PUFFERY aside, behind the smoke and mirrors… The National Wine Challenge attracts entries from some of South Africa’s top wine producers, the judges and tasting director are respected professionals, plus there are often several good-value discoveries or confirmations as well as something or other that prompts you to ponder… Best Value? At just R95pb, a little over half the price
Read moreA PINOTAGE-BASED red blend from the Flagstone winery in Somerset West, a Sauvignon Blanc from Paul Cluver in Elgin, a Cape Port from De Krans in Calitzdorp and the flagship Cap Classique sparkler from Graham Beck in Robertson. The four Wines of the Year at South Africa’s 2022 National Wine Challenge, and the producers were chuffed: “We are over the
Read moreTHERE WERE A NUMBER of familiar labels among the ‘Best in Class’ and ‘Wine of the Year’ laureates that shone in the 2021 SA National Wine Challenge, but nobody could have anticipated the identity of the overall red wine champion. A newcomer from the Koelenhof Winery, The Legacy 2017 is the first (Cab-led) red blend in the premium ‘Stellenbosch 1679’
Read moreNO OTHER CAPE PORT has been more highly rated during the past 12 months. In 2020 it was judged Best in Class at the Trophy Wine Show, Best in Class at the National Wine Challenge and one of the Top 10 in the Winemag’s report on the category. This after several top accolades in 2019: 5 Stars in Platter’s SA Wine
Read moreANNI is the third daughter of Vrede en Lust owner Dana Buys, her namesake a rather impressive Sauvignon Blanc. From Casey’s Ridge, the family’s farm in Elgin, the grapes are taken to the cellar on their estate in Simondium at the foot of the Simonsberg, Paarl. And what emerges in bottle, adorned with a dove, is an unwooded beauty of
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