AS 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
THE 2018 International Wine Challenge Personality of the Year award winner Rosa Kruger is one of the world’s leading viticulturists, although she has no formal training and prefers the term ‘vineyard manager’. She started life as a political journalist, then became a lawyer before finally finding her life’s calling by chance when managing an apple orchard in a cool climate
IT WAS a good start to the month of July 2018 for South African wine producers at Muscats du Monde in France, the Sparkling Wine World Championships and the Drinks Business Global Masters, London – including a Top 10 spot among the sweets for Orange River Cellars and confirmation of Nederburg’s stature when it comes to Cabernet Sauvignon. For more about
1953 was ‘a big year’. Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Tibet became the first people to summit Mount Everest, the highest point on the planet. 1953 saw the crowning of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. And it was the year that one of South Africa’s first Pinotage vineyards was planted with a view to production on
OF THE TOP 50 cellars in South Africa with super-premium, luxury red wines presented as their numero uno at thousands of rand per bottle, there’s the Rijk’s 888 Gold Pinotage at R1100, Mvemve Raats De Compostella blend at R1150, the Hanneli R blend from La Motte at R1200, Vergelegen V Cabernet Sauvignon at R1395, The Garland Cabernet Sauvignon from Simonsig at
IN THE 2018 report on South African Bordeaux-Style Red Blends by Winemag.co.za, six wines were rated outstanding (93 to 94 out of 100) and 27 were considered excellent (90 to 92). In total, 81 wines from 64 producers were reviewed by the panel comprising Winemag’s Christian Eedes (chair), Roland Peens and James Pietersen (both of Cape Town merchant Wine Cellar).
NEDERBURG has no fewer than THREE Cabernet Sauvignon listings in the 2018 South African Wine Classification, and it’s the only cellar in the country with two wines among the country’s Top 10 Cabs as regards best track records – two of only three that originate outside Stellenbosch! When the 2015 vintage of The Manor House was judged No. 1 in Winemag’s
THE BOSMAN’S Optenhorst Vineyard, ‘perched on top of a hill’ in the Bovlei Valley of Wellington, was last planted in 1952. Which makes it home to some of THE oldest vines in South Africa (see here). Chenin Blanc! And from it comes one the country’s best quality and most interesting wines: the 2010 vintage judged one of the Top 100
WINE LOVERS around the world have a soft spot for it! The Pinotage market is booming! At 24 million litres a year and counting, it’s one of the South African wine industry’s fairy-tale success stories and the good times seem unlikely to end any time soon. Of the Top 10 most-planted wine grape varieties in the country, Pinotage is the only
THE OLD VINE PROJECT has on record 10 vineyards in South Africa that are older than 100 years, however, with the odd exception, their locations, the names of the property owners and the wines made from them (if any) are strictly confidential. No doubt these are precious plants. Perish the thought that they might go up in smoke or be dug
THE NUMBER of wine farms and cellars in South Africa is declining. The total area under vine has been shrinking. Yet turnover is up, domestically and on the export markets. Among the annual industry statistics released by SA Wine Industry Information & Systems (SAWIS), total sales are now at nearly 900 million litres after three years of growth, despite prolonged
ONE OF THE three most topical wines of the Breede River Valley during the first half of 2018 originates half in Robertson, half in Worcester… From the South African wine region that stretches southeast of Tulbagh and Ceres to Bonnievale, northwest of Swellendam, comes the sparkling wine judged best Cap Classique at the National Wine Challenge. Celine Brut NV, which
BELOW are the top Shiraz/Syrah producers in South Africa over the past 10 years, those with the best track records in terms of glowing reviews by the top panels, presented according to where you’ll find their tasting rooms on the various wine routes. For the full SA Shiraz Classification, see here, and for the contact info and addresses of the top outfits
WHETHER you’re a festival-goer, wine-router or heading to a wine shop in search of the best on offer from South Africa’s Robertson Wine Valley, this will prove useful: a checklist of every red, white, sparkling and dessert wine vintage from the district that’s got the experts on the top panels smiling big time in 2017 and 2018 to date. Ashton, Bonnievale,
OF THE laureates at the Shiraz SA Challenge 2018, Saronsberg Full Circle stands out as one of South Africa’s finest red blends having Shiraz in the driver’s seat, with Spier’s Creative Block 3 fast establishing a record over the years that promises to be as impressive. However, while there were 36 blends submitted for review, there were 156 wines presented
CLEARLY the biggest winners at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2018 are Warwick, Leeuwenkuil and Spier: Warwick the Most Successful Producer with trophies for their 2015 Cab Franc and Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend, Professor Black 2017; Leeuwenkuil for their 2015 Heritage Syrah, judged best red overall; and Spier for their 21 Gables Chenin 2016, the top-scoring white wine overall. These
ODD that perennial sweet wine favourites Alvi’s Drift, Nuy and Orange River Cellars didn’t get a look in at the 2018 Muskadel SA Awards for fortified desserts, but maybe they didn’t field any of the 31 wines entered this time round. Then again, two of the Top 10 cellars in this category came storming through – Bon Courage winning with both
IT’S THE BIGGEST wine competition in the world and among those with the biggest clout in terms of the status associated with its top awards. The 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards in London attracted 16 972 entries from countries around the globe, and, in typical fashion, France was the most successful of the nations represented, winning 15 of the 50 ‘Best in
OVER THE TOP? Perhaps. But while there are very few occasions when you can feel relaxed talking about a No. 1 rather than a Top 10, say, surely this is one of them. The 2015 vintage of Mount Bullet from Shannon Vineyards was judged Best Merlot in South Africa’s 2018 National Wine Challenge and awarded top score in Winemag’s annual Merlot
THERE WERE around 600 wines judged at South Africa’s National Wine Challenge 2018 convened by Robin von Holdt’s Buybetterwine.com. The judges comprised chairman Greg Sherwood (UK Master of Wine), Ginette de Fleuriot (Cape Wine Master), sommelier Wayve Kolvesohn, with winemakers Duncan Savage, Matthew Day of Klein Constantia, Richard Kershaw (Master of Wine) and JD Pretorius of Steenberg. Sommelier Higgo Jacobs was
