A complex red blend of seven varieties with Cabernet Sauvignon in the driving seat, the 2016 vintage of Rietvallei Estate is the top wine in the Heritage Collection of special, very limited-quantity wines currently available from the farm in Robertson SA. Also in the mix are Shiraz, Petit Verdot, Tinta
THREE of South Africa’s finest wines of the year, 97-pointers at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards in the UK and with exceptional credentials established over many years involving numerous vintages – two from Stellenbosch, one from Elgin: Delaire Graff’s Banghoek Chardonnay, also best in class and the top-scoring white
TOP WINE from the Rietvallei estate in Robertson, the JMB Cabernet Franc is on a roll, so to speak. A few years ago, the 2016 was a National Winner at the SA Terroir Wine Awards and chosen as one of the Top 6 at the Cab Franc Challenge. Amazing that
TOP SCORES at South Africa’s 2024 Fine Wine Awards went to the Spier wine farm in Stellenbosch, for their white blend Frans K Smit 2018, and to the boutique wine cellar Hout Bay Vineyards for their Cap Classique sparkling wine, Klasiek by Catherine 2020. Both scored 96/100, with 21 wines
“WARM RED flavours, cloves and blackcurrant. A delicate palate with juicy tannins. Pairs well with Italian dishes, especially tomato-based ones, grilled chicken and Charcuterie, e.g. pâtés, terrines and salamis.” That’s how the Du Toit family describe their 2021 Kloovenburg Merlot, the highest scoring wine in the SA Merlot industry association’s
WHAT A DIFFERENCE a year makes! Or doesn’t… Apparently some of those bidding during the timed online auction of sweet wines that concluded on 10 June ’24 regarded the 38-year-old 1986 vintage of Vin de Constance to be much better (or much more rare?) than the 37-year-old 1987: a 500ml
With Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Youth Day all happening in May and June, family relationships are top of mind. As a result, it was difficult to miss the kinship between two recent vintage releases at La Motte: 2024 Sauvignon Blanc and 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon. 2024 La Motte Sauvignon
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
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,
‘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
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.
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
