AFTER assessing 46 wines for Winemag’s 2024 Prescient Pinotage Report, panel chair Christian Eedes remarked on the appealing “new wave” entries led by the 2023 vintages of Black Elephant Vintners’ Rumble in the Jungle and illimis, compared to the “more traditional” examples that impressed with “depth of fruit and all-round power” such as Flagstone’s 2021 Writer’s Block, a 95-pointer at
VIURA, also known as Macabeo, is a white wine grape that originated in Spain, where it is an important variety in the regions of Rioja and Catalonia – also widely planted in the southern regions of France. Think big grape clusters, big berries, thick skin – drought resistant, well suited to dry, warm climates – and versatile, used for both
THE 2023 vintage of Riebeek Cellars Pinotage Rosé was judged the overall winner in the 2023 edition of Rosé Rocks, a competition focused on South Africa’s ‘pink’ wines – Rosé and Blanc de Noir, still and sparkling, sweet and dry. Unfortunately, the conveners don’t divulge the Top 3, Top 6, Top 10 or Top 12, and we aren’t given the
THE FIRST Vermentino vineyards planted in South Africa were on Ayama in the Voor-Paardeberg area in the north-eastern reaches of the Paarl wine district, close to the Swartland border. Taken from the Xhosa language, ‘Ayama’ means ‘someone to lean on’. There’s a leopard in the logo as a tribute to the few such cats that still roam on Paardeberg Mountain.
THE 2023 Absa Top 10 Pinotage and Perold Cape Blend awards have been reported on already, but for many wine lovers it’s not enough to know what the winning wines were. “Comparing favourites is one thing, but tell us where they come from? What do they taste like? Exactly who made them?” Questions answered: BEESLAAR PINOTAGE 2019 WO Stellenbosch. 25-year-old
MANY WINE lovers would be amazed on being told that neither Chardonnay nor Cabernet rank among the Top 3 most widely planted grape vines in France. And outside Spain and Portugal, who would have thought that Tempranillo is as big as it is in the total scheme of things. In the Cape winelands, the most-planted variety of grape vine is
WHO KNOWS what happened! With just days to go before the first Pinotage Festival of 2023 came news that the Stellenbosch event scheduled for 13 May had been cancelled. No doubt many wine lovers were looking forward to seeing who would be strutting their stuff and, for just R150pp, getting to compare the different styles. One wonders how many of
WITH SO MUCH hype around Sauvignon Blanc during the first quarter of 2023 and extending into May with many South African wine producers engaged in Sauvignon Blanc Day/Weekend celebrations, what better time to reflect on the top expressions from the Cape. Over 60 SA Sauvignons have been very highly rated by wine panels internationally during the past 12 months, and
IN THE March 2023 issue of the British magazine Decanter, no fewer than 28 of South Africa’s Chenin Blancs (or blends comprising at least 85% Chenin) were considered outstanding, excellent wines of great complexity and character, rated between 95 and 97 on a 100-point scale. This followed a three-day panel tasting of 223 wines submitted by either the producers or
“CHENIN BLANC is famously versatile, and it would be wrong to say that any one style prevailed among the top performing wines,” said Winemag editor Christian Eedes in the 2022 Prescient Report, compiled after the assessment of 82 entries from 61 producers in the Cape winelands. “Chenin is South Africa’s most-planted grape, and it is amazing how well it works
“THE BEST Shiraz is nothing if not peppery and many will have quite grippy tannins as a result of whole-bunch fermentation… Shiraz is for those who aren’t afraid of some flavour intensity.” So says Winemag editor Christian Eedes, who chaired the panel tasting of 99 South African wines from 82 producers submitted for the 2022 Prescient Shiraz Report. Also on
ON THE FARM Dekkersvlei in Klein Drakenstein, Paarl, Mellasat is off the beaten track. At these vineyards, proprietor Stephen Richardson, cellarmaster Gizelle Coetzee and their team like to do things somewhat differently. In fact this one’s never been done before… There’s nothing else quite like it. Not the first Cap Classique sparkling wine made using Pinotage to some degree, but
CHAMONIX of Franschhoek are on track in building a good track record with their Cabernet Franc, but who would have given short odds on them coming top of the class in South Africa’s 2022 Cab Franc Challenge? Congrat’s to the team – more respected for their Chardonnay, Troika red blend and Pinot Noir – whose Challenge entry was fancied ahead
ANCESTRAL(E)… Oldest method of making sparkling wine, whereby the wine is bottled during the (single) fermentation process, before the completion of alcoholic fermentation. (Excerpt from Mini Wine Encyclopaedia on Top Wine SA) Less involved, a shorter route to bottling than Champagne (France), Cava (Spain) or Cap Classique (South Africa). No second fermentation, and no dosage (addition of sugar-and-wine ‘liqueur’) after
VIOGNIER. There’s a certain sexiness associated with this aromatic white grape, used to make some of the famous white wines of Condrieu in the northern Rhône, southern France, and planted elsewhere including Italy, Australia, New Zealand, California as well as South Africa. The variety is somewhat controversial, too. The origin is uncertain, with Croatia getting the credit according to some.
A SOUTH AFRICAN wine producer got in touch to voice his discontent regarding the critics, the show judges, locally and internationally… How is it possible that Merlot makes such a high percentage of the red wine bought in this country yet there are not many brands that qualify for the SA Wine Classification. The producer preferred not to be
‘EXCELLENT’ Merlot they found, but not one of the Top 10 in Winemag’s 2021 Prescient Report was regarded as ‘outstanding’ – none rated higher than 92/100 by the panel comprising editor Christian Eedes (chair), merchant James Pietersen of Cape Town’s Wine Cellar and Ndabezinhle Dube, F&B manager at the President Hotel in the Mother City. “Merlot’s crucial characterisitc is arguably its
THERE WERE 83 entries received from 43 producers for Winemag’s 2021 Prescient Cap Classique Report. Seven of the Top 10 were 100% Chardonnay, including the most highly rated duo in the line-up from Môreson of Franschhoek (Miss Molly) and Newstead of Plettenberg Bay, both vintage 2015. In fact only one of the standouts was made using grapes other than the
MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE. Sparkling wine the traditional way. ‘Champagne’ from the Cape… It all started at Simonsig in Koelenhof, Stellenbosch – 50 years ago this year. Made from Chenin Blanc back in the day, nowadays primarily from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, some Pinot Meunier. Frans Malan’s Kaapse Vonkel was the first of its kind, a dry, bottle-fermented marvel at a
ACCORDING to Winemag’s 2020 Prescient Minority Report, the focus of the competition is on South African “wines from varieties whose respective total plantings do not exceed 2000ha… this is a chance for the more subordinate varieties to shine!” Catchy name, but talk about sticking your chin out! It wasn’t long before sombebody rushed to the defence of Cabernet Franc, commenting
