In 1997 Charles Back bought a farm called Klein Amoskuil near Malmesbury in the Swartland region north-west of Paarl, then rather better known for its wheat than its wine. In just two years he transformed the place. Under performing vines were grubbed up, though select blocks of 40-year-old Chenin and Pinotage, which promised –…
Read more…
Tim Atkin rates Spice Route Wines Tim Atkin recently tasted and rated a range of South Africa's leading wines. Spice Route Wines received the following scores: Spice Route Chakalaka 2010: 93 points, Spice Route Pinotage 2010: 91 points Top scores for our Mourvèdre 2009 Wine Spectator's James Molesworth tasted and rated the Spice Route…
Read more…
Founded in 1682 and nestled in the valley of the Simonsberg in South Africa’s premium wine region, Stellenbosch. Rustenberg’s rich heritage and ethos has been informed by many centuries of human influence striving to understand and work with nature to produce wines of distinct character true to their terrior, variety and informed style. …
Read more…
From Wine Advocate April 2013 – Lisa Perotti-Brown On the southern tip of the North Island, 65 km east of Wellington, 1.5 hours journey by car through the slow-going, winding roads over the Rimutaka mountain range, sits the remote little village of Martinborough. At first glance the place hardly appears worth the effort of getting…
Read more…
4 Paul Cluver: It is hard to believe, with Elgin now replete with good wineries, that the first bottling of pioneer Paul Cluver was only in 1997. Not a dud in the mostly white range—the Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Riesling (a brilliant Noble Late Harvest version, too) and Sauvignon Blanc are all among the Cape’s leaders. The…
Read more…
Harvest 2013 – Keeping our “Cool” The privilege and adventure of producing fine wines has a great deal to do with the weather. Grapevines need water to grow but grapes need little water to ripen, which is a paradox, but here at the coast we face a balancing act where our weather welcomes us, each…
Read more…
At the end of 1977 the Engelbrecht family took residence on Rust en Vrede. The family and their ancestors have been grape growers since the early 1700’s and by moving to Rust en Vrede, became wine producers for the first time. In 1978 R&V produced its first wines…
Read more…
Noon Winery, McLaren Vale is a small family owned business making only red wines and concentrating on full bodied styles with minimal processing. Drew and his wife Raegan took over the family winery in 1996. Estate Vines are managed with as little intervention as possible. Vines are picked and pruned…
Read more…
Having trouble reading this email? View it in your browser. Monthly Update – February 2013 1. New Year news from the Ernie Els Wines Vineyard The science of the seasonal harvest is a joint engagement between the winemaker and Mother Nature. This season presented a warm and dry summer with average temperatures at 17-degrees…
Read more…