Posts
Another great review for KWV's Laborie Blanc de Blancs MCC
AT UNDER R200pb, surely there's no better value-for-money sparkling wine on the market in 2026 than the 2020 vintage of Laborie Blanc de Blancs from ...
Read More →
The 12 most highly rated SA Chenin Blancs in 2026 to date
TWO OF THE winning wines in South Africa's 2026 Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge applauded in September 2026 had already been honoured by ...
Read More →
Vonkel at Simonsig: sparkling new restaurant in Stellenbosch
IT'S BACK! Reinvented, under a different name… The popular Cuvée restaurant that closed some years ago has been replaced with Vonkel (‘Sparkle'), open daily from ...
Read More →
Kasteelberg the Swartland's 2026 Grand Master Chenin Blanc
RIEBEEK Valley Wine Co complete the winemaking of the flagship Kasteelberg range of wines in a boutique cellar at their large production facility in the ...
Read More →
Frostline & Perfect Crime newcomers among Top 10 Pinotages
THERE WERE 112 wines from 59 producers entered in the 2026 edition of the Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition, and once again the winners included ...
Read More →
The people, stories and little-known facts behind Cape wine
A LIGHT-HEARTED meander for people who simply enjoy wine and wanna know more… One of the more unusual events in the last quarter of the ...
Read More →
Riebeek Valley Wine Co wins Global Chenin Blanc Masters
KASTEELBERG Premium Chenin Blanc 2024 from the Riebeek Valley Wine Company in the Swartland town of Riebeek Kasteel. Winner of a Grand Master award at ...
Read More →
SA Chardonnay Festival cancelled due to sluggish ticket sales
HOW SAD. Despite the hype, there just wasn't enough sell through. Although only R100 per ticket, sales were not up to expectation with just weeks ...
Read More →
About turn… Chenin Challenge to be run as it always has been
THE CHENIN Blanc Association has retracted a statement posted on social media about a new rule applying to their annual Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge ...
Read More →
Stellenrust ‘too good’ at Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge
FAIR OR nonsensical? “While producers may enter multiple wines in the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge, only one wine per producer can be ...
Read More →
Ghost Corner! Another win for Elim Semillon, Cederberg cellar
THE SA Terroir Wine Awards are the culmination of a competition unique in South Africa insofar as the entries must be certified as single-vineyard, or ...
Read More →
From up on high, among the peaks, a Chenin of great standing
HIGH up in the Cederberg mountains to the south-east and north-east of Clanwilliam and Citrusdal respectively… Amazing that they thought to plant grape vines up ...
Read More →
2026 Shiraz SA Challenge spotlight falls on Windmeul and…
HIGHLIGHTs of the 2026 Shiraz SA Challenge results include Spier of Stellenbosch winning in both the straight Shiraz and Shiraz blend categories, Windmeul of Paarl ...
Read More →
Wine authority's secrecy is not in anybody's best interests
CRAZY, or not? South Africa's Wine Certification Authority will not disclose what wines it has certified in terms of where the grapes come from, e.g. ...
Read More →
Ivory Manor Gourmet Festival promises a day of decadence
Experience an unforgettable day of exceptional wines, gourmet dishes, local art and luxury. Taste over 100 premium wines, enjoy rare vintage tastings, and discover why ...
Read More →
Red blend of note! Zwartwater journey off to a great start
DEBUT VINTAGE and already a champion! Scored 97/100 and winner of the trophy for best blend at the 2026 Investec Trophy Wine Show: the Rhône-style ...
Read More →
98 points! Top Fine Wine Awards go to Elgin, Piekenierskloof
OVER 950 wines later… Convened by the Wine-of-the-Month Club, the American Express Fine Wine Awards is one of the largest competitions of its kind in ...
Read More →
Hasher and Newstead top-score for South Africa at IWSC 2026
HASHER in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Newstead in Plettenberg Bay produced the top-scorers – a red and a bubbly – from South Africa at ...
Read More →
Cape's best bubbles compared to world's best – Decanter, UK
IT WAS NOT one of the Quoin Rock winery's oft-vaunted Black Series Cap Classique bubblies reviewed as ‘Outstanding' in the July 2026 issue of Decanter ...
Read More →
Monk Stone Chenin the latest organic champ from Stark-Condé
THREE YEARS in a row! Stark-Condé‘s victory at South Africa's 2026 Trophy Wine Show, where their 2025 Monk Stone Chenin Blanc was judged Best Organic ...
Read More →
SA flagships on show at Caroline’s 2026 Red Wine Review
The 2026 edition of Caroline’s annual Red Wine Review, hailed as one of the most prestigious tasting events on the South African wine calendar, will ...
Read More →
NWC champion red a Cape Bordeaux at under R200 a bottle
THEY WON'T tell us the number of entries received for South Africa's 2026 National Wine Challenge, convened by Robin von Holdt of Buy Better Wine, ...
Read More →
Brookdale releases new vintages – including two new wines
Brookdale Estate has released its latest vintages, including its first Grenache Noir, vintage 2025, and Grenache Blanc 2025, of which fewer than 1000 bottles were ...
Read More →
Three red 95-pointers at Under R200 in Winemag Reports
THE WINEMAG panels don't score many wines 95+, let alone ones that sell for less than R200 a bottle… Of the 45 wines assessed for ...
Read More →
There's something to be said about making Rosé from Pinotage
THE FIRST really good review of a South African Rosé in 2026 to date! The producer: Aaldering Vineyards in Devon Valley, Stellenbosch. The wine: Women ...
Read More →
L’Avenir judges’ favourite in Merlot SA’s Top 10 Competition
OF THE 48 entries in South Africa’s 2026 Top 10 Merlot competition, the wine most preferred by the panel of judges was the 2024 Provenance ...
Read More →
Steenberg Merlot and Alto Rouge surprise at Decanter Awards
WHAT A PITY that South Africa’s ‘Best in Show’ Stellenbosch Reserve Hangbrug Chenin Blanc 2025 was already ‘sold out’ ex-cellar when the winners of the ...
Read More →
Third great rating and 2021 KZ Res Cab sells out before 2020
THE 2021 vintage of the flagship Cab from Kleine Zalze in Stellenbosch received such rave reviews in the first half of 2026 that the ‘sold ...
Read More →
Best value Trophy Wine Show winners – under R200 a bottle!
SOME OF the trophy and gold medal laureates at the 2026 Investec Trophy Wine Show will set you back over R500 a bottle – three ...
Read More →
Cederberg and Delaire Graff top-score at Trophy Wine Show
A CHENIN from the Cederberg and a Cabernet from Delaire Graff in the Banghoek area of Stellenbosch were the ‘top guns’ at South Africa’s 2026 ...
Read More →