NOT EXACTLY déjà vu, but more than a few of the winners at South Africa’s National Wine Challenge in 2024 also collected top-of-the-class awards in 2023: De Krans Tritonia Verdelho, Dornier Equanimity Cabernet Sauvignon, Graham Beck Cuvée Clive Cap Classique, Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve White, Paul Cluver Seven Flags Chardonnay, Paul Cluver Seven Flags Pinot Noir and Paul Wallace Black
Read moreTHE TOP sparklers from South Africa are applauded around the world, not just locally. Some of them are now commanding prices in line with Champagne, although most still present better value for money. These are the country’s bottle-fermented bubblies most highly rated by the top panels internationally in 2023 to date, and highlighted in red are those included in the SA
Read morePUFFERY aside, behind the smoke and mirrors… The National Wine Challenge attracts entries from some of South Africa’s top wine producers, the judges and tasting director are respected professionals, plus there are often several good-value discoveries or confirmations as well as something or other that prompts you to ponder… Best Value? At just R95pb, a little over half the price
Read moreA PINOTAGE-BASED red blend from the Flagstone winery in Somerset West, a Sauvignon Blanc from Paul Cluver in Elgin, a Cape Port from De Krans in Calitzdorp and the flagship Cap Classique sparkler from Graham Beck in Robertson. The four Wines of the Year at South Africa’s 2022 National Wine Challenge, and the producers were chuffed: “We are over the
Read moreCHARDONNAY and bubbly are what come to mind for many when contemplating the cellars of the Robertson Wine Valley. But they also offer good reds, and sweet pleasures too. See below for the top wineries in the area and what they’re best at. For the names of exactly which wines from the area have the best track records, see
Read more2022 HAD ALREADY got underway when Decanter (UK) announced the names of their Wines of the Year 2021. Experts around the world and on the Decanter team nominated those wines that had impressed them most during the year to October 2021, and these were then re-assessed by a panel comprising three of the publication’s judges: Master of Wine Michelle Cherutti-Kowal,
Read moreMmmm! The 2021 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships held in England came and went, the CSWWC results were published and, for the second year in succession, the best South African producers could muster were silver medals presented for a couple of Cap Classiques from Graham Beck of Robertson and one from the Cederberg Private Cellar. No golds. This was
Read moreWHEN THE ‘sold out’ sign went up days before The Cap Classique 50 Year Celebration at Simonsig Estate in Stellenbosch where the story of MCC began, it was a reminder of how popular South Africa’s bottle-fermented sparklers have become among producers and consumers alike. Due to COVID regulations, regrettably only 250 wine lovers were given access to the walk-around tasting
Read moreIT WAS JUST a matter of time, some would say. The Benguela Cove estate alongside the Bot River Lagoon on the road to Hermanus has been on many a wine lover’s radar since entrepreneur Penny Streeter and her family began investing in the area and particularly after cellarmaster Johann Fourie came on board five years ago. Their success at the
Read moreWINNER of the 2021 Amorim Cork Cap Classique Challenge: Kleine Zalze Vintage Brut 2015. South African sparkling wine made according to the traditional method made famous in Champagne, France. Stellenbosch cellar of Kobus Basson. Stellenbosch grapes: 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir. Bottle-fermented, matured for five years prior to disgorgement. R238pb ex-cellar. This follows glowing reviews for the 2013 vintage, best
Read moreTHERE WERE A NUMBER of familiar labels among the ‘Best in Class’ and ‘Wine of the Year’ laureates that shone in the 2021 SA National Wine Challenge, but nobody could have anticipated the identity of the overall red wine champion. A newcomer from the Koelenhof Winery, The Legacy 2017 is the first (Cab-led) red blend in the premium ‘Stellenbosch 1679′
Read moreIT IS SAID that there’s no more appropriate wine to pour on Valentine’s Day than a pink one: roses and rosé for the love of your life! And particularly if it’s going to be a celebratory occasion, it should be something special, something with a bit of pop and fizz, something you can count on for an exciting touch! South
Read morePLETTENBERG BAY winery Newstead Wines has become the first producer outside the traditional Cape winelands to be crowned winner of the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge. Newstead Brut 2015 won a double gold medal, trophy for Best Blanc de Blancs and was the top-scoring Cap Classique overall. This was the 19th Amorim Cap Classique Challenge, sponsored by the Portuguese company celebrating
Read moreIT HAS TO BE one of the most famous quotes to do with wine: “I only drink Champagne when I’m happy, and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it
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 moreSOUTH AFRICA’S medal winners in the annual International Wine & Spirit Competition (UK) are announced during September, a month after the judging that takes place in Cape Town. The names of trophy winners from around the world are revealed mid-October, followed by an awards banquet in London end-November when more accolades are presented, including the IWSC trophy for SA
Read moreIMPRESSIVE! Winner of the only gold medal awarded to a South African bubbly at the 2019 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships in London, the Cederberg Brut Blanc de Blancs 2014 was favoured above three silver medallists from Graham Beck of Robertson and another from Le Lude of Franschhoek. With less than two hectares of their mountain vineyards planted to
Read moreTOTAL SALES at the 2018 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction amounted to over R10-million for 2012 cases (6 x 750ml or equivalent), with the average prices of R5 265 per case and R878 per bottle exceeding what was achieved in 2017. The line-up of 48 wines included 31 reds, 14 whites, two Cap Classique sparkling wines and a Cape Port, with the red blend Kanonkop
Read moreAFTER MUCH anticipation, the trophy laureates at the 2017 Amorim Cap Classique Challenge were announced at an awards function in Cape Town: Simonsig Cuvée Royale Blanc de Blancs 2012 (overall winner), Domaine des Dieux Claudia Brut 2011 and Simonsig Woolworths Pinot Noir Rosé 2015, as well as Graham Beck Brut Zero 2005 in the Museum Class for wines no longer on
Read moreTHERE WERE 161 entries in the 2017 edition of Rosé Rocks – 128 still and 33 sparkling Cap Classique. According to the competition chairman, Cape Wine Master Allan Mullins: “The quality of rosé wine being produced in South Africa is on par with the best that Spain and France produce!” And we’ve seen some consistency from top producers of the drier styles
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