THE privately-owned Laborie Estate is down the road from Warshay Investment’s KWV Emporium – both in Paarl, both Cape wineland destinations in their own right, both home to one of South Africa’s Top 10 sparkling Cap Classiques made according to the traditional method for which Champagne is famous. Standout vintages
GRAVITAS, the first of its kind from Constantia Uitsig, a sweet Muscat de Frontignan, vintage 2020, the fourth Constantia dessert wine on the market since Klein Constantia began the renaissance of a style adored by Europe and the UK’s well-to-do in the 18th and 19th centuries. Unfortified but not natural
UNWOODED, scored 95/100 at the Decanter World Wine Awards and 95 points at the International Wine & Spirit Competition, the 2024 Tokara Reserve Elgin Sauvignon Blanc is one of South Africa’s most highly rated SBs in 2025. And a great track record across multiple vintages: one of the Top 5
HOW WAS THAT! A panel tasting report published in the UK’s Decanter magazine focusing on South Africa’s ‘Cape red blends’ that include Pinotage in the mix makes no mention of the Pinotage Association‘s definition of a ‘Cape Blend’ – nor that there are some wine producers who disagree with the
SOUTH AFRICA’S Delaire Graff, Graham Beck, Nederburg, Tokara, Zevenwacht… In the spotlight yet again with six wines in particular following the 2025 International Wine & Spirit Competition based in London – including some pricey stuff if you’re earning and paying in SA rand: • Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Chardonnay 2023
ONLY FIVE wines scored better than 92 and termed Outstanding, i.e. one rated 93 (low silver?), three 94 (high silver?), one scored 95 and none rated Extraordinary or Profound (96+). No. 1 in the 2025 Prescient Fund Services Pinotage Report published by Winemag.co.za was illimis Pinotage 2024, WO Polkadraai Hills-Stellenbosch,
The 2025 edition of Caroline’s annual Red Wine Review, hailed as one of the most prestigious tasting events on the South African wine calendar, will be staged on the evening of Thursday 24 July in the Members’ Lounge of the DHL Stadium in Green Point, Cape Town. Hosted by Caroline Rillema of
STILL AVAILABLE at the time of writing, costing just a little bit more than it did a month or so earlier when chosen as the panel’s absolute favourite and scored 96 points in Winemag’s 2025 SA Chenin Blanc Report: The Dry Land Collection Courageous Barrel-fermented Chenin Blanc 2024 from the
HIGHLY recommended, R80 a bottle ex-cellar and still available at the time of writing: Wellington Wines Duke Merlot 2023, one of the winners in the Merlot SA Forum’s 2025 Top 10 Competition. Also highly recommended, R125pb ex-cellar and still available at the time of writing: Bellevue Estate Cinsault 2021 from
THE ANNUAL Decanter World Wine Awards: the biggest wine competition on the planet, held in London. In 2025, well over 16 000 entries from 57 countries evaluated by 248 judges from 35 countries including 22 Master Sommeliers and 72 Masters of Wine, scoring according to a 100-point scale. The five
The 2020 and 2024 vintages of La Motte’s Pierneef Syrah-driven blend and Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc respectively are more than cellarmaster Edmund Terblanche’s artistic interpretation of the vintage – the 2025 releases also bring a new look and a new name. As a tribute to SA artist Jacob Hendrik Pierneef (1886
JUST A COUPLE of days was all it took. By Wednesday 11 June, the top-scoring white blend at South Africa’s 2025 Trophy Wine Show was “Sold Out” at the cellar in Worcester and at the show’s ‘designated retailer’, Port2Port, i.e. barely 48 hours after the awards presentation on Monday 9
