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
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
OF THE 650 wines judged at South Africa’s 2025 Trophy Wine Show, 40 were scored 95+ to earn gold medals (see below), and of those, 23 went on to earn trophies (highlighted in purple below). The most highly rated red wine on show: Stellenzicht Arenite Syrah 2023. The most highly
FOR THE FIRST time in five years, South Africa won one of the most prestigious awards at the International Wine Challenge in London, with Le Grand Domaine of Devon Valley in Stellenbosch presented with the trophy for best Cabernet Sauvignon on show at the 2025 edition – ahead of the
BABYLONSTOREN and Cederberg Wines struck gold at the 2025 (19th) edition of Syrah du Monde, the international competition held in France’s Rhône Valley. There were 207 wines (from 22 countries) assessed over two days by 100 judges from around the world, with the 32 gold medallists including South Africans Babylonstoren
THE COMPETITION winners in the South African Winemag’s 2024 Prescient Chenin Blanc Report have a history of glowing reviews for their ‘Perdeberg Dry Land Collection Courageous Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc’. Quite a mouthful, with previous vintages of this Paarl bottling earning a gold medal at the Global Wine Masters (2023),
HOW ABOUT THAT! Two wins in succession for the Riebeek Valley Wine Co in the SA Winemag’s annual Prescient Shiraz Report, with the Riebeek-Kasteel winery’s RAAR Shiraz Carbonic Maceration 2024 chosen as the panel’s absolute favourite in 2025 after the 2023 vintage triumphed in the previous competition. Only five 500L
