UNUSUAL cultivars, niche varieties, alternative grapes, call them what you may… Certain leading South African cellarmasters are making some lovely wines that orginate in vineyards somewhat different from what most people with a taste for good living know all too well. Some are difficult to pronounce, let alone find on the average winelist or bottle store shelf, however the specialist
Read moreFOCUSING on single-variety wines of South Africa that fall outside the mainstream, Winemag.co.za’s 2018 Alternative Varieties Report includes 26 wines reviewed as excellent (90 to 92/100) and four as outstanding (93 to 95/100) – this from a line-up of 97 wines. The judges, – editor and panel chair Christian Eedes with online retailer Wine Cellar’s Roland Peens and James Pietersen – found
Read moreTHERE ARE good reasons why Cabernet and Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc have come to be the most widely planted grape varieties in many wine-producing countries around the world. But of course, there are exceptions to the rule, unusual delights ranging from national and regional specialities to niche cultivars that many wine lovers might not have
Read moreOUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM as regards the great white wines of South Africa, there are three varieties that have been grabbing a little more attention in recent years by way of good to very good reviews for small bottlings from some of the best winemakers in the Cape. Roussanne, Verdelho and Grenache Blanc are the names of the grapes, which locally remain obscure
Read moreCHARLES BACK remembers well the first plantings of Viognier on his Fairview farm in Paarl back in the 1990s. Who knew then what would work where when it came to experimenting with grape varieties not widely planted in South Africa, if at all, but new or unusual is very appealing to winemakers looking for a USP, something exciting. And wow has
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