THE CONTENTIOUS issue of wine ratings and awards continues to flare up from time to time, with outspoken wine lovers, wine scribes, critics and judges at odds with each other to the point of disbelief, even outrage. The problem? Firstly, there’s not enough consensus regarding which scoring system to use – star ratings aside, there are different versions of the
Read moreTHE PANEL tasting convenor: Decanter Magazine, United Kingdom. The focus: single-vineyard New World Pinot Noir. The judges: James Doidge (London-based importer), Roger Jones (UK restaurateur, wine critic, chef) and Master of Wine Dirccu Vianna (wine writer and educator in the UK). On the tasting bench: 100 wines, of which 43 were highly recommended, six were outstanding, with one regarded as
Read moreHIGHLY RECOMMENDED in Platter’s South African Wine Guide, an outstanding review on Winemag, then platinum at the Decanter World Wine Awards in the UK. Tokara Director’s Reserve 2016. So consistently good over the years. One of the Top 10 white blends in the SA Wine Classification, Top Wine SA Hall of Fame, Top 20 in the SA Cellar Classification.
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
Read moreSO WE WERE at a dinner party and contemplating the pros and cons of aerating our wines, letting them breathe before serving, and what was hauled out of a cupboard reminded us of how decanters can vary in form and function. With the best intentions, my dear host presented a beautiful cut-glass, tear-drop shaped antique that could have been used
Read moreRECEIVING 17 200 entries for the 2017 edition, the World Wine Awards convened by Decanter magazine (UK) is the largest wine competition on the planet. Special kudos to Paul Cluver of Elgin and Klein Constantia as the only South African wineries to get through the final round of judging when, of the 209 platinum award winners, 34 were chosen as the
Read moreFull report here: Top South African Chardonnay – Decanter Panel Tasting 120 wines assessed: seven considered outstanding, 47 highly recommended. The judges: Masters of Wine Tim Atkin, John Hoskins and Greg Sherwood. Top-Scoring Chardonnays of the tasting: Ataraxia 2015 Kershaw 2014 Neil Ellis Whitehall 2015 Paul Cluver Estate 2015 Paul Cluver Seven Flags 2015 Rustenberg Stellenbosch 2015 Sutherland 2015 (Thelema)
Read moreDEMORGENZON, Elgin Vintners, Lomond, Paul Cluver and Perdeberg were among the International Trophy winners at the 2015 Decanter World Wine Awards – DeMorgenzon (Stellenbosch) with their flagship white blend, Elgin Vintners with their Pinot Noir, Lomond with a Syrah, Paul Cluver (Elgin) with a Riesling for UK retailer Marks & Spencer and Perdeberg (Paarl) with a Chenin from their Dryland Collection. Overall, Paul Cluver was
Read moreTHE STAND-OUT red blends, the best reviews of the year from around the world – and mostly premium-priced, with only seven under R100 a bottle (highlighted below), 38 ranging between R100 and R200pb, 26 between R200 and R300pb, eight between R300 and R400pb, and eight ranging between R450 and R725 per bottle: AA Badenhorst 2009 – highly recommended in Platter’s Guide
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
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