The Most Highly Rated Red in Platter’s 2026 SA Wine Guide
THE PREVIOUS Heritage Syrah from Leeuwenkuil Family Vineyards was the 2019 vintage, rated 96/100 in Winemag’s 2024 Shiraz Report. No 2020, no 2021, and then POW! A near-perfect score of […]
Top South African wines according to top panels in 2025
SEVEN CATEGORIES of top wines from South Africa as rated 96+ locally or internationally in 2025 by one or more of the respected panels tasting ‘blind’, i.e. labels out of […]
South Africa’s most highly rated Shiraz / Syrah in 2025
THE TOP Shiraz/Syrah from South Africa as rated 96+ locally or internationally in 2025 by one or more of the respected panels tasting ‘blind’, i.e. labels out of sight – excluding […]
Groot Phesantekraal Syrah one of the go-to reds of the year
SCORED 97 points and the international judges’ joint favourite overall at the 2025 Trophy Wine Show, Groot Phesantekraal’s 2023 Syrah was released at under R200pb – a great bargain relative […]
Genetics… Stellenzicht’s 2023 Syrah has a lot going for it
JUDGED ‘Best Red Wine Overall’ at the 2025 edition of South Africa’s premier wine competition, the Trophy Wine Show: the 2023 vintage of the Arenite Syrah from Hans von Staff-Reitzenstein’s […]
Shiraz SA Challenge points to consistency and great value
HOW MANY of us thought the days of a really good red at under R100 a bottle were behind us… R99pb for one of the Top 12 in the 2025 […]
SA No. 1 at Syrah du Monde – Babylonstoren Shiraz 2022
PRODUCED at Koos Bekker’s estate in Paarl using grapes from the farm’s vineyards below the Simonsberg, Babylonstoren Shiraz has been one of South Africa’s most highly rated expressions of the […]
Paarl and Cederberg cellars strike gold in the Rhône Valley
BABYLONSTOREN and Cederberg Wines struck gold at the 2025 (19th) edition of Syrah du Monde, the international competition held in France’s Rhône Valley. There were 207 wines (from 22 countries) […]
WO Swartland & Ceres triumph in Winemag’s Shiraz Report
HOW ABOUT THAT! Two wins in succession for the Riebeek Valley Wine Co in the SA Winemag’s annual Prescient Shiraz Report, with the Riebeek-Kasteel winery’s RAAR Shiraz Carbonic Maceration 2024 […]
Top 3 in Platter’s 2025 Guide from Elgin, Durbanville, Tulbagh
THE TOP-RATED wines in the 2025 edition of Platter’s South African Wine Guide – scored 98/100 – are the Cap Classique sparkler Cipher Blanc de Noirs 2018 from the Elgin […]
New releases from La Motte: Chardonnay 2023, Syrah 2020
La Motte’s trusted pair of Syrah and Chardonnay are made exclusively from Franschhoek grapes, and you can taste it. “La Motte’s terroir contributes a beautiful creaminess and drinkability – even […]
South Africa punches above its weight at Syrah Masters
REPORTING on the 2024 Global Syrah Masters for The Drinks Business publication in London, Master of Wine Patricia Stefanowicz compared the Shiraz plantings of France, at about 70 000ha, to Australia’s […]
