In the 2026 edition of the excellent “Platter’s South African Wine Guide”, we read that the guidebook has named Diemersdal Wine Estate in Durbanville “Winery of the Year 2026”. The estate is known, among other
Travelling around the countryside in France, you can find plenty of charming guest houses or hotels in former nobles’ chateaux. Few are as exotic and as gastronomic as Chateau des Tesnières, just three hours from
The Golden Glass is a prestigious award from the Swedish food magazine Allt om Mat. This year (2025), it went to one of South Africa’s most renowned wine producers, Reyneke in Stellenbosch. Johan Reyneke is
In November we did a tour with several wine tastings in Sweden for wine clubs. We tasted some delicious wines from various parts of the world. It is always exciting and fun to come around
The winter and spring wine tours are over, and we would like to take this opportunity to recommend some wines from producers we have visited on this year’s tours so far. If you don’t find
South Africa made a brilliant vintage in 2025, as producers we met in February already suspected. The total volume is estimated to be 11.4% higher than in 2024. But 2024 was a tiny harvest, and
In February when we were on this year’s wine tour in South Africa, the harvest was in full swing. They were just over halfway through and everyone already agreed that 2025 would be a brilliant
A little while back, we returned from this year’s wine tour to South Africa. It is a fantastic wine country and on-site you experience what a dynamic country it is with lots of exciting things
The South African wine industry fared well compared to many others in 2024. According to the trade association Wines of South Africa (WoSA), wine exports grew by 4.3% in value in 2024, reaching USD 562
Chile, Argentina, and South Africa all make red wines of top quality in many different styles: elegant, powerful, and easy-going. Here are some recommendations for the firsts months of 2025 with no specific theme, except
The pinotage grape turns 100 years old this year, as we note in another post. This is obviously a good reason to celebrate with a glass (and maybe discover that old story about “bakelite” or
Congratulations to the South African grape pinotage, which turns 100 this year. Pinotage was created in 1924 by Professor Perold who crossed two grapes, cinsault (in South Africa at the time called hermitage) and pinot
In Europe, the 2024 harvest has just finished and in South Africa the growing season for vintage 2025 is underway. The industry body SAWIS forecasts a good harvest. After a challenging 2024 season with extreme
Mealybugs are a feared enemy in the vineyards in California, Oregon, South Africa, and other places. These tiny bugs are dangerous because they spread the leaf roll virus (court noué in France) which causes the
South Africa has two world-renowned wine research institutes, the University of Stellenbosch and Nietvoorbij, also in Stellenbosch. The South Africa Wine Research, Development, and Innovation Team has recently presented its “2024 Research Book”. This publication
Many countries like to put food on the outdoor grill. The South Americans have their asado and in South Africa they have braai. People love their braai in South Africa. The food is important, of
Summer is here (or so they say – here we have 13C) and you might look for a lighter and fresher style of wine and skip the heavy and full-bodied ones for later. But still,
The Southern Hemisphere is in full swing with the 2024 harvest—or they have already finished. We visited South Africa in mid-February, and some producers had already almost finished. Andrew Wightman at Wightman & Sons in
A new producer from South Africa has been launched in Sweden but even if you do not live there, there’s is a good chance that you will be able to get hold of the wines
Vintage 2023 (harvested in Feb-Apr 2023) produced wines of excellent quality in South Africa. But the volume was less than in 2022, so it is perhaps not so surprising that South African wine exports in
Stark-Condé Wines is only a stone’s throw from the town centre of Stellenbosch, but when you arrive there, you feel like you’re in another world. Remote, quiet, calm. In the Jonkershoek Valley. Well, it’s not
The Steytler family has owned Kaapzicht Wine Estate for four generations. Today, it is run by Dani Steytler Jr and his wife Carin. They make a wide range of wines from 21 different grape varieties.
Sometimes the best vineyards are hidden away on the smallest roads. That’s certainly the case for Oldenburg Vineyards. I can’t claim to be competent to pronounce it THE best, but it is certainly up there
Springfontein Wines is, in some ways, very similar to many other small wineries in South Africa, and in other ways, it is very different. What it shares with many other small entrepreneurial wineries in the
Many European countries (including Sweden) drink and appreciate South African wines. It has been that way ever since Sweden and other countries started importing the wines again after the fall of the apartheid regime in
Rugby is a sport for wine drinkers and football is a sport for beer drinkers. At least that’s what they say in France. Oscar Wilde supposedly expressed it a little differently: “Rugby is a game
In Europe, people are exhaling after a challenging harvest season that has just ended (a fair few weeks ago by the time you read this). In South Africa, the new growing season has started and
The importer Carovin recently held a tasting with the winemaking couple and husbands Andrew and Rosie Gunn at Hotel Nobis in Stockholm. We tasted six wines. It was Iona Chardonnay 2022, Iona Sauvignon Blanc 2022,
The South African wine industry is recovering from the pandemic, but challenges remain. This is according to the latest Outlook report 2023-2032 from the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP). In 2022, the surface
Franschhoek in South Africa is famous, both for its wines and for its spectacularly beautiful location. A visit to the Holden Manz Wine Estate confirms that Franschhoek is well deserving of this fame. The wines
In the 2026 edition of the excellent “Platter’s South African Wine Guide”, we read that the guidebook has named Diemersdal Wine Estate in Durbanville “Winery
Travelling around the countryside in France, you can find plenty of charming guest houses or hotels in former nobles’ chateaux. Few are as exotic and
The Golden Glass is a prestigious award from the Swedish food magazine Allt om Mat. This year (2025), it went to one of South Africa’s
In November we did a tour with several wine tastings in Sweden for wine clubs. We tasted some delicious wines from various parts of the
The winter and spring wine tours are over, and we would like to take this opportunity to recommend some wines from producers we have visited
South Africa made a brilliant vintage in 2025, as producers we met in February already suspected. The total volume is estimated to be 11.4% higher
In February when we were on this year’s wine tour in South Africa, the harvest was in full swing. They were just over halfway through
A little while back, we returned from this year’s wine tour to South Africa. It is a fantastic wine country and on-site you experience what
The South African wine industry fared well compared to many others in 2024. According to the trade association Wines of South Africa (WoSA), wine exports
Chile, Argentina, and South Africa all make red wines of top quality in many different styles: elegant, powerful, and easy-going. Here are some recommendations for
The pinotage grape turns 100 years old this year, as we note in another post. This is obviously a good reason to celebrate with a
Congratulations to the South African grape pinotage, which turns 100 this year. Pinotage was created in 1924 by Professor Perold who crossed two grapes, cinsault
In Europe, the 2024 harvest has just finished and in South Africa the growing season for vintage 2025 is underway. The industry body SAWIS forecasts
Mealybugs are a feared enemy in the vineyards in California, Oregon, South Africa, and other places. These tiny bugs are dangerous because they spread the
South Africa has two world-renowned wine research institutes, the University of Stellenbosch and Nietvoorbij, also in Stellenbosch. The South Africa Wine Research, Development, and Innovation
Many countries like to put food on the outdoor grill. The South Americans have their asado and in South Africa they have braai. People love
Summer is here (or so they say – here we have 13C) and you might look for a lighter and fresher style of wine and
The Southern Hemisphere is in full swing with the 2024 harvest—or they have already finished. We visited South Africa in mid-February, and some producers had
A new producer from South Africa has been launched in Sweden but even if you do not live there, there’s is a good chance that
Vintage 2023 (harvested in Feb-Apr 2023) produced wines of excellent quality in South Africa. But the volume was less than in 2022, so it is
Stark-Condé Wines is only a stone’s throw from the town centre of Stellenbosch, but when you arrive there, you feel like you’re in another world.
The Steytler family has owned Kaapzicht Wine Estate for four generations. Today, it is run by Dani Steytler Jr and his wife Carin. They make
Sometimes the best vineyards are hidden away on the smallest roads. That’s certainly the case for Oldenburg Vineyards. I can’t claim to be competent to
Springfontein Wines is, in some ways, very similar to many other small wineries in South Africa, and in other ways, it is very different. What
Many European countries (including Sweden) drink and appreciate South African wines. It has been that way ever since Sweden and other countries started importing the
Rugby is a sport for wine drinkers and football is a sport for beer drinkers. At least that’s what they say in France. Oscar Wilde
In Europe, people are exhaling after a challenging harvest season that has just ended (a fair few weeks ago by the time you read this).
The importer Carovin recently held a tasting with the winemaking couple and husbands Andrew and Rosie Gunn at Hotel Nobis in Stockholm. We tasted six
The South African wine industry is recovering from the pandemic, but challenges remain. This is according to the latest Outlook report 2023-2032 from the Bureau
Franschhoek in South Africa is famous, both for its wines and for its spectacularly beautiful location. A visit to the Holden Manz Wine Estate confirms
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