THE ANNOUNCEMENT of the Absa Top 10 for 2018 served to reiterate a number of truths and trends: ‘old’ vines make for good wines; the more experience you have with the variety and the vineyards, the higher the likelihood of greatness in the bottle; while the benchmarks remain steadfast, those contesting the premier league have grown in number and location;
Read moreWE SEE where they’re going with their Winelist, but The Sommeliers Selection takes a bit of getting used to – adjusting to the calibration, you could say. Of over 300 entries, 72 made the cut, all accorded the same recognition, but with no scores given, no stars or medals. Although, among the Listed competition winners there is reference to four
Read moreTHE JUDGING is complete, preparations for the awards function at Cavalli Estate in Somerset West on 15 August are in full swing and wine lovers are looking forward to seeing which of their favourites among the Top 20 finalists are considered by the panel of experts to be the best of the best in the 2018 Absa Top 10. The Absa Top
Read moreTHE Cape of Good Hope range in the portfolio of Anthonij Rupert Wines, Franschhoek, was launched in 2011 as part of proprietor Johann Rupert’s initiative begun in 2006 to help protect the old vines of the Cape as producers of distinctive, terroir-specific expressions of various grape varieties. One of these treasured ‘pieces of history’ comprises bush-vine Semillon on Henk Laing’s
Read moreSOURCED predominantly from one of the oldest vineyards and certainly the oldest Semillon plantings in South Africa, the grapes for Boekenhoutskloof Semillon grow on traditional bush vines that still have their original roots, i.e. contrary to the norm that involves cuttings grafted onto disease- and pest-resistant rootstock. And the roots run deep, conducive to intensely complex, well-structured wines with good ageing
Read moreOVER the past couple of years, has there been a South African Cabernet Sauvignon producer more successful on the world stage than the Ellis family on the Helshoogte Pass, Stellenbosch? Their current-release 2015 Jonkershoek Cab won gold medals at the Decanter awards and International Wine Challenge (IWC) after one of the most outstanding reviews on Winemag.co.za – this after the 2014
Read moreAS THEY SAY: “The new age of the Swartland commenced in 1997 when [Fairview proprietor] Charles Back stumbled across an old tobacco farm, Klein Amoskuil. Bewildered by the quality of grapes in a region better known for its wheat and rolling fynbos hills, Charles set forth to acquire the farm and study its soils and extreme climate. Hence the Spice Route
Read moreTHE 2018 International Wine Challenge Personality of the Year award winner Rosa Kruger is one of the world’s leading viticulturists, although she has no formal training and prefers the term ‘vineyard manager’. She started life as a political journalist, then became a lawyer before finally finding her life’s calling by chance when managing an apple orchard in a cool climate
Read moreIT WAS a good start to the month of July 2018 for South African wine producers at Muscats du Monde in France, the Sparkling Wine World Championships and the Drinks Business Global Masters, London – including a Top 10 spot among the sweets for Orange River Cellars and confirmation of Nederburg’s stature when it comes to Cabernet Sauvignon. For more about
Read more1953 was ‘a big year’. Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Tibet became the first people to summit Mount Everest, the highest point on the planet. 1953 saw the crowning of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. And it was the year that one of South Africa’s first Pinotage vineyards was planted with a view to production on
Read moreOF THE TOP 50 cellars in South Africa with super-premium, luxury red wines presented as their numero uno at thousands of rand per bottle, there’s the Rijk’s 888 Gold Pinotage at R1100, Mvemve Raats De Compostella blend at R1150, the Hanneli R blend from La Motte at R1200, Vergelegen V Cabernet Sauvignon at R1395, The Garland Cabernet Sauvignon from Simonsig at
Read moreIN THE 2018 report on South African Bordeaux-Style Red Blends by Winemag.co.za, six wines were rated outstanding (93 to 94 out of 100) and 27 were considered excellent (90 to 92). In total, 81 wines from 64 producers were reviewed by the panel comprising Winemag’s Christian Eedes (chair), Roland Peens and James Pietersen (both of Cape Town merchant Wine Cellar).
Read moreTHE BOSMAN’S Optenhorst Vineyard, ‘perched on top of a hill’ in the Bovlei Valley of Wellington, was last planted in 1952. Which makes it home to some of THE oldest vines in South Africa (see here). Chenin Blanc! And from it comes one the country’s best quality and most interesting wines: the 2010 vintage judged one of the Top 100
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
Read moreTHE NUMBER of wine farms and cellars in South Africa is declining. The total area under vine has been shrinking. Yet turnover is up, domestically and on the export markets. Among the annual industry statistics released by SA Wine Industry Information & Systems (SAWIS), total sales are now at nearly 900 million litres after three years of growth, despite prolonged
Read moreBELOW are the top Shiraz/Syrah producers in South Africa over the past 10 years, those with the best track records in terms of glowing reviews by the top panels, presented according to where you’ll find their tasting rooms on the various wine routes. For the full SA Shiraz Classification, see here, and for the contact info and addresses of the top outfits
Read moreOF THE laureates at the Shiraz SA Challenge 2018, Saronsberg Full Circle stands out as one of South Africa’s finest red blends having Shiraz in the driver’s seat, with Spier’s Creative Block 3 fast establishing a record over the years that promises to be as impressive. However, while there were 36 blends submitted for review, there were 156 wines presented
Read moreCLEARLY the biggest winners at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2018 are Warwick, Leeuwenkuil and Spier: Warwick the Most Successful Producer with trophies for their 2015 Cab Franc and Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend, Professor Black 2017; Leeuwenkuil for their 2015 Heritage Syrah, judged best red overall; and Spier for their 21 Gables Chenin 2016, the top-scoring white wine overall. These
Read moreODD that perennial sweet wine favourites Alvi’s Drift, Nuy and Orange River Cellars didn’t get a look in at the 2018 Muskadel SA Awards for fortified desserts, but maybe they didn’t field any of the 31 wines entered this time round. Then again, two of the Top 10 cellars in this category came storming through – Bon Courage winning with both
Read moreIT’S THE BIGGEST wine competition in the world and among those with the biggest clout in terms of the status associated with its top awards. The 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards in London attracted 16 972 entries from countries around the globe, and, in typical fashion, France was the most successful of the nations represented, winning 15 of the 50 ‘Best in
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