97/100 was the top score awarded at the 2020 edition of the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show. The wine: Shiraz, from grapes harvested near Elim, Cape Agulhas, a 2018 Reserve from Kommetjie resident Trizanne Barnard who rents cellar space in Noordhoek. Other ‘super’ trophies went to Mulderbosch’s Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (top-scoring white wine) and Steen op Hout Chenin Blanc 2019
Read moreWHAT to take away from Winemag’s 2020 Prescient Report on South African Sauvignon Blanc… For starters, editor Christian Eedes and fellow tasting panel members Roland Peens as well as James Pietersen of Cape Town merchant/cellarer Wine Cellar are among those who generally regard the Bordeaux-style blends and Wooded Sauvignons as generally superior to unwooded Sauvignon. “Whereas unwooded Sauvignon often succeeds
Read moreWHAT a lovely line-up of champions in the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge. Not one from a cellar in the Swartland, Bot River or Paarl in 2020… But hey, two wines from Worcester winery Alvi’s Drift, a first-time winner in this competition convened by the Chenin Blanc Association of South Africa. And while Stellenbosch didn’t dominate, four cellars from
Read moreMULDERBOSCH was a pioneer of wooded Chenin Blanc in South Africa. The style quickly gained a following and today many, if not most of the leading wines from this variety so widely planted throughout the Cape have spent time in barrel. Although, the Steen op Hout (Chenin on Wood) from this cellar off the Polkadraai Road in Stellenbosch is fairly
Read moreTHERE ARE some quaint names among South Africa’s 2019 Rosé Rocks competition winners: “The Quintessential Couple” (Bellingham), “Pyjama Bush” (Darling Cellars), “Frankly My Dear” (Esona) and “The Strawberry” (Mooiplaas), for example. Hopefully they’ll be back again next year, and then some; good, long track records are not something that pink, salmon and onion-skin-colour wines are renowned for in South
Read moreA MULDERBOSCH single-vineyard Chenin and a reserve Cabernet from Stellenview were the top-scoring white and red wines at the 2019 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show. However, the trophy for most successful producer overall went to Painted Wolf Wines of Paarl and that for ‘Discovery of the Show’ to Bonnievale Wines for a Cab of gold medal standard that sells for
Read moreWHAT A GREAT year already for leading Cabernet Franc specialist of South Africa Bruwer Raats. Beginning with 5 Star ratings in Platter’s SA Wine Guide for two wines from the 2016 vintage, the Stellenbosch maverick then came top of the class on Winemag.co.za before placing among the Top 6 gold medallists at the 2019 Cab Franc Challenge. Two of the
Read moreSUCH CONSISTENCY! Virtually all of the 2018 Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge winners are regular visitors to the podiums at various competitions, with five of their beauties among the top Chenins in the SA Wine Classification and three in the Top Wine SA Hall of Fame. From various districts and wards, the champions include a range of styles. The
Read moreIN THE 2018 report on South African Bordeaux-Style Red Blends by Winemag.co.za, six wines were rated outstanding (93 to 94 out of 100) and 27 were considered excellent (90 to 92). In total, 81 wines from 64 producers were reviewed by the panel comprising Winemag’s Christian Eedes (chair), Roland Peens and James Pietersen (both of Cape Town merchant Wine Cellar).
Read moreWHEN you consider South Africa’s best Sauvignon Blanc, Durbanville has punched above its weight division for as long as most can remember. There are only a dozen or so cellars along the wine route, including the Graaffs’ De Grendel estate above the Plattekloof Road in Panorama on the other side of the Tygerberg relative to fellow members of the association.
Read more“THE SAUVIGNON Blanc Interest Group of South Africa (SBIG) fosters excellence in making and marketing South African Sauvignon Blanc locally and internationally… The annual FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 competition was started in 2007 to promote innovation and excellence in the category and reward those making wines of true distinction.” So how did things pan out in the 2017 taste-off?
Read moreTHE 2013, white version of Faithful Hound from Stellenbosch winery Mulderbosch was the top-scoring wine in the 2015 ‘Riscura White Hot Wine Awards’ staged by Winemag.co.za. The ‘Hound’ was made from Franschhoek Semillon and Elgin Sauvignon Blanc, with a couple of 100% Elgin entries – Oak Valley Mountain Reserve 2011 and Highlands Road Sine Cera 2013 – also excelling in this competition
Read morePROBABLY the biggest surprise at the 2014 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show was the revelation that award-winning wine is now also being made in the vicinity of Riversdale, where vineyards were nowhere to be seen prior to 2009. While the 2013 Baleia Bay Chardonnay that earned the trophy for ‘Discovery of the Show’ (best-value gold medallist) can be bought just off the
Read moreTHE STAND-OUT Chenin Blanc wines from South Africa, the best reviews of the year – DeMorgenzon, Jean Daneel, Jordan, Kanu, Stellenrust and Spier shone more often than most, although what great value-for-money from Mulderbosch, Leopard’s Leap, Villiera and Douglas Green Bellingham: Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2011 – 5 Stars in Platter’s Guide Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine 2010 – Top 100 SA Wine Challenge
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