THE Sadie Family of the Paardeberg outside Malmesbury in the Swartland dominated proceedings in terms of the highest prices paid for South African wines at the first Strauss & Co wine auction of 2024, a Rhône Theme sale conducted online. Sadie’s Columella red blend was in particularly high demand, with 96 bottles going for R4213pb on average including commissions. The
Read moreIT WAS MADE to enjoy when dining on fish, and served chilled, poured at 12°C or so as per most white wines, although it’s not… The 2021 vintage of red Grenache under the Donkiesbaai label is one of half a dozen or so South African bottlings from the variety very highly rated by panels of experts in 2023 – this
Read moreFROM JANUARY to August 2023, the top panels of wine experts judged some 700 of South Africa’s finest to be at least high silver or gold medal standard. Of these, around 140 were considered 96 points or higher, Best in Class, Top 10 or 12, worthy of grand gold, platinum or master awards, trophy laureates, competition winners or Wines of
Read moreASSOCIATED with the Catalonia region surrounding the city of Barcelona in northeastern Spain as well as the Languedoc in southern France, the black grape variety Lledoner Pelut (aka Garnacha) is a mutation of Grenache Noir. Planted in South Africa for the first time at Kloovenburg outside the Swartland town of Riebeek Kasteel, it was used to make wine for the
Read moreAT THE time of writing, word on the grapevine was that arrangements were at an advanced stage in preparation for a public tasting of wines that excelled at the prestigious 2022 Trophy Wine Show. Not long to wait, apparently. In the meantime, the month of August already offers plenty of opportunities for wine lovers to venture out and about –
Read moreSOME AWARDS carry more weight than others, and there’s something to be said for a wine that ticks the boxes for a number of top tasting panels. Over 1500 South African wines were highly rated around the world in 2021, and the following are the red wines among them that received the most glowing reviews of the year – Cabernet
Read moreACCORDING 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
Read moreTHELEMA has long been one of South Africa’s leading Cabernet Sauvignon producers and these days the focus at the top end of the pyramid is on a Bordeaux-style blend, the flagship ‘Rabelais’ being a Cab-driven partnership involving Petit Verdot. Of late, however, two of the Webb family’s other reds that have been grabbing attention are the Reserve Merlot from their
Read moreUNUSUAL 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 moreASSESSING 77 submissions for their 2019 Alternative Varieties Report, South Africa’s Winemag panel of Christian Eedes (chair), Roland Peens and James Pietersen stopped short of declaring anything to be extraordinary or profound but were impressed, finding 40 wines to be excellent (90 to 92/100) to outstanding (93 to 95/100). Top score went to a Semillon from the Simonsberg-Paarl cellar
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 moreCOULD wine lovers take a big liking to South African red wines made solely from Grenache? It’s early days still, but notable how many leading cellars in the Cape have warmed to this variety, widely planted in Spain and France, typically used in Rhône-style, Shiraz-led blends but also making for very respectable single-varietal wines. That SA Grenache on its own
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
Read moreRAATS and Warwick continue to impress in South Africa’s Cab Franc class but the competition is mounting. There’s a lot more to the choice of good SA Semillon and interesting Viognier these days. And if there’s one South African brand that has stood out for good reviews in more categories than any other range in 2013, it’s The Mentors from
Read moreTHE STAND-OUT South African wines made from niche varieties, the best reviews of the year – including a particularly successful Viognier, which many winemakers regard as better suited for blending with other varieties, a Grenache Blanc with great interest value, and a couple of dry reds from cultivars more commonly associated with port-style fortified wines: WHITE WINES Altydgedacht Gewürztraminer
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