Definition of a ‘Cape Blend’ still far from set in stone
HOW WAS THAT! A panel tasting report published in the UK’s Decanter magazine focusing on South Africa’s ‘Cape red blends’ that include Pinotage in the mix makes no mention of […]
Cilmor of Worcester THE discovery at Trophy Wine Show
OF THE 650 wines judged at South Africa’s 2025 Trophy Wine Show, 40 were scored 95+ to earn gold medals (see below), and of those, 23 went on to earn […]
And then there were more seriously good wines at < R150
5 STARS in Platter’s 2025 SA Wine Guide, from one of the country’s top winemakers in Donovan Rall, using grapes grown on the mountains in the back of beyond, priced […]
Top scores at Veritas revealed! Eight wineries awarded 95+
THE DOUBLE GOLD winners at the 2024 Veritas Awards have disclosed what the competition organisers will not… Apart from presenting the Vertex trophy for the most highly rated of the […]
2024 Veritas champion a leading ambassador for Cape Blends
OVER THE YEARS, it’s been one of South Africa’s most highly rated blended red wines – not only according to experts at the Veritas Awards but also those at the […]
Record price fetched for Vin de Constance… once again!
WHAT A DIFFERENCE a year makes! Or doesn’t… Apparently some of those bidding during the timed online auction of sweet wines that concluded on 10 June ’24 regarded the 38-year-old […]
Trophy Wine Show of interest to both layman and connoisseur
KWV, Paarl. SCHENKFONTEIN! Where’s that? Stofjas! What’s that? Thor Semillon nothing to do with the Marvel fantasy! Port Capital comes second? Best value gold medallist a Shiraz at just R115 […]
Six particularly good value wines at under R150 a bottle
THERE ARE very few SA wines selling for Under R150pb being showcased on Top Wine SA as of May ’24. Which says a couple of things: that prices are climbing, […]
Best of The Best Under R250pb – 2024 SA Wine Classification
LESS THAN R100 a bottle for one of the most consistently highly rated wines over the past 10 years might seem impossible, and yet… While the majority of the 132 […]
Most highly rated Cap Classique sparkling wines in 2023
THE TOP sparklers from South Africa are applauded around the world, not just locally. Some of them are now commanding prices in line with Champagne, although most still present better […]
What does it mean to win double gold at the Veritas Awards?
TO WIN the trophy for top-scoring wine at the Veritas Awards is a fairly big deal! In 2023, there were 1247 entries (including spirits) in what is the biggest, longest-running […]
Top Pinotage and Cape Blends revisited – up close and personal
THE 2023 Absa Top 10 Pinotage and Perold Cape Blend awards have been reported on already, but for many wine lovers it’s not enough to know what the winning wines […]