THE 2017 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show celebrates the achievements of producers from Constantia to the Northern Cape and properties that have been part of the Cape wine landscape for centuries as well as those where winemaking only began within the past 10 years. Winner of the trophy for Most Successful Producer: Tokara of Helshoogte, on the slopes of the
Read moreTWENTY-THREE gold medals to South African wines with seven beauties going on to win trophies at the 2017 International Wine Challenge in London. Some are recent vintages of wines with great track records, such as Cape Point’s flagship white blend, DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin, Bouchard Finlayson Pinot, Stellenrust Chenin and those champions from Paul Cluver and Saronsberg that feature regularly in the
Read moreWITH JUST weeks to go until the end of 2016, the spotlight shone on a few of the Cape’s top wineries and winemakers more brightly than usual. Shiraz/Chenin specialist Andrea Mullineux of Riebeek Kasteel in the Swartland, previously of California, was pronounced Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine in the USA. Nederburg of Paarl won the IWSC trophy for South African Wine Producer
Read moreDeMORGENZON is unquestionably one of South Africa’s top white wine producers and the success of this Stellenbosch outfit on the show circuit internationally over the past couple of years has been particularly impressive. The team returned from the 2016 Decanter World Wine Awards in London with a trophy for best Chardonnay, which could have put a few Burgundian noses out of joint,
Read moreTHE WINNERS of the 2016 Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge include five of the top wines in the SA Chenin Classification based on track records spanning the past 10 years. Of these beauties, two stand out as the country’s most successful Chenins on local and international podiums this year: DeMorgenzon Reserve 2015 and Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2015, with the KZ also
Read moreOF THE 16 000 entries for the 2016 Decanter World Wine Awards in London, 31 were deemed worthy of ‘Platinum – Best in Show’ (previously referred to as ‘International Trophies’), one of which was DeMorgenzon Reserve Chardonnay 2015 from Stellenbosch Kloof, which a month earlier won a trophy at the International Wine Challenge. There were five other Platinum Awards that went
Read moreAT THE 2016 edition of the International Wine Challenge in London following weeks of blind tastings that involved thousands of entries from around the globe, South Africa’s top trophy winners included Tokara on the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch, Saronsberg of Tulbagh and Nederburg of Paarl for the entries judged Best SA White, Best SA Red and Best SA Sweet respectively, as well as DeMorgenzon
Read moreONCE AGAIN South Africa has excelled at the Six Nations Wine Challenge in Sydney, Australia. At the 2015 edition of the competition, up against Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Chile and Argentina, Cape cellars achieved four trophies and dominated the classes Chardonnay, White Blends and varieties including Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. The Challenge was won by New Zealand, with Australia second and
Read moreA CLASSIC Wine Trophy in the first quarter of the year, a trophy at the International Wine Challenge in London during the second quarter and then selection among the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 in the third… It’s a wonder that the 2014 DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc hadn’t already sold out by the time the Chenin Blanc Association’s latest awards
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 morePLATTER’S South African Wine Guide is not without its shortcomings, but after 35 years it still holds plenty of sway among those who are partial to the liquid pleasures of this country and give a damn about what’s in their glass. Published as it is towards the end of every year, it’s the last major assessment of SA wine quality and
Read moreUNIQUE insofar as it’s the only wine competition in South Africa where all of the judges are French, the annual Classic Wine Trophy taste-off is hosted at the Taj Hotel in Cape Town and this year there were two producers who grabbed most of the glory – Morgenster of Somerset West and Hamilton Russell Vineyards of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley outside
Read moreCAPE POINT, Chamonix, Delaire Graff, DeMorgenzon, Steenberg, Tokara and Vergelegen top the list of contenders for South Africa’s champion white blend producer for 2013… The following wines achieved outstanding reviews from the judges at blind-tastings around the world during the past 12 months: TOP SOUTH AFRICAN WHITE BLEND RATINGS IN 2013 AA Badenhorst 2011 – 4½ Stars in Platter’s Guide
Read moreTHERE ARE FEW surprises among the top-rated wines in Platter’s 2014 South African Wine Guide that goes onto the bookshelves this month. Most of the 5 Star laureates or their makers have good track records – the cellarmasters and/or winery owners are familiar faces at the various podiums, which is great for those who appreciate consistently high standards. And most of the
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