WITH THE 2020 addition of Chris Alheit and David Sadie, membership of the Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) rose to 46 producers, whose names and those of the places they work at make for a list that in itself is a useful guide to much of the best from South Africa’s wine cellars. You only get to be on this list
Read moreOLD AGE isn’t always a good thing when it comes to grape vines, but man, in many instances, can it make a positive difference to what’s in the glass! Big time! Thankfully, very good wines can originate in young vineyards too; the old stuff is scarce and what’s made from it tends to sell at a premium that can be
Read moreAS THE UPWARD pressure on wine prices increases, savvy bargain hunters know to look to top cellars’ second labels, up-and-coming producers outside the premier league, and cellars buying in grapes from far and wide, not constrained by the rules and regulations of ‘estate wine’ legislation. This was the focus in an article recently published by Independent Media’s Personal Finance magazine –
Read moreAS IT BECOMES increasingly challenging to find good quality, interesting wines at under R100 a bottle, suggestions by the various panels of experts cannot but go down well with wine lovers looking for quaffers, stocking up for parties, hosting a braai, wanting something for anytime enjoyment. For an update of what’s been recommended on this front during the past year,
Read moreTHAT DE GRENDEL top-scored (95/100) in the South African Winemag’s 2019 Shiraz Report was not surprising: the cellar is one of the country’s Top 10 producers in this category. However, whereas the better-known Shiraz from this outfit on the Durbanville Wine Route is made from grapes harvested in Paarl and Stellenbosch, the loyalty-club exclusive orginates outside Elim in the district
Read moreNO DOUBT many a wine lover reacted with shock and disbelief on hearing that Painted Wolf of Paarl had won the title of Most Successful Producer Overall at the 2019 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show. That was until they heard how Jeremy & Emma Borg and ‘the pack’ pulled it off – with champion white and red wines made using the
Read moreNO COINCIDENCE! The Top 20 wines of the Swartland come from the Top 10 producers of Malmesbury, Riebeek and elsewhere in the district. Shiraz country, Chenin specialists and then some – those with the very best track records over the past 10 years according to the 2019 South African Wine & Cellar Classification. • For the full Swartland Wine Classification, click
Read moreAS THEY SAY: “The new age of the Swartland commenced in 1997 when [Fairview proprietor] Charles Back stumbled across an old tobacco farm, Klein Amoskuil. Bewildered by the quality of grapes in a region better known for its wheat and rolling fynbos hills, Charles set forth to acquire the farm and study its soils and extreme climate. Hence the Spice Route
Read more“THE 2000 hectares of old vines that South Africa has is important… It’s part of our history, part of our future, but it’s not going to take our industry forward… What about the other 95 000 hectares!” So reasons Bruwer Raats, applauded as top producer in Platter’s SA Wine Guide, champion of the varieties Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc, outspoken winemaker
Read moreLOVELY Chenin. Some age on it. Characterful. Everything the producer promises on the back-label: “… pear upfront, followed by dried peaches, finishing with lingering tastes of roasted almonds and honey.” Rich and ripe from the moment you put your nose to the glass. And at R75 a bottle from the cellar, Doran Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2013 lives up to
Read moreALTHOUGH THE EXACT pecking order regarding the very best wine producers in South Africa will forever be debatable, there is little argument amongst the cognoscenti that The Sadie Family is comfortably among the Top 10 in terms of the special nature and interest value of what they produce. Yet to many, this cellar in the foothills of the Paardeberg outside Malmesbury in the
Read moreYOU MIGHT BE led to believe that Chris and Andrea Mullineux came up with what the team of tasters for the 2013 edition of Platter’s South African Wine Guide rated 5 Stars and voted Red Wine of the Year based on attention to detail, leaving nothing to chance… But of course there’s a lot more to the 2010 Mullineux Syrah than
Read morePainted Wolf Wines join“Pinotage brotherhood” NO KANONKOP or Beyerskloof wine among the Pinotage Association’s Absa Top 10 competition! Can this be? And it doesn’t stop there: there’s also no L’Avenir, no DeWaal and no Stellenzicht Pinotage among the award winners – not even among the Top 20! On the other hand, top performers in the competition to date who were called up
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