MOST of South Africa’s top-rated wines these days cost over R250 a bottle – more than 300 of the wines scored 93 points plus in 2023 to date are positioned at R300+, with 180 or so at R400+ and over 100 at R500 to R2000. And yet, during the past
IT SELDOM happens that a winemaker has a hand in two Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition laureates in the same year, but what do you know… In 2023 there were two of them: Abrie Beeslaar, cellarmaster behind the winning 2017 vintage from Kanonkop Estate in Stellenbosch and also coming top
WHEN THEY put it like that, it’s hard to swallow… that the “Top 10” Sauvignon Blanc wines of South Africa don’t include even one worthy of a top rating in their book (96+). “Inherently simple,” says Winemag editor Christian Eedes in the publication’s annual report on the category, sponsored by
59 WINES from 49 producers were reviewed for Winemag’s 2023 Report on Cape Bordeaux Red Blends, i.e. combinations of two or more of the varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Delaire Graff’s Botmaskop of Stellenbosch came top in the tasting, although it was scored the same
[metaslider id=”21576″] FROM JANUARY to August 2023, the top panels of wine experts judged some 700 of South Africa’s finest to be at least high silver or gold medal standard. Of these, around 140 were considered 96 points or higher, Best in Class, Top 10 or 12, worthy of grand
[metaslider id=”21576″] FROM JANUARY to August 2023, the top panels of wine experts judged some 700 of South Africa’s finest to be at least high silver or gold medal standard. Of these, around 140 were considered 96 points or higher, Best in Class, Top 10 or 12, worthy of grand
[spacer height=”20px” id=”2″]THERE WERE 30 of the Cape’s wine producers vying for the 2023 Mosaic Top 5 Pinot Noir Awards, which is fairly impressive, given how niche the variety is in the country relative to Cabernet, Shiraz, Pinotage, Merlot… To lay claim, as the organisers do, to having come up
THE RESULTS of the 2023 Shiraz SA Challenge provided plenty of talking points. For example: Flagstone of the Strand/Somerset West grabbed two awards, one for a ‘Dark Horse’ with one of the best track records in the category and the other for a ‘Velvet’ blend that costs what you might
HAVING achieved 95/100 for the current release of their flagship red blend at the Decanter World Wine Awards in London, Constantia Glen went one better with a score of 96 at the last of the biggest competitions of its kind in 2023, the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Constantia Glen
THE SECOND Top 10 competition organised by South Africa’s Merlot Forum attracted 69 entries from most of the Cape’s wine regions. Notable relative to the inaugural panel tasting was the “dynamic spread” of offerings. “This year’s entries were a tad more exciting,” reflected the convener of the judging panel, Vondeling
THE HIGH Road cellar in Stellenbosch, the Overhex winery in Worcester and the Zevenwacht estate in Kuils River. THE standout participants at South Africa’s 2023 Trophy Wine Show, convened by veteran wine critic Michael Fridjhon and sponsored by Investec Private Banking. The High Road Director’s Reserve 2019 and Overhex’s 2022
IONA Chardonnay 2021 of the Elgin Highlands and the 2020 Reserve Cab from Le Riche in the Helderberg vineyards of Stellenbosch were the panels’ favourite South African wines at the 2023 Decanter Awards in London. A record-breaking 18 250 entries were received from 57 countries, assessed by 236 judges including 53
