Search

Category: 2024

Trophy Wine Show of interest to both layman and connoisseur

KWV, Paarl. SCHENKFONTEIN! Where’s that? Stofjas! What’s that? Thor Semillon nothing to do with the Marvel fantasy! Port Capital comes second? Best value gold medallist a Shiraz at just R115 a bottle… Some discoveries, some surprises, as well as endorsements for numerous cellars with established credentials. The 2024 edition of

Read More »

National Wine Challenge winners include some familiar faces

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,

Read More »

Another winner from the Riebeek Valley: RAAR Shiraz 2023

‘RAAR’ translates as ‘rare’ or ‘scarce’ and, as such, is regarded by the Riebeek Valley Wine Company as a fitting name for their range of small-volume, hand-crafted reds and whites from the boutique cellar at the winery showcasing the Swartland terroir. The Shiraz originates in a block of vines planted

Read More »

Saronsberg ranked No. 1 at Syrah du Monde 2024, France

PATIENCE required… The 2022 Saronsberg Shiraz came top at the 2024 Syrah du Monde held in the Rhône, France. This just weeks after the Tulbagh cellar struck gold with the same vintage at the International Wine Challenge (UK). However, the wanna-have will only be released onto the market in 2025.

Read More »

Rare beauty from the Karoo winelands: Le Sueur Chenin Blanc

KLEIN KAROO Chenin Blanc of note, from one of the ambassadors for the region Louis Le Sueur van der Riet. Small batch, hand crafted, very limited quantity and one of the Top 3 in Winemag’s 2024 Prescient Report for which 75 expressions of the variety from various parts of the Cape

Read More »

Flagstone Paradigm: Best Overall in Winemag’s Chenin Report

THERE WERE 75 single-variety South African Chenins submitted for assessment in Winemag’s 2024 Prescient Chenin Blanc Report, with 49 rated 90-plus and three of these regarded as particularly outstanding, worthy of 95 according to the panel’s 100-point scoring system. However, their favourite among the top three, the Best Overall: Flagstone

Read More »

Cape Chardonnay impresses at IWC 2024

CHARDONNAYS from Lothian Vineyards of Elgin and Whalehaven of Hermanus were South Africa’s top-scoring gold medallists at the 2024 International Wine Challenge in London. The 2022 vintage from Lothian and the 2023 Seascape Reserve (WO Upper Hemel-en-Aarde) from Whalehaven achieved 96/100 – just above 13 other gold medal winners from

Read More »

Escape from the norm – a wine festival like no other

SPECIALIST retailer Wine Concepts is thrilled to invite Cape Town residents and visitors to their annual festival unlike any other in South Africa: The Grape Escape! Following the success of the event in previous years, this year’s festival – to be held at Kirstenbosch for the first time – promises

Read More »

Another reason to travel down to Jonkershoek in Stellenbosch

THISTLE & WEED is what winemaker Stephanie Wiid and viticulturist Etienne Terblanche call their boutique cellar alongside the Jonkershoek Road in Stellenbosch – on the Leef op Hoop Farm before you enter the valley en route to the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. They are Chenin Blanc specialists who also have a

Read More »

South Africa ranked No. 7 among top wine-producing nations

SPEAKING about the state of the wine industry worldwide from the International Organisation of Vine & Wine headquarters in Dijon, France, the OIV’s director general John Barker (of New Zealand) stressed the downward trend in consumption, rising prices and inflation that continues to “bite”. The key highlights in the organisation’s

Read More »