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South Africa

Meet South African Cinsault, Your Next Red Wine Crush

South African Cinsault is having its moment in the sun. “What truly sets modern South African Cinsault apart,” writes Food & Wine contributor Lauren Buzzeo, “is its adaptability.” She praises Craven Cinsaut for showcasing “the grape’s delicate, Pinot-like charm,” and calls Mother Rock’s version “a perfect summertime sipper.” In the more serious category of Cinsault, […]

Australia

“How Chenin Blanc Became the Cool Kid’s Grape”

For Wine Enthusiast, Christina Pickard dives deep into the world of Chenin Blanc. How did this grape become the poster child for honest, small-batch wines around the world? Interviewing industry experts like Alice Fiering and Craig Hawkins of Testalonga, Pickard recounts the rise of this grape across all four corners of the earth. Read more […]

South Africa

“Steenwold! South Africa: Ten Years On”

Can South African wines age? That is the central question asked during the Steenwold tasting in May 2025, inspired by the UK’s famous Southwold Bordeaux event. Its debut brought together 78 top South African whites and reds, including those from Craven, Thorne & Daughters, and Patatsfontein, from the standout 2015 vintage, served blind and grouped […]

England

‘English wine leaves home’

“It’s one thing to start a wine industry from nothing in a marginal climate with no culture (and only the most tenuous history) of wine production,” writes Jancis Robinson. “It’s another thing to scale that up to commercial viability. It’s yet another thing to take on the rest of the world in competitions, blind or […]

South Africa

‘Decanter cellar: 18 must-try Pinot Noirs’

Pinot Noir has come a long was since its rise to fame in Burgundy during the the Middle Ages. “Since then,” writes Mark O’Halleron, ” it has more than spread its wings, hanging its hat in both hemispheres, especially in cooler climates where it shines, delivering wines with a breezy, crunchy fruit character that take […]

Australia

“There are more interesting and delicious Australian wines on American shores than ever before”

For Bon Appétit, wine writer Christina Pickard highlights ten of Australia’s most interesting wines to drink right now. She calls the Dr. Edge ‘Tyrannosaurus dREDge’ a “perfect chillable red” made by “an Aussie wine rock star” (Peter Dredge) and underscores the singularity of Harkham’s zero-sulfur-added Sémillon and Ochota Barrels’ “evocative” Gamay. “Compared to the eye-watering price […]

Australia

7 Bottles That Explain Australian Wine Right Now

For the New Wine Review, Jon Fine waxes poetic about Luke Lambert and Ochota Barrels, two influential producers from Australia, “this fascinating, ever-changing, and widely misunderstood region.” About the 2019 Luke Lambert Yarra Valley Syrah, he writes, “Every goddamned component and aspect of this wine is shrouded in beauty… A new and classic expression of […]

South Africa

Stephanie Wiid of Thistle & Weed on the use of “climate smart cultivars” in South Africa

For Wine Enthusiast, Kathleen Willcox reports on the proliferation of Portuguese varieties around the world as growers adapt to climate change. Stephanie Wiid, South African winemaker and co-founder of Thistle & Weed, calls these varieties “climate smart cultivars” thanks to their ability to “coax bright flavors out of grapes grown in punishing heat,” as Willcox […]

Australia

South Africa

“Syrah & Shiraz: 25 of the best from the southern hemisphere”

For Decanter, Amanda Barnes profiles some of the best, regionally-distinct wines from Australia and South Africa. “Australia certainly still champions rich ‘Shiraz’ styles today…,” writes Barnes. “What I find more exciting, however, is the drive in Australia’s diverse wine regions towards more regional distinction and some cooler-climate expressions.” Among the wines profiled are Koomilya ‘DC […]