Featured grape varietal – Petit Verdot
Petit Verdot first gained fame as a blending grape for making Bordeaux wine. However, because Petit Verdot often has difficulties reaching full phenolic ripeness, not much of it is planted or used in Bordeaux today. Yet, that was not always the case. In fact, Petit...
Featured grape varietal – Merlot
Merlot is the most popular and widely planted wine grape varietal in France, reaching its true zenith of expression in Bordeaux wine. Around the world, it’s the fifth most planted wine grape. Merlot is a variety of black wine grape that is originally from the Bordeaux...
Featured Winemaker – David Nieuwoudt
David Josephus Nieuwoudt was born on 9 May 1972 in the Citrusdal Hospital - the youngest of five children. During 1990 he finished school in Clanwilliam. After completing a year in the old SA Army, David joined the Elsenburg Agricultural College where he excelled as a...
Featured winery – Cederberg Wines
South Africa’s most uniquely situated wine farm falls within the pristine environs of the Cederberg Wilderness Area, which lies in the Cape Floral Kingdom. Here, among spectacular rock formations and fynbos, you will find the highest altitude vineyards in the Cape. It...
Featured grape varietal – Shiraz
Syrah is the red wine grape that rules the Northern Rhone Valley. While Syrah is planted all over the world, at close to 70,000 hectares, more Syrah is planted in France, than in any other country. Syrah is the only red grape allowed by AOC rules in the appellations...
Featured winemaker: Abrie Bruwer
Abrie and his sister, Jeanette, are the ninth-generation descendants of French Huguenots who arrived in South Africa from the Loire Valley in France in 1688. Abrie and Jeanette are willing to do whatever it takes to continue their family legacy – making wine. Abrie...
Featured winery – Springfield Estate – Made on Honour
Set in the heart of the mountain-ringed Robertson Valley in the Western Cape of South Africa, Springfield Estate is a family-run wine farm owned by ninth-generation descendants of French Huguenots. The history of Springfield Estate wines can be traced back to as early...
Featured wine varietal: Bordeaux style red blend
Red wine has been prevalent since before written records as winemaking originated and spread throughout the world. For much of the history of European wine, red blends were in fact more common than single varietals, as winemaking was typically region-centric and...
THOKOZANI – It’s more than wine
Like his grandfather, David Sonnenberg – Owner of Diemersfontein has dedicated himself to social and cultural tasks. The employees of Diemersfontein make their own wines on their own account under the label, Thokozani ', which means “celebrations” in the Zulu...
South African Coffee Pinotage
Pinotage is a South African crossing between Pinot Noir and Cinsault (formally known as Hermitage) that produces full, rustic and outright delicious wines! The first Diemersfontein Pinotage 2001 made by winemaker Bertrus Fourie wrote the South African wine history for...
Featured Food and Wine pairing: Easy Filet Mignon Recipe paired with Grenache
How Do You Pair Grenache Wines? Food pairings and aging suggestions for grenache vary based on the style of the wine in question. Serious examples like Priorat or Châteauneuf-du-Pape can age for a decade or more, while most other grenaches, especially rosés, should be...
Featured winemaker: Rob Mack
Rob Mack was raised in Adelaide and studied at the University of Technology in Sydney where he obtained a Business Degree. He worked for Deloitte, but the lure of wine fostered in Sydney always nagged at him. It was only in 2005, that Rob decided on the path to make...