THERE 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
SOUTH 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
WHERE TO EAT on the Paarl Wine Route, on a farm, among the vines? And which wines to seek out, what the panels of experts have recommended recently? For lunch, your choices include Faber at Avondale, several options at Babylonstoren, the Goatshed at Fairview, Glen Carlou, The Kraal at Joostenberg, The Red Table at Nederburg, Rhebokskloof, the Deck at Ridgeback, Rupert &
WHERE TO EAT along the Wellington Wine Route, on a farm, among the vines? And which wines to seek out, what the panels of experts have recommended recently? For lunch, head to Diemersfontein, where their restaurant was revamped and re-opened earlier this year as Aan Tafel (pictured above), where the signature dishes include boerewors and burgers, bunny chow, curries
TWO WINES among the 2019 Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge winners, two wines among the Top 10 Chenins in the 2019 SA Wine Classification. None of the other top Cape Chenin producers can make this claim. Such is the quality of the Stellenbosch vineyards and of proprietor Kobus Basson’s team of winemakers, even their sub-R100-a-bottle Cellar Selection is included in the
‘CONTROVERSIAL!’ The critic concedes as much. Whereas the results of panel tastings conducted ‘blind’ (labels out of sight) might be more objective and fair, Tim Atkin’s reviews are sighted, sometimes with the producers present. His rankings reflect his personal favourites. Nevertheless, as a British Master of Wine, one of the UK’s most respected wine writers, show judges and a regular
FROM Cape Town to Cornwall, Pretoria to the USA, Hermanus, Franschhoek, Soweto and back… There’s plenty for wine lovers to look forward to this month, which began with a South African winefest in London, ending with another in Hermanus. There’s an auction of note, or what about a gathering of the curious and enlightened for a wine and culinary
WHAT a lovely collection of stories and images associated with the 2019 edition of the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge! A new label on David Nieuwoudt’s Five Generations. Classical music playing to the vines and wines at Wendy Appelbaum’s DeMorgenzon. A tribute to Cape Town’s company gardens (artwork on back label). A river analogy from Flagstone. A
THERE ARE STILL a number of Cape Blend sceptics and naysayers. Apparently they don’t know what they’re missing, or don’t know better! Various expressions of Pinotage are enjoyed by wine connoisseurs around the world, and many of the cognoscenti are as enthusiastic about the red blends in which the SA-born variety plays a pivotal role – a minimum of
MYSTERY NO MORE! The maiden 2016 vintage was only released in the second-half of 2019, after having already earned accolades at local and international shows a year before. The 2017, which excelled at the 2019 Absa Top 10 awards, is only expected to go on sale in mid-2020. And at the time of writing, there was still no mention of Beyerskloof
THAT 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
SOMETIMES what the Pinotage specialists at Beyerskloof do is performed with very little fanfare. Towards the end of 2018, word got out that the Truters had added another label to their portfolio of wines made from Pinotage, either entirely or in part. The newcomer: Beyerskloof Winemakers Reserve – 2016 being the maiden vintage. But no mention of it on
BOTTLE STICKERS proclaiming that “excellent” wines have won “Gold Wine Awards” continue to mislead those who don’t know better – although it could be said that gullible wine lovers have only themselves to blame. It could also be said that those cellars participating in the competiton and buying the stickers to put on their bottles are as guilty as the
ALTHOUGH they make some of the good Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc for which Elgin is famous, Almenkerk Estate in the middle of the valley is more renowned among some wine lovers for their reds – and we’re not talking Pinot Noir, for which the area is also well known. The Belgian/Dutch Van Almenkerk family is one of just two
NEW ON THE SA Wine Calendar are the Stellenbosch Fine Wine & Food Festival and the Elgin Wine Fair, but also happening in August are a number of annual events that are as popular as ever: the Free State Wine Show in Bloemfontein, Robertson Slow, the CWG Auction Showcase tastings in Cape Town and Johannesburg as well as the Mercury
HAVING read Winemag’s Signature Red Blend Report in which two vintages of Alto Rouge from the Helderberg in Stellenbosch were given excellent reviews and priced at R120 a bottle, the hunt was on. However, shopping for a bargain wine requires a good sense of humour! Alto Rouge was on special at Pick n Pay for R100 a bottle, as we
“PERHAPS the ‘Cape Blend’ is simply a concept that has run out of time” – Winemag’s Christian Eedes, commenting on the poor showing and no-shows by Pinotage-driven combos for the publication’s 2019 Signature Red Blend Report. Perhaps what many Cape Blend producers have a problem with is the random nature of this competition whereby almost anything goes – apart from
A NUMBER of South Africa’s Top Pinotage cellars are represented among the 2019 Absa Top 10 Competition finalists. There are no surprises among the Top 20, with all of the producers having excelled before with previous vintages. Odds-on favourites to be called to the podium on 14 August? Beyerskloof, Kanonkop, Wildekrans… Most notable absentees? Rijk’s, Flagstone, Diemersfontein… That the Pinotage Association
ALBERTUS VILJOEN was the founder of Worcester farm Alvi’s Drift back in 1928: charismatic, athlete, Springbok rugby player of note. Bismarck was Alvi’s Great Dane: superior in stature, commanding respect, providing a friendly welcome to visitors. And the red blend named in honour of the man and his hound is among the ‘ultra premium’ offerings from Alvi’s Drift: multiple award
THAT IT IS sponsored by the respected International Wine Challenge in the UK makes this 2019 list of the world’s 50 best wine farms notable, for sure. However, we are not told the names of the judges. What we are told is that ‘The World’s Best Vineyards Academy’ comprises nearly 500 leading wine aficionados, sommeliers, and luxury travel correspondents from
