South Africa is celebrating with the announcement that the locally produced Van Ryn’s 20-year-old potstill brandy has been awarded World’s Best Wine Brandy at the 2022 World Brandy Awards.
The World Brandy Awards which see the finest brandies enter from around the world, is presented by TheDrinksReport.com, and rewards and promotes the world’s best spirits to global consumers and trade.
Each entry is tasted blind and marked to an agreed and strictly enforced scoring system. As well as nose, palate, and finish, judges review balance, character, complexity, and quality.
“This World’s Best title is the highest accolade any master distiller aims for. Our commitment to innovation, quality and the art of crafting exceptional brandy, comes full circle with yet another global recognition,” says Van Ryn’s Master Blender, Marlene Bester.”
“The 20-year-old brandy is timeless and grandiose. The brandy captures the tradition of hand-crafted, authentic potstill brandy; a tradition we continue today, following in the footsteps of our founders who achieved Van Ryn’s first international award as far back as 1884.”
The Van Ryn’s 20-year-old potstill brandy started its journey as Chenin Blanc and Colombar wine. This base wine was then distilled in copper pot stills, one of which is over 200 years old and still used daily! The low wine coming off the stills was separated into three parts: the head, heart, and tail. Only the clear and pure liquid from the heart is used to craft Van Ryn’s brandies, and after a second distillation prepared for maturation.
It’s during the maturation process where the brandy comes alive. When the colourless spirit is drawn off the potstills, the hand-selected oak barrels allow the brandy to come into character, developing the beautiful golden hues and concentrated flavours over twenty years.
The 20-year-old potstill brandy is a rich, decadent brandy, with delicate sweet vanilla, spice, and rose water, ending with a supremely velvety finish.
For the complete list of the 2022 World Brandy Awards visit the World Brandy Awards.
Disclaimer: These wines featured have been sent to me as media drops. This post is not paid for and reflects my own unbiased opinion.
With another nationwide ban on alcohol, the industry as a whole has been shaken to its core yet again. Now more than ever the industry needs our support. If you do have the means, please consider supporting the South African wine industry by purchasing your wines online directly from wineries stores or through many local wine boutiques.
I am incredibly grateful that I am able to write about wine professionally and call this my job! I will strive to be as honest as I possibly can whilst honouring each winery with the respect that it deserves. Without further ado, Here is a list of a few local wines that have landed on my desk for me to review.
Boland Cellar’s Top 2 of 2020
Reserve Merlot 2018 – retails for R149 a bottle
The focus is purely on the stage name ‘Reserve’, the winemaking method and varietal. The grapes are handpicked at about 24° Balling, followed by destemming and cold-soaking for three days. The fermenting wine underwent pump-overs and after primary fermentation, malolactic fermentation took place in mostly second-filled barrels with a portion in new barrels. This richly structured and concentrated Merlot was further matured in 300-litre French oak barrels for 16 months to gain complexity. A small portion of 20% of the wine was not matured in wood in order to enhance the final blend with the ripe primary fruit flavours.
Tasting note: tons of red fruit such as red cherries, plums and red berries. Layers of oak, spice and wood shavings are integrated with savoury and tomato notes mingling together with a long and lingering finish. A firmly structured and full-bodied wine which will benefit from careful ageing and will perfectly complement grilled sirloin and rump steaks.
One Formation White Blend 2020 Retail price: R87
The range consists of a White Blend (Chenin/Sauvignon/Grenache), a Red Blend (Shiraz/Grenache/Viognier), a Chenin Blanc, a Shiraz and a Grenache Noir. This blend in particular consists of 65% Chenin Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Grenache Blanc. The Sauvignon Blanc and Grenache Blanc underwent brief wood maturation in older small French barrels for three months in order to add a bit of complexity to the blend. The final blend was left on the lees for a further two months with regular batonnage before bottling, resulting in a rich, full wine with both structure and finesse.
Tasting note: Shows ripe pear and melon flavours as well as green pepper notes are evident on the balanced palate, followed by a gentle lingering finish. The old bush-vines of the Chenin Blanc yield ripe, creamy stone fruit flavours which are complemented by the crisp green fruit of the Sauvignon Blanc. The addition of Grenache Blanc in this blend provides richness and texture with ripe pear flavours. Finely flavoured dishes of seafood and poultry will complement this wine.
Garden Route Sauvignon Blanc 2019 – Retails for R86 a bottle
Produced and distributed through De Krans. Harvesting takes place mid-March during early morning to ensure the coolest possible berries. The fruit is handled with extreme care and only berries are hand selected. At the cellar the clusters are destemmed and lightly crushed into a closed tank and left on the skins till the next day. The free run juice is separated and fermentation takes place at cool temperatures for about a month. The wine is left on the lees for another 6 months before bottling.
Tasting note: The palate shows refreshing tropical fruits and cut grass/green pepper with a flint finish, well balanced acidity and a lingering finish. The perfect poolside tipple for the sweltering summer heat. Food pairing suggesting: serve with fresh cob or stump nose, served with a lime dressing. This wine also works well with any pâté or crisp summer salads.
Made from 100% Cinsaut grapes, the fruit is sourced from only the best vineyards in the Western Cape.
Tasting note: on the palate shows delicate bursts of summer berry and juicy watermelon. Pale salmon pink in hue with a delicious fruity finish. Another poolside tipple for the win. Can be paired with grilled seafood or chicken dishes. Pairs well with a black olive tapenade, or any seasonal inspired salads. Also partners perfectly with grilled herbed lamb chops, lamb burgers with Moroccan spices or sweet and sour salmon teriyaki.
Do let me know in the comments if you have any questions or would like to see more of a particular topic on my blog.
The Elgin Valley, synonymous with award-winning Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals that sing with cool climate melodic notes. Situated about 70 km’s from Cape Town. It’s incredibly easy to drive by if you’re not a local and just take in the scenic drive en route to another nearby town. In case you’re not familiar with South Africa, the Western Cape is a treasure trove of so many wondrous and beautiful wineries, each region takes on a different and own unique typicity of terroir. This fact excites me and could get me reading and listening about wine in a geographical sense for hours! Don’t get me started 🙂
Why Elgin you ask? For our honeymoon, we ended up touring a few of my favourite regions, such as the Walker Bay, Swartland and Bot River regions. So in reliving the magic, we decided on our first anniversary this year, we would explore another favourite, Elgin. The valley of not just cool climate wines, but the home of Appletiser, apples and, who can’t forget Peregrine!
Peregrine (not pictured here) has grown from a deli/farm stall into a tourist attraction for their fresh produce, freshly baked loaves of bread, wine section and restaurant. Outside a small grassy patch with a little park for the kiddies and pooches to be entertained and refreshed. This is one pitstop you cannot miss. Be sure to stock up on lots of delicious freshly pressed apple juice, sourdough, mosbolletjie bread, last but not least, the pies are LEGENDARY!
Our first winery stop, was at Oneric. O N E I R I C; pronounced “Oh! – ne – rik” borrowed from Greek terminology and roughly translated as ‘dream’ is exactly that – a gem nestled in the heart of the cool-climate Elgin Valley. Warmly received and graciously hosted. We found not only the view from the small estate but the Chardonnay quite a dream.
There were so many wineries on my list, and of course this was pre-lockdown, which also meant the valley was mostly empty. There next winery, I am a loyal admirer and consumer of, Elgin Ridge. We were fortunate enough to be hosted for a tasting by the Winemaker himself, Kosie van der Merwe. having been treated to a tasting of their incredibly delicious 2018 vintage 282 Chardonnay via a Coravin! (drools) Any oenophile will know when I say to own a Coravin is a dream indeed. I curiously ask in and out about the difference between organic and biodynamic viticulture, Kosie is visibly passionate about biodyamic viticulture in order to get the best out of the typicity that Elgin Ridge as a farm has to offer it is best to let the wines do the talking with minimal interference.
Today, Elgin Ridge is proudly certified biodynamic by Demeter (since 2016) and certified organic by ECOCERT (since 2012) and CERES, (since 2019). At current they are the only certified organic producer in the Elgin valley and one of just two certified biodynamic producers in the whole of South Africa! Visit purely for their range of gorgeous wines. The 282 Pinot Noir has a bright ruby colour and displays a raspberry and dark cherry fruit core with subtle hints of floral scent. On the palate, the acid adds an uplifting freshness to the cherry fruits and floral scent on the nose. Indulgent, special and one of those wines you open to celebrate something, be it, a celebration of life! The Crunch range, the everyday drinking range, but that’s certainly not to say it lacks in quality and taste. 50% whole bunch natural fermentation and aged for 7 months in concrete egg before bottling. With aromatics of intense raspberries and cranberries that carries over to the pallet with a salinity that leaves your mouth watering for more. The Crunch Sauvignon Blanc is equally delightful too!
Iona wineries was a bit of a trek up a 5km gravel road up alongside the hill that separates the main town from this (at the risk of sounding clichéd) hidden gem. I remember tasting their Sauvignon Blanc at the FNB TOP 10 awards, and was completely blown away, hence my eagerness to visit the estate. Greeted by a very fervent ridgeback pup leading us straight to the small but warm tasting room with a classic car emboldening the space but definitely not taking up space as one would think. The trek to find the winery was well worth it!
In the endeavour to produce a fine glass of wine from this stunning farm, Iona focuses on four quality wines; Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and the One Man Band, an estate blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Mourvedré and Viognier.The philosophy at Iona is to make wine that expresses the soils and climate as closely as possible, making use of sustainable farming methods and to maximise the use of natural products in farming and winemaking. Everything is done in-house, from the vineyard to the wine distribution.
Give me a glass of MCC any day and I will be more than content! I’ve heard very good things about this Elgin wine estate and of course needed to see what the fuss was all about. The tasting room dons many a memorabilia from days past from the owners adventures to photos paying homage to working with renowned French winemakers. Originally an apple and pear farm, The Furneaux Farm was purchased by Charles and Zelda Fox in 2005 after an intensive search for terroir that would be perfect conditions for growing chardonnay and pinot noir grapes and producing MCC. I do love a good Brut, the Charles Fox Reserve Brut Rosé was a token of which I decided to bring back home with me.
The weekend we spent wondering and tasting our way through the valley were spent mostly at Elgin Vintners, to which they have a guesthouse with four luxurious suites. We had the entire guest house to ourselves, but stayed in the Browne Suite. The Manor house was built in 1927 to a Sir Herbert Baker design, the Manor House has been restored to its Victorian glory, with all the modern comforts. Accommodating up to 10 guests in luxury suites, the Manor House is child-friendly and gives guests the run of the property, including the swimming pool, tennis court, garden and braai area.
Guests staying at the Elgin Vintners Manor House are offered the following complimentary services:
Breakfast – a full Continental or hot breakfast on order, complete with coffee & tea
Complimentary use of the estate’s swimming pool and tennis court
A complimentary wine tasting of 4 Elgin Vintners wines at the Tasting Room
Bottled water
Wireless internet
Bathroom and swimming towels
There were a few wineries like Almenkerk, Oak Valley and Paul Cluver that were unfortunately closed to visitors at that point before lockdown. But with level 3 in effect and with the hope of the virus coming to an end in the near future, I urge you to please plan your visits to as many of these wineries and perhaps if you can now, please order your favourite wines online from any of these magnificent wineries, in the Elgin region or any other local wine region for that matter.
Start planning your wine adventures, it’s never too late.
I recently entered the Veritas Young Wine Writers competition last year. Unfortunately, my entry was unsuccessful. However, I thought I’d share one of the two pieces I wrote for the competition with you. I have recently enrolled at UNISA to study a BA in Creative Writing to improve my craft as well as my chances of getting hired more frequently for freelance work in the industry. Please have a read, and let me know what you think in the comments.
Instagram is to Rosé what the Fairy Godmother was to Cinderella.
We live in a world of sensory overload. Everything is a meme, a moment, a tiktok, a story. But all it took was a simple hashtag and just one influencer to get something trending and relevant. That’s the story of how rosé magically transformed from ugly step-sister into rose gold queen.
Before 2017 rosé wine was a typically frowned-upon form of libation and seen as cheap and low quality. This all changed with millennials making the pink wine trend, specifically on social media.
Somehow pale pink rosé became an overnight sensation gaining traction as an ‘Instagrammable’ wine some may say a visually appealing prop for Instagram posts in the blazing summer heat.
Hashtags such as #rosé and #roseallday trended and suddenly became fashionable with many an establishment having to order their fair share of rosé far in advance for summer and in bulk to please many a millennial horde. It’s no surprise really that my fellow millennials took a serious liking to this now sophisticated pink wine with the generation making the hue culturally acceptable for all to wear and passively behold.
Annually, every second Saturday of June sees a full day dedicated to the celebration of rosé wine. The past five years we’ve seen a myriad social media posts using the blush pale pink wine to celebrate summer at their favourite wineries or quite simply at home with a homemaderefreshingly cool ‘frosé’. Rosé put simply signifies the advent of long, hot balmy days.
So here’s what we can expect to see in 2020 and beyond:
Yes way, rosé: As summer gets underway in the southern hemisphere, we start to see the apoplectic joy of hosting ‘Pinknics’. Where rosé simply calls for al fresco dining with your nearest and dearest in a divine setting.
Yes we ‘can’: at the end of 2019 wine in cans are already set to become the next big thing in the wine industry and amongst the younger crowd that look to convenience.
Yes to CBD: Like everything else, rosé will possibly get a modern cannabis-infused spin soon enough.
Yes to lower alcohol and fewer calories: We’re all a little more health-conscious these days, instead of cutting out alcohol completely, going for something lighter is a great option for most.
The launch for Bonnievale’s premium wine launch was hosted in the newly renovated ‘The White Room’ at the beautiful Gorgeous George Hotel in Cape Town last week. Bonnievale Wines launched two limited release, single-variety wines crafted from a selection of top vineyard sites that reflect the influence of the ancient soils, climate, and weather of the Bonnievale ward. The wines are a Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2017 vintage and a Chardonnay, from 2019 – both destined to be must-haves for the discerning wino. The new wines feature dedicated packaging and labels that reflect their premier status in the Bonnievale portfolio, as well as the quality of the contents.
The Luncheon, consisted of a five-course menu, with all meals paired with Bonnievale wines. The hotel oozes opulence with chic touches of modernity. The roof-top bar is as ‘Instagrammable’ as is the Bonnievale Rosé served on the day.
Now on to the bit, you’ve been waiting for, the Bonnievale Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 displays beautiful, clean red fruit, notably raspberry, supported by hints of liquorice and leather on the nose. The juicy red fruit carries through on the palate, supported by fine, ripe tannins that provide elegant structure and loads of depth to the wine. With 18 months maturing in mainly new French and American oak, the two types of oak deliver a balanced and well-integrated wine with a taste that lingers long after the last sip. The Limited Release Chardonnay 2019 has delectable citrus on the nose, especially of lime and grapefruit that extend to the palate. It is crisp and fresh with a distinct flinty finish. Here too, the French oak that was used to mature the wine for seven months is well integrated, supporting the fruit but also delivering a smooth, rounded mouthfeel.
Why these cultivars?
The Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay have long been stars in the Bonnievale Wines portfolio. Both cultivars also remain highly regarded and sought after in international markets. The two cultivars are also keenly sourced by many of South Africa’s premier winemakers for use in their own blends and brands.
Bonnievale Wines
This coming-of-age for Bonnievale Wines has led to a renewed focus in recent years on high quality and high value. First came the revamp of its portfolio and then, the launch of the premium River Collection range, which has accumulated a string of local and international awards.
The home of Bonnievale Wines is the eponymous village, located some 200km east of Cape Town. A renowned winemaking region, Bonnievale’s vineyards are influenced by amongst others the presence of two major rivers – the Breede and Riviersonderend – and micro-climates created by extensive hills and soaring mountains.
Where to purchase and what’s the cost
The wines produced here are available countrywide and available for order from Bonnievale Wines’ online shop at http://www.bonnievalewines.co.za.
The Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 sells from R140/bottle and the Limited Release Chardonnay 2019, from R95/bottle.
*Information supplied by Yolandi De Wet PR and Bonnievale Wines. *
*Please note, Kunjani winery hosted me to attend the dinner, however, all views are my own*
I recently attended the very first wine and food pairing dinner at Kunjani wine estate in Stellenbosch. You may recall I was at their label launch earlier this year. The dinner consists of six courses and will be a regular occurrence at the boutique winery which will feature a fresh, seasonal menu with every dinner hosted by co-owner Pia Watermeyer.
The first course was a beetroot goat’s cheese salad, pistachio goat’s cheese balls, fig compote, grapefruit perfectly paired with the Kunjani Stolen Chicken Rosé 2018. It was quite a warm evening so this went down quite a treat! The second course, line fish, grilled artichoke, cauliflower puree, broccoli, pak choy, white wine chive sauce paired with an equally delicious Kunjani Chenin Blanc 2018.
The third course, was a refreshing palate cleanser of lemon sorbet to prepare us for the next course which was North-West Kudu carpaccio, quail eggs, horseradish, parmesan shavings, radish, pickled vegetables paired with my personal favourite, Kunjani Shiraz 2015. Next was an incredibly delicious biltong-spiced sirloin, king oyster mushrooms, carrot & cauliflower quenelles, asparagus, broccoli paired superbly with the Kunjani Cabernet Sauvignon 2017. Dessert always being my favourite course, was a chocolate-mint nougat mousse, pistachio crumbs, frozen yoghurt, and a brandy snap paired with the Kunjani Merlot 2017.
The dinner costs R550 per person, including wine and gratuity.
Bookings essential, prepayment secures your seat. Limited to 30 guests.
Note: bookings are subject to availability. Cancellations 7 days or less prior to the date of the dinner are non-refundable. T&Cs apply. This is a special event and due to space restrictions long/mixed tables are allocated and not individual tables. To book your spot for the next dinner call: +27 87 630 0409, or email: info@kunjaniwines.co.za For more information visit their Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/Kunjaniwines/
Thank you Kunjani for graciously hosting my husband and me, we can’t wait to be back again soon!
The launch for Bonnievale’s premium wine launch was hosted in the newly renovated ‘The White Room’ at the beautiful Gorgeous George Hotel in Cape Town last week. 
The Corkless Mind 