IT’S SURPRISING to find neither Kanonkop nor Rijk’s among the winners of an Absa Top 10 – such are their good track records in this competition held by the Pinotage Association. You might say the same about Beeslaar, who, like Kanonkop, was among the runners-up in the 2025 edition. However,
THERE’S a fair bit to like about the Global Fine Wine Challenge in Sydney, Australia, however it’s not without its downsides. On the upside there’s the rivalry that comes with pitting some of the finest wines of South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and Australia against one another, as well as
IT WAS disappointing news for the wine-loving public looking forward to the Pinotage festival scheduled for 11 October 2025 at the Meerendal estate in Durbanville outside Cape Town – a festival to celebrate 100 years since the first seeds of South Africa’s most successful grape variety were planted in 1925.
IT WAS ONLY a matter of time… 2019 was when winemaker Elunda Basson took charge of the cellar at the Beck Family Estates’ Steenberg farm in Tokai on the Constantia Wine Route after making a name for herself as a bubbly champion in Stellenbosch. Six years later, the 2019 vintage
THE WINNERS of South Africa’s 2025 Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge – convened by the Chenin Blanc Association and sponsored by Standard Bank – brought to 33 the various expressions of the country’s signature white wine variety that have been very highly rated by top panels locally and internationally during
JUDGED BEST overall in Winemag.co.za’s 2025 SA Sauvignon Blanc Report sponsored by Prescient, the 2024 vintage of The Journal from Diemersdal is testimony to the good track record and interest value of this SB specialist in Durbanville – the 2022 vintage having excelled at the Trophy Wine Show earlier in
THREE wines top-scored at South Africa’s 2025 Fine Wine Awards: the 2020 vintage of The High Road Director’s Reserve from Les Sweiden’s cellar at Bosman’s Crossing in Stellenbosch where Miles Mossop is the consulting winemaker, a Cab-led red blend that regularly receives warm to glowing reviews from the top panels;
HOW MANY of us thought the days of a really good red at under R100 a bottle were behind us… R99pb for one of the Top 12 in the 2025 Shiraz SA Challenge! The 2024 vintage of Skaapveld Shiraz from MAN Family Wines at Lievland Vineyards in Stellenbosch, although the
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,
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
