In conjunction with Tonnellerie Saint Martin, Winemag.co.za is pleased to release the first annual Pinot Noir Report. There were 52 entries from 33 producers for this year’s competition and we included two examples of Burgundy as ringers: 93 Creation Reserve 2015 (BEST OVERALL) Joseph Drouhin Morey St Denis 2015 92 Dabar 2014 Dabar 2015 Newton […]
In conjunction with multinational financial services company Prescient, Winemag.co.za is pleased to announce the seventh annual Chardonnay Report. Wines will be tasted blind by a three-person panel consisting of Christian Eedes as chairman as well as Roland Peens and James Pietersen, both of Wine Cellar, Cape Town merchants and cellarers of fine wine. An entry […]
It takes supreme confidence in your intrinsic quality and a particular sense of marketing showmanship to put your wine up against acknowledged Old World benchmarks but that’s exactly what Bruwer Raats and Mzp Mvemve of MR de Compostella did in launching the 2015 vintage. 20 individuals including trade and loyal private buyers were invited to […]
On a recent visit to the Swartland, some smart new wines from the perennial maverick Adi Badenhorst. A.A. Badenhorst The Golden Slopes Chenin Blanc 2016 Price: R250 Made instead of Dassiekop Steen from a 1966 vineyard, winemaker Adi Badenhorst says his “focus is not to focus” which means constantly exploring what his Swartland property has […]
Grapes for this wine from Andrea and Chris Mullineux come from seven different vineyards planted variously on schist, granite and iron soils across the Swartland. Fermentation was 50% whole-bunch and maturation lasted 14 months in a combination of 225-litre and 500-litre barrels plus 2000-litre foudre, 15% new. Total production is 31 560 bottles and 580 […]
The 2015 vintage is the first time that the Syrah from Boekenhoutskloof is certified as being from the Swartland. The nose is very fragrant with notes of black berries, olive, lavender, white pepper and just a hint of reduction. The palate is rich and broad and very well balanced – dense fruit and fine tannins […]
Wade Metzer of the boutique label Metzer Family Wines has managed to get his hands on a single vineyard of Helderberg Chenin Blanc planted in 1964 and the resulting wine is immensely pleasing. Fermentation occurred spontaneously and maturation lasted seven months in French oak, 10% new. The nose is subtle but complex with notes of […]
Boekenhoutskloof’s The Chocolate Block, grapes sourced exclusively from the Swartland since 2015, is a phenomenal brand. 1979 barrels proudly proclaims the front label of the current-release 2016, a bottle going for R200 from Wine Cellar. A blend of 79% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cinsault and 1% Viognier, it has an exotic nose […]
South African brandy is excellent stuff, but it’s suffering, with steadily declining sales. By 2012, whisky (rising in popularity, like rum at a lower level) was selling greater volumes than brandy, and it still does. Adding to the grapefarmers’ woes, only about 38 million litres of wine made for brandy was produced in 2016, compared […]
Wine magazine was published from October 1993 until September 2011 & now lives on in digital form as Winemag.co.za. We cover everything to do with SA fine wine.
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