From the category archives:

South Africa

Cape Diversity Sauvignon Blanc 2010

24 August 2011
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It may not be the most inspiring looking bottle in the world, but this South African Sauvignon Blanc has a lot going for it. Although it has the appearance of an ineffectual flowery French or Italian table wine from the 1980s, it’s immediately apparent on opening that this is a great example of a grape whose strength [...]

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Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2010

21 July 2011
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I can be a bit of a snob when it comes to wine labels. Generally if a wine label has got a picture of an animal on it I tend to steer clear. “Never judge a book by its cover”, I hear you say, but in my limited experience of tasting and drinking wines that [...]

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Circumstance Cape Coral Mourvèdre 2010

18 July 2011
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I don’t think I’ve ever had a bottle of Mourvèdre before – let alone in rosé form. As far as I was aware, it was almost always a lesser constituent of the Rhône blends like Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Vacqueyras: but apparently it has a life of its own away from Syrah and Grenache, and indeed away from the austere [...]

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7 Springs Wine, 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

23 February 2011
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The world of social media might be a mystery to many but once you crack it, it is an entry way into so many connections and opportunities. For example, I am a frequent twitterer. What I  mean by that is not that I constantly tweet about what I had for breakfast or lunch but that [...]

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Buitenverwachting Sauvignon Blanc 2009

27 December 2010
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Buitenverwachting literally means Beyond Expectation and this is certainly true in the case of this wine. The wine speaks volumes for itself but, as is the case with many great wines, the degree of appreciation can only be enhanced with a little knowledge and history of the area that it originates from. Part of the [...]

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De Morgenzon Chenin Blanc 2008

16 December 2010
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A native of the Loire Valley in France and chief component in a wide variety of wines from sparkling to dessert and those of Vouvray, more Chenin Blanc has been planted in South Africa than any other grape variety. The main reason behind this is a historical one – during the Apartheid years when South [...]

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Springfield Special Cuvee Sauvignon Blanc 2007

28 November 2010
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In my humble opinion this is the best South African Sauvignon Blanc and one to rival the finest Kiwi offerings – a yardstick against which so many New World SV’s get judged nowadays, especially in the UK. I always serve it to friends who love the varietal without telling them what it is (unmistakably a [...]

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Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2010

2 November 2010
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Nederburg is probably the most famous South African wine estate, not least because it is the most decorated. Established in 1792 in the Paarl Valley it hosts the biggest wine auction in South Africa every year, which is open to any producer who’s wine passes the stringent selection process and includes Nederburg’s own wines. They [...]

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Elgin Vintners Sauvignon Blanc 2008

17 October 2010
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Better known for the production of fruit – particularly apples and pears – the Elgin Valley is just 70km from Cape Town and is rapidly gaining a reputation for premium quality wines. Elgin Vintners is a partnership of 6 independent wine growers in the Elgin Valley who take advantage of the cool climate to produce [...]

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2008 Bon Courage Chardonnay

8 October 2010
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No complaints whatsoever about this. I’ve not previously associated South Africa with good Chardonnay, but then Chardonnay can be grown more or less anywhere and South Africa can grow a decent crop of pretty much any grape, right? Well, whatever – this was a lovely bottle, boasting a truly appetising, golden summery glow and warming, [...]

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Neethlingshof Gewurztraminer 2007

20 September 2010
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Matching food and wine can be tricky at the best of times, but what do you do when confronted with a curry, a chinese or cuisine from that part of the world? The flip side of people’s palates becoming more adventurous is that it makes it harder to decide on what wine will complement the range [...]

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