May 01 2012
Stellenbosch is, and always will be, the greatest red wine producing region in South Africa. Why? Same reason that Hawaii has great pipeline, Germans make good cars and Chelsea will win the Champions League: because God intended it that way.
Nov 02 2011
David Finlayson looking Edgy.....
ThereΓÇÖs a lot of good stuff going on in new plantings, new wines, new styles. Juicy drops concocted from a medley of Rh├┤ne varietals. Hearty, solid Portuguese-styled reds. The odd experiment with Sangiovese and co-Italian variety Nebbiola.
Yes, the South African wine industry is free from its over-regulated shackles of yesteryear, leaving farmers to plant what they want, where they want. Okay, so it takes a call to Duimpie Bayly at the Wine and Spirits Board, but what the heck. Want to plant Gr├╝neveltliner on the Heads at Knysna or Nero dΓÇÖAvola on the Cape Flats, go for it.
Oct 24 2011
Chatting to a Pinot Noir maker a while back, the dude flicked the hair from his eyes and said that Jan Boland Coetzee was probably the best Pinot exponent in South Africa. ΓÇ£But unlucky for him, heΓÇÖs farming in the wrong region.ΓÇ¥