There have been some great wine shops in South Africa that have come and gone. Some that were once special are now ordinary, with the good ones that are still around so few as to count on one hand. We’re not talking about liquor stores, bottle stores, places that deal in alcohol and where the staff wouldn’t know a fine wine even
Read moreTHE LIMIETBERG can seem somewhat unreal at times. The light can play tricks on the mountains above those green valleys, although the rocky slopes can indeed be pretty red. Blood red even. Hence the name of the flagship Malbec from Doolhof Wine Estate in Wellington – the ‘Bloedklip’ 2018 having been ranked alongside some of the finest expressions of the
Read moreFOR MANY of us enjoying the wine routes of South Africa over the festive season in 2022/23, there’ll be a new destination we can’t wait to explore. A Paarl estate opening a new tasting room, a new restaurant, gearing up to use their new cellar for the first time. With just four vintages bottled to date, Brookdale has already attracted
Read moreTHERE ARE some stretches along the beautiful wine routes of Stellenbosch that offer a better hit-rate than others for those in search of the best – strips of road with members of the Top 100 ‘club’ on either side in the sort of concentration that makes it possible to visit several within an hour or two without breaking the speed limit. Off the R44 to Somerset
Read moreTHERE ISN’T A CELLAR DOOR on the Cape’s wine routes where you can head to for a tasting of The Bernard Series under the Bellingham label. There isn’t a manor house to marvel at or a restaurant to wine and dine in, and the reds and whites in the Series are made using grapes sourced from various areas of the
Read moreAfter over a year of ‘downtime’, Top Wine SA is being relaunched this month following a makeover and full maintenance service, so to speak. Now linked to this blog, it’s an online showcase of the best quality and best value South African wines that remains unique as a buyer’s guide. It’s about the who’s who among the country’s leading wine producers
Read moreBlog POSTS, Top SA Wine RATINGS, Cape Wine ROUTES, Top EVENTS, Wine QUOTES LATEST: OIV Stats About the World of Wine South Africa ranked 7th among top wine-producing countries There was little positive news in the annual ‘State of the World’ report by the International Organisation of Vine & Wine (OIV), with production down, consumption down and prices up. Read
Read moreTHE OLD VINE PROJECT has on record 10 vineyards in South Africa that are older than 100 years, however, with the odd exception, their locations, the names of the property owners and the wines made from them (if any) are strictly confidential. No doubt these are precious plants. Perish the thought that they might go up in smoke or be dug
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