STARK-CONDÉ. In the Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch. On the Oude Nektar farm, to the south-east of the town. Home to one of South Africa’s most highly rated white blends, a Sauvignon Blanc of note, a fine Cabernet Sauvignon and then some. Among the recommendations at their Postcard Café: either chicken piccata (R145pp) or lightly-cured hake (R195pp) served with the Field Blend
Read moreTHE NUMBERS go some way to painting the picture! Fifteen of South Africa’s Top 20 Cabs are from Stellenbosch. Cabernet Sauvignon, that is. Ten of the country’s Top 20 wines from Pinotage are WO Stellenbosch. Eleven of the Top 20 Red Blends. Also, 11 of the Top 20 Chenins are from here, and nine of the Top 20 Chardonnays.
Read more2020 IS THE NINTH vintage of the Field Blend from Stark-Condé, the fruit coming from an unusual vineyard on a slope close to the stream at the bottom of the Oude Nektar farm in Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch. The block has various soil types and is planted to a number of different white grape varieties – whereas most blocks of
Read moreSURELY it’s the South African Sauvignon Blanc most raved about by most critics in 2020… With the results of the International Wine Challenge (UK) as well as the Veritas Awards (SA) and 5 Star ratings in the next Platter’s SA Wine Guide still to come, no other Sauvignon from the Cape has received as many glowing reviews from such top
Read moreAFTER A devastating fire in 2017 made it impossible to accommodate guests overnight, the refurbished hotel on the Lanzerac Wine Estate in the Jonkershoek Valley of Stellenbosch is being showered with praise. The estate dates back to 1692, the manor house to 1959, and less than a year after reopening it’s been named South Africa’s Leading Wine Country Hotel for
Read moreOF THE TOP wines from Stellenbosch cellars over the past 10 years, Chardonnays outnumber Chenins by almost 2:1 with Cabernet and Cab blends accounting for 80% of the Top 50 reds. The following are the very best track records from the wineries of Banghoek, Bottelary, Devon Valley, Helderberg, Helshoogte, Jonkershoek, Koelenhof, Kuils River, Polkadraai Hills, Simonsberg, Stellenbosch Kloof and elsewhere
Read moreOVER the past couple of years, has there been a South African Cabernet Sauvignon producer more successful on the world stage than the Ellis family on the Helshoogte Pass, Stellenbosch? Their current-release 2015 Jonkershoek Cab won gold medals at the Decanter awards and International Wine Challenge (IWC) after one of the most outstanding reviews on Winemag.co.za – this after the 2014
Read moreThelema Mountain Vineyards, Helshoogte, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch Vergelegen, Helderberg, Somerset West Vineyard up the road from the Niewoudt’s Cederberg Private Cellar From Ken Forrester Vineyards: Avontuur Estate on the Helderberg, Somerset West Stark-Conde, Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch Boekenhoutskloof, Franschhoek Morgenster Estate, Helderberg, Somerset West Stellenrust, Stellenbosch Paul Cluver, Elgin
Read more
