THE 2017 ABSA Top 10 Pinotage competition culminated with the presentation of trophies to winning wine producers at Cavalli estate outside Somerset West. The event commemorated 21 years of the Pinotage Association’s competition that contributes to setting benchmarks as regards South Africa’s most successful ‘indigenous’ variety. There were 147 entries and the laureates were applauded as fine ambassadors of Wine
Read moreTHE WINNERS at the 2016 Shiraz SA Challenge include four of the wines with the best track records over the past 10 years in terms of the Top Wine SA Shiraz Classification: Cederberg, Eagles’ Nest (Constantia), Fairview Eenzaamheid (Paarl) and Saronsberg (Tulbagh). Moreover, many among the top dozen vintages on this occasion had already received high praise during the previous 12 months: Alto 2013
Read more“PINOTAGE has the heart of a lion and the tongue of a woman; after drinking a certain quantity you can talk forever and fight like the devil!” – Anonymous. More memorable wine quotes here. The Top 10 Pinotage in terms of South African wines with the best track records over the past 10 years (2006 – 2015) are the following: Beyerskloof
Read moreAT UNDER R50 a bottle, South Africa’s top Chenin Blancs in 2015 include several classified wines, namely Alvi’s Drift ADS from Worcester, Simonsig of Stellenbosch and Windmeul from Paarl. Stretch to R100 a bottle, and your options expand to encompass the Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection, one of the Top 10 Chenin Blancs in the country on the basis of great track
Read moreTHE HONOUR for most trophies won by a producer at the Absa Top 10 Pinotage competition since it began 19 years back (1997) is shared by Kanonkop of Stellenbosch and Rijk’s of Tulbagh at 10 each. However during the last 10 years of the shoot-out (2006 to 2015), the judges on the Top 10 tasting panels have awarded seven to Rijk’s, six to Windmeul
Read moreTHERE ARE FEW surprises among the winners of the Pinotage Association’s 2014 Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition… Delheim Vera Cruz is better known for its prowess in the Shiraz category – the Vera Cruz Pinotage is a maiden vintage. And it’s suspected that certain Pinotage heavyweights including Kanonkop didn’t enter on this occasion – there is also no Kaapzicht Steytler,
Read moreGRAHAM BECK, Kleine Zalze, Rijk’s, Sadie, Stellenrust and Windmeul top the list of contenders for South Africa’s champion Chenin Blanc 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 CHENIN BLANC RATINGS IN 2013 Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2012 – 5 Stars in Platter’s Guide
Read moreAPPLAUDED as the top-performing cellars at the 2013 Veritas Awards according to the type and number of medals won were: KWV, Nederburg, Boplaas, De Grendel and Flagstone. Also singled out for special mention were: Delaire Graff, Eagles’ Nest, Graham Beck, Kanonkop, Rustenberg, Simonsig, Spier, Tokara and Windmeul. Among the newcomers of note? Rivendell near Bot River (good Sauvignon Blanc) and Kleinhoekkloof near Ashton (standout Merlot). For the
Read moreNOTABLE ABSENTEES among the laureates in the latest shoot-out organised by South Africa’s Pinotage Association include Beyerskloof, DeWaal, Spier and Stellenzicht… Familiar faces at the podium this year included Anura, Fairview, Kanonkop, KWV, L’Avenir, Lyngrove, Môreson, Rijk’s, Simonsig and Windmeul… And the surprise newcomer among the Top 10 was Black Elephant Vintners, a Franschhoek producer making its debut with a wine called
Read moreSOUTH AFRICAN Sauvignon Blanc that has been highly recommended this year by one or more of the expert tasting panels around the world AND which costs no more than R50 a bottle – with prices given ex-cellar, or approximate retail if the public can’t buy directly from the producer: ARABELLA 2012 – R38 BERGSIG 2012 – R45 BOLAND CELLAR’S Flutterby 2012 – R25
Read moreSA CHENIN BLANC highly recommended this year by one or more of the expert tasting panels around the world AND which costs less than R50 a bottle – with prices given ex-cellar, or approximate retail if the cellar is closed to the public: ALVI’S DRIFT 2012 – R29 ARABELLA 2012 – R38 BON COURAGE Like Father Like Son 2012 – R29 BOSCHENDAL 2011 – R41
Read moreTHE STAND-OUT Pinotage wines, the best reviews of the year when it comes to South Africa’s most successful ‘indigenous’ variety – with Rijk’s heading up a select group of multi award winners including Bellingham, Diemersdal, Durbanville Hills, Kaapzicht, Simonsig, Spier, the Swartland Winery and Windmeul: Allée Bleue 2009 – Top 100 SA Wine Challenge selection Altydgedacht 2011 – winner in Top 10 Pinotage Competition Bellingham
Read moreONLY 2840 BOTTLES. 36% Pinotage, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Shiraz, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Tannat, 5% Mal- bec. 85% Stellenbosch, 15% Paarl. 16 months’ barrel maturation (70% new) KWV’s PEROLD TRIBUTUM has got off to a promising start: silver medal at the 2012 International Wine Challenge, another at this year’s International Wine & Spirit Competition (also in London), and now one of the Top
Read moreIT WAS THANKS to KWV cellarmaster Richard Rowe that word first got out that the winners of the 2012 Perold Absa Cape Blend Competition had been announced. At what presumably was a very low-key pre-dinner function somewhere in the winelands, a proud Rowe and Johann Fourie, head winemaker at KWV, were quick to tweet the results as soon as it
Read moreWindmeul Cellar, R44, Paarl THE 2012 VERITAS AWARDS include particularly impressive performances by KWV, Nederburg, Cederberg, Durbanville Hills, Marianne, Nuy, Rust en Vrede, Simonsig, Spier and Windmeul – all winning four or more gold or double gold medals at the South African National Wine Show Association’s major competition of the year. However for cash-strapped wine shoppers looking for bargains among
Read morePainted Wolf Wines join“Pinotage brotherhood” NO KANONKOP or Beyerskloof wine among the Pinotage Association’s Absa Top 10 competition! Can this be? And it doesn’t stop there: there’s also no L’Avenir, no DeWaal and no Stellenzicht Pinotage among the award winners – not even among the Top 20! On the other hand, top performers in the competition to date who were called up
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