WHITES from Tokara and Raats, reds from Haut Espoir, La Bri, Rustenberg, Remhoogte and Tokara, sweets from Nederburg and Boplaas… The top-scoring South African producers in Winemag’s 10 Year Old Report 2019. To quote Christian Eedes, who chaired the three-man panel that included Roland Peens and James Pietersen of Cape Town merchant Wine Cellar: “The 2009 vintage is generally considered
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 moreINTERESTING it was to see the brands involved and what the charitably minded were keen to buy at the 2018 Cape Wine Auction hosted at Rustenberg and Tokara in Stellenbosch. The prime objective of the two-day event is to support children’s education in needy communities of the South African winelands, and to this end the amount raised came to R17.5 million.
Read more“THE 2000 hectares of old vines that South Africa has is important… It’s part of our history, part of our future, but it’s not going to take our industry forward… What about the other 95 000 hectares!” So reasons Bruwer Raats, applauded as top producer in Platter’s SA Wine Guide, champion of the varieties Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc, outspoken winemaker
Read more99/100 in PLATTER’S 2018 Nederburg Two Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Platter’s Red Wine of the Year The Foundry Grenache Blanc 2015 Platter’s White Wine of the Year Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet 2013 Platter’s Unfortified Dessert Wine of the Year Beaumont Starboard NV (Port) Platter’s Fortified Dessert Wine of the Year 98/100 in PLATTER’S 2018 Cederberg Shiraz 2015
Read moreTHE RESULTS of Winemag.co.za’s Riscura ‘Red Hot Wine Awards’ confirmed the good credentials of numerous Bordeaux-style blends from the Cape – including a couple priced at around a third of what the top-rated wines are going for and a helluva lot less than the winner of the competition. In the final taste-off the honours went to the Mvemve Raats de Compostella
Read moreRAATS and Warwick continue to impress in South Africa’s Cab Franc class but the competition is mounting. There’s a lot more to the choice of good SA Semillon and interesting Viognier these days. And if there’s one South African brand that has stood out for good reviews in more categories than any other range in 2013, it’s The Mentors from
Read moreRAATS: home of the most successful SA Cab Franc and the man who’s done most to create a market for Cape versions of the variety MORE PLEASE! Red Jasper has got many of the delicious things you might dream about in a good Bordeaux-style blend. While perhaps a little too forward for some, it’s a fine example of the many lovely red
Read moreTHE STAND-OUT Cabernet Franc wines from South Africa, the best reviews of the year: so consistent are Raats and Warwick of Stellenbosch; from Paarl cellars, the rise of KWV’s Mentors range has been meteoric, and interesting to see Nelson back on the radar again; whereas Von Ortloff’s beauty from Franschhoek is already pretty much sold out; Oldenburg’s popularity in the Banghoek
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