News
South Africa
‘A Sijnn retrospective: tasting the past and present of this remarkable vineyard in Malgas, South Africa’
Dr. Jamie Goode visited the Sijnn Estate in Malgas for a tasting and lunch to celebrate the estate’s 20 year anniversary. “The first few years of being here must have been difficult,” writes Goode. “The Afrikaans farmers who were their neighbours would have been very puzzled by vines going into the ground. The closest winery […]
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South Africa
“South African Wine Has Never Been Better—Have Americans Noticed?”
For SevenFifty Daily, Caitlin A. Miller reports on the successes and struggles of South African wine in the United States. Miller questions, “With South Africa producing such exciting, high-quality, value-driven wines, why aren’t more American wine drinkers—and buyers—paying attention?” Our own Aaron Meeker comments on the excellent value of South African wine, and how the […]
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Podcast
South Africa
Episode 25 – Catching up with Mick Craven
Mick Craven from Craven Wines was our very first guest on this little podcast when we launched last year. He was back in town, so we sat down for a quick catch up. In this episode, we talk about the Cravens’ infamous Pinot Gris, which (surprise, surprise) was rejected yet again by the South African Wine & […]
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South Africa
‘The Promise of South Africa’ featuring Thorne & Daughters
For Wine Spectator, Alison Napjus underscores the promise of South African wine. “It remains puzzling that South African wine has been slow to gain momentum and recognition in the United States. By any measure, Cape vintners are turning out both reds and whites that should entice any wine fan,” she writes. After tasting over 200 […]
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South Africa
‘Malu Lambert: South Africa’s black-owned wine labels on the rise’
For South Africa’s WineMag, wine writer Malu Lambert follows the rise of Banele Vakele, the winemaker for Tembela, and comments on the uptick in the country’s black-owned wine projects. Lambert reached out to our very own Aaron Meeker for comment. “Inclusiveness of producers and diversity of wines has done more for the perception – and […]
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Podcast
South Africa
Episode 24 – Franco Lourens (Part 2)
This episode is part 2 of our conversation with Franco Lourens of Lourens Family Wines based in Paarl, South Africa. Go back and check out part 1 if you haven’t already, as this episode is a continuation of our conversation. In this episode, we talk about how Franco launched his own project, as well as the stories […]
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Podcast
South Africa
Episode 23 – Franco Lourens (Part 1)
This episode is an interview with Franco Lourens of Lourens Family Wines based in Paarl, South Africa. The word ‘family’ is found in the name of many wine projects, but few actually put their family at the center of their branding. Franco’s wines are not only named after members of his family, but their faces also adorn […]
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South Africa
The Rebrand of South African Wine: The Story of the Polkadraai Hills
We recently wrote an article for Swurl about how the Polkadraai Hills are helping to rebrand South African wine. “First came the Swartland, with its great wine revolution, and today, we’re seeing exciting changes in Stellenbosch, one of South Africa’s oldest and most traditional wine regions. How the industry got there is a nuanced tale […]
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South Africa
Jancis Robinson: “Lelie van Saron, and Natasha Williams, are definitely names worth watching.”
Jancis Robinson has long been a supporter of South African wine. Recently, she wrote about the story of Natasha Williams from Lelie van Saron, covering her past, her wines (with very high scores to boot), and some exciting things to come in her future. Read more here.
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