THE LATIN word for ‘taste’, Gustus is also the name of a really good-value range of wines from Darling Cellars outside the town on the R315 to Malmesbury, and the 2020 Sauvignon Blanc in the collection is surprising in more ways than one. Surprisingly good quality and interest value, benefitting surprisingly well from time in the bottle. Judged best unwooded
Read moreAS THE 2022 WINNER of the only competition in South Africa exclusively for Rosé wines, Groote Post is one of the country’s ‘pink’ wines of the year: • Aaldering Pinotage Rosé 2022 at R225pb ex-cellar, Devon Valley-Stellenbosch: trophy at the Michelangelo Awards (SA) • Allée Bleue Shiraz Rosé 2022 at R90pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek: top of its class at the Shiraz
Read moreTHE “SECOND EVER” panel-tasting of Pinotage by Decanter in the UK was described by judge Greg Sherwood MW as “a huge success”, with the results published in the Feb 2022 issue of the magazine. It had been over 20 years since the publishers last reviewed this class of red wines in such a focused manner and the jury praised
Read moreTHE WORDS ‘Private Bin’ on a bottle of Nederburg no longer mean that the wine was sold exclusively on auction. However, they do still indicate that the winemakers have made a special effort, gone the extra mile – and they now also appear on the Two Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon, beginning with the 2017 vintage. That said, the range of
Read more2L BOX or 750ml bottle, no doubt the 2021 Darling Cellars Reserve Pyjama Bush was what many SA pink wine lovers began clamouring for after it was named Best in Show at Rosé Rocks 2021. As the winner of the inaugural Allan Mullins Award for the top-scoring entry in the competition, it’s made from Sauvignon Blanc and Grenache and sells
Read moreAS IT BECOMES increasingly challenging to find good quality, interesting wines at under R100 a bottle, suggestions by the various panels of experts cannot but go down well with wine lovers looking for quaffers, stocking up for parties, hosting a braai, wanting something for anytime enjoyment. For an update of what’s been recommended on this front during the past year,
Read moreNAMED AFTER the coach house that De Grendel founder Sir David Graaff built in 1898 to shelter his horses, wagons and carriages, the Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc used to be made from grapes harvested partly from a vineyard near the old coach house and partly from vines located in Darling. For the 2017 vintage, the grapes came from Darling and Lutzville, none from the
Read moreDROUGHTS aside, to state the obvious… Darling can be a pretty good place to grow vines and harvest grapes for making lovely wines – especially Sauvignon Blanc. So good, in fact, that it’s remarkable how many producers based outside the district use fruit from the area – even though few spell this out on their labels. Successful wines from non-Darling wineries
Read more• Gold Medal at 2014 Michelangelo Awards, SA • Gold Medal at 2014 Veritas Awards, SA • Gold Medal at 2014 Decanter Awards, UK • Winner at 2013 Top 10 Competition, SA • Signature variety of the district of Darling ALEXANDERFONTEIN’S Chip off the Old Block Sauvignon Blanc from the Ormonde Private Cellar is a mouthful alright… One of several
Read moreWHAT APPEALS most about the Graham Beck Pheasants’ Run is how it affects the senses. Kinda obvious, right?! Over the past 10 years this has become one of South Africa’s Sauvignon Blanc benchmarks, one of the three most consistent top performers in this category together with Steenberg Reserve and Cederberg – no fewer than eight highly rated vintages in succession, including the 2012 released a few
Read moreIT SEEMS LIKE only yesterday that you could count the number of South Africa’s good Rieslings on a few fingers and that the labels of these wines were so much more confusing than they are today. Shame on the producers – including Theuniskraal and Van Loveren – who persist in calling wines what they’re not, namely ‘Cape Riesling’ instead of
Read moreCAP CLASSIQUE sparkling wines highly recommended this year by one or more of the expert tasting panels around the world AND which cost less than R100 a bottle – with prices given ex-cellar, or approximate retail if the cellar is closed to the public. Fantastic for those festive season parties. BOSCHENDAL Le Grand Pavillon Brut Rosé NV – R99 DARLING CELLARS Blanc de
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