintage of Bartinney Skyfall Cabernet Sauvignon and Quoin Rock’s Bordeaux-style ‘Red Blend’ – both of Stellenbosch – are worthy of their places among the competition’s 30 Wines of the Year, but apparently the
Read moreA DOZEN South African wines earned gold medals at the 2020 International Wine & Spirit Competition in the UK. Top score of 97/100 in this regard went to the 2018 vintage of Bouchard Finlayson Missionvale Chardonnay from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, with three wines scored 96 points, namely the Nicolas van der Merwe Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, the Quoin Rock Red Blend
Read moreHARDLY surprising! The Top 20 wines of Walker Bay come from the Top 10 producers in a district renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – those with the very best track records in Bot River, the Hemel-en-Aarde and elsewhere in the area over the past 10 years according to the 2019 South African Wine & Cellar Classification. • For the
Read moreNICE! Following the naming of South Africa’s 15 gold medallists at the 2018 International Wine Challenge (UK), the announcement of the country’s trophy winners pointed to some of the country’s all-time greats… You can’t talk about top Cape Pinot without including Bouchard Finlayson of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley – cellarmaster Peter Finlayson headed up the first winery in the area. Kaapzicht of Bottelary
Read moreTHE COMPETITION is unusual insofar as the assessments are done and the medallists announced in two tranches six months apart, followed weeks later by news of various trophy winners, and a couple of months after that by an awards dinner at which the top trophies are presented. One of the biggest events of its kind as regards the thousands of
Read moreGOLD at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2016 and now gold at the 2017 Global Pinot Noir Masters judged primarily by Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers for The Drinks Business publication, also in the UK. Bouchard Finlayson’s 2013 Tête de Cuvée is proving to be as popular with the cognoscenti as the 2012 was a couple of
Read moreFROM THE VALLEY to the upper slopes and over the ridge, wonderful views left, right and centre… The Hemel-en-Aarde wards outside Hermanus in the district of Walker Bay account for six of South Africa’s Top 10 Pinot Noir – two of the others originating in Elgin (Paul Cluver Seven Flags and Oak Valley), one in Franschhoek (Chamonix Reserve) and one in Stellenbosch
Read moreNOW THAT’S what we’re talking about! THAT’S how to show it’s worth the asking price!! Winning one of only six Master awards (scored over 95/100) presented after the British Drinks Business magazine’s 2016 Global Chardonnay Masters competition involving some 200 entries from around the world, the 2014 vintage of Capensis also scored highly in the local Winemag.co.za Chardonnay report earlier in the year.
Read moreAT THE 2015 Global Pinot Noir Masters staged by The Drinks Business in the UK, Bouchard Finlayson’s Tête de Cuvée Galpin Peak 2012 from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley outside Hermanus and David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner 2013 from the Cederberg Private Cellar won gold medals, with silvers going to the 2013 Galpin Peak, Finlayson’s neighbour Hamilton Russell for their 2013 vintage, Domaine
Read more
