This week’s pick is a bold, textured white blend which was recently awarded 91 points by Decanter…

James Suckling recently interviewed Marc de Grazia of Tenuta Terre Nere (an estate in Eastern Sicily which produces some of our most popular Italian imports). In a video posted on Jamessuckling.com, the critic and de Grazia discuss the elegant and complex wines of Mount Etna, as well as the region’s diverse terroir. Watch the video [...]

South African producers scooped 14 out of 156 regional trophies at this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards, as well as 27 out of 229 gold medals. The event, which is now in its tenth year, is the largest global wine competition and was judged by more than 200 panelists from 27 countries. Full competition results [...]

Christian Eedes’ Cabernet Sauvignon Report is a highlight of my calendar – a great opportunity for me to taste through the cream of one of SA’s top categories. Tasted completely blind, it is probably the only wine competition where just three judges deliver a verdict, having very carefully tasted through a small number of entries. [...]

Wine Cellar’s 11th Bordeaux en-primeur campaign was a moderate success; the weak Rand negated any price reductions from the similar quality 2011 vintage. There are, however, very highly rated wines that are the best priced vintage in the market, making for some excellent buying opportunities. View a list of our recommendations here but remember that [...]

As a taste of his forthcoming South Africa report, Tim Atkin MW has published a classification of the Cape’s producers. Using the tiers of the Bordeaux 1855 classification, he has ranked the country’s top names in importance from First Growths to Fifth Growths. He has also included a sixth category for SA’s answer to the [...]

Wine Spectator recently asked renowned producer Michel Chapoutier for his thoughts on the Roussillon region – an undervalued appellation in Southern France that is producing rich, concentrated reds at affordable prices. According to Chapoutier, Roussillon may well be the next great region for red wines as it has ‘some of the best soil in France and [...]

Michel Chapoutier, sometimes a controversial figure, reckons that the Languedoc-Roussillon could become one of the finest wine regions in France as climate change affects the more marginal regions, such as the Northern Rhône. His Languedoc-Roussillon property, Domaine Bila Haut, produces some of the best value wines on our portfolio and VIT is on par with [...]

In this week’s episode, Pia recommends Bryan McRobert’s Tobias 2012. At just R90 per bottle, this fresh, opulent wine from the Swartland is the perfect anytime red. To order, email Pia@winecellar.co.za.

According to VinPro, the 2013 grape crop is the largest on record and is expected to exceed that of 2012 by 5%. Harvests across the Cape winelands are bigger than usual (with the exception of Robertson) and a number of wine districts are likely to bring in their largest crop to date. In terms of [...]

After a week of holidays in France and the UK, the Bordeaux en-primeur campaign is back in full swing. Prices are consistently being set only slightly lower than 2011, except for the Pichons, which are down 20%. Pichon Comtesse Lalande is as dependable as ever, but Pichon Longueville Baron, which is usually denser and richer, [...]

Wine Advocate contributor Neal Martin has published a definitive and entertaining guide to Pomerol – a major Bordeaux commune whose understated and, at times, shabby estates form a counterpoint to the grand châteaux of neighbouring appellations. Having risen to prominence as recently as the 20th century, the region is home to superstars such as Petrus [...]

The wines from the famous French appellations are becoming ever more expensive as the emerging markets start acquiring a taste for fine French wine. Less prestigious regions, unhindered by more stringent appellation laws, can, however, produce absolutely delicious wines at a fraction of the price. ‘This, dear readers, is the best sub-£10 wine I have [...]

Decanter has selected 12 leading white blends from SA that ‘rival the best from Bordeaux, the Rhone and beyond’. Alheit Vineyards Cartology 2011 is among their top picks (having been awarded 19/20), along with Mullineux White 2011 (18.5/20), Lammershoek Roulette Blanc 2010 (18/20) and Adi Badenhorst’s Funky White NV (17.5/20). Visit Decanter.com for the full list of wines. As [...]

Robert Parker has added three new critics to his editorial team at The Wine Advocate. Following the departure of Antonio Galloni earlier this year, Monica Larner, the former editor of Wine Enthusiast, will cover Italy, whilst Jeb Dunnock of the Rhône Report will take over the Rhône beat. Luis Gutiérrez, Spanish correspondent for Jancisrobinson.com, will review the [...]

Today we introduce a new series of Wine Cellar videos: Pia’s pick of the week. Pia is a fellow lover of the grape and is keenly interested in local wines (as well as cycling, music and the finer things in life). She joined Wine Cellar late last year and has taken over from Tessa on [...]

After weeks of waiting and speculation, Robert Parker’s Bordeaux 2012 scores have finally been unveiled. The critic affirms that 2012 is not a great vintage, but ‘it is an excellent one in Pomerol, Pessac-Leognan and for some St Emilions.’ His top-scoring wines of the vintage are shown below. Once again, Parker stresses the importance of [...]

Leading Port houses have declared the 2011 vintage, praising the wines for their concentration, power and longevity. Both the Symingtons (who own Graham, Dow, Warre and Cockburn) and the Fladgate Partnership (who own Taylor, Fonseca and Croft) will release 2011 vintages, making it the first widely declared year since 2007. Visit Decanter.com and Winespectator.com for [...]

The torrent of Bordeaux 2012 releases we’ve seen this week have included the likes of Lafite Rothschild, Alter Ego de Palmer, Clerc Milon and Cantemerle. But while most châteaux have reduced prices from last year, Right Bank estates Pavie and Angélus have defied the market’s cries for reasonable pricing. Angélus and Pavie both released their [...]

The South African wine scene is in a fantastic place. Almost every week I find myself tasting a young, exciting wine with less extraction, less oak, less alcohol and less sweetness. Wines containing fewer additions of everything else other than grapes. Not only are these wines more balanced and far more drinkable, but there is [...]

Robert Parker, the world’s most influential wine critic, has published a video on the Bordeaux 2012 vintage. His scores and tasting notes are only scheduled to be released later this month, but the video provides a glimpse of what’s to come. Parker’s comments strongly suggest that his top-scoring wines will be from Pomerol: ‘Unquestionably, the [...]

Our most ambitious and most highly anticipated tasting of the year – six decades of the famous First Growth Bordeaux, Château Mouton Rothschild. What makes Mouton so famous? It is the only château to have had its ‘Cru’ changed since the 1855 Grand Cru Classification, being elevated in 1973. Uniquely, each vintage is also labelled [...]

We have been raving about the 2010 French vintage since tasting the Bordeaux wines out of cask in 2011. It was a top Bordeaux vintage and was superb in Burgundy. The real value of the vintage, however, lies in the Rhône Valley. Brothers Christophe and Sebastian Jaume have taken Domaine Grand Veneur, established in 1826, [...]

Miguel Chan, who was named South Africa’s Young Sommelier of the Year in 2007, recommends warding off the winter chill with fortified wines such as port and sherry. In a recent blog post, Miguel highlighted two of the Lustau sherries he was introduced to at a Wine Cellar trade tasting in Joburg: Lustau Solera Reserva [...]

Do you have more than 200 bottles of wine in you cellar? If so, you could unwittingly be violating the new Western Cape Liquor Act, which prohibits  individuals from holding more than 150 litres of alcohol without written consent. According to the Western Cape Liquor Authority, private collectors must submit a once-off application to the Liquor [...]

Christian Eedes has reviewed the latest releases from Mullineux Family Wines. The former editor of Wine Magazine awarded the 2012 White 93 points out of 100, suggesting on Twitter that it could be their best effort yet. ‘Subtle aromas and flavours of lemon, yellow apple, white peach and spice. Great concentration matched by tangy acidity. [...]

Fiona Beckett of The Guardian (UK) has suggested that South Africa makes ‘some of the most appealing light dessert wines’. Beckett recommended SA’s sweet wines as a delectable (and more wallet-friendly) alternative to Sauternes, listing Rustenberg Straw Wine 2010 and Paul Cluver Late Harvest Riesling 2011 among her top picks. ‘And if you really want [...]

‘One of South Africa’s finest wines and should repay considerable cellaring. Go seek and marvel,’ says Neal Martin on the MR de Compostella. ‘The Compilation of Stars’ made by Mzo Mvemve and Bruwer Raats has become Wine Cellar’s most sought-after South African wine and our allocation is snapped up on release. It has topped the [...]

The Bordeaux 2012 en-primeur circus has begun and tasting reports are beginning to emerge. According to Decanter’s consultant editor Steven Spurrier, the wines are largely superior to the 2011s, though quality varies greatly across the region and even within single estates. In general, however, Pomerol has been cited as one of the most successful appellations. [...]

Bordeaux First Growth Chateau Margaux has revealed that it will release a third estate wine this year: Margaux de Chateau Margaux 2009. According to UK trade mag The Drinks Business, the quality of the 2009 vintage was such that the wine that didn’t make it into Pavillon Rouge (Margaux’s second label) merited its own bottling. [...]

International critics are raising their glasses to a new generation of South African winemakers who are boosting the reputation of the country’s wines. At Germany’s Prowein 2013, which was held in Dusseldorf last week, Tim Atkin MW hosted a Top 10 South African tasting. He praised young winemakers such as Chris and Suzaan Alheit (Alheit [...]

This year, Wine Cellar’s Roland Peens was once again invited to join a panel of judges to select wines for the annual Nederburg Auction. Working alongside international critics and columnists such as Jamie Goode, Roland tasted close to 150 wines blind. In the video below, he talks to Wine.co.za about his overall impressions. The 39th [...]

  As wine merchants prepare for the start of Bordeaux’s annual en-primeur campaign, journalists and critics are already descending on the chateaux to taste the new vintage from barrel. Wine Spectator Editor James Molesworth arrived in Bordeaux last week and has been chronicling his tasting experiences on his blog and on Twitter. His scores have yet [...]

The Comte Liger Belair wines are among the finest in our entire portfolio. The domaine is situated in the famous town of Vosne-Romanée and the family owns some of the most hallowed vineyards on the planet. The domaine was sold in 1933, following two centuries of fine Burgundy tradition, and Louis Michel Liger Belair started [...]

Take a look at British critic Jamie Goode’s interview with Chris ‘Butch’ Alheit and his wife Suzaan. The Swartland couple explain the winemaking philosophy behind Cartology and introduce their first single-vineyard wine: Radio Lazarus. The 2011 vintage of Cartology received 96 points from Neal Martin and was one of Tim Atkin’s top picks from SA. [...]

Last year, Chateau Latour (one of the five Bordeaux First Growths) announced that it was leaving the en primeur system and would no longer sell its wine as futures. Instead, it would hold back stock until the managers felt that the wines were ready to drink, at which point they would be released through negociants [...]

Burgundy lovers are faced with a tough proposition: the world is becoming increasingly interested in the hallowed vineyards of Burgundy, and this is pushing up prices and tightening allocations. With the Rand 20% weaker than last year and a small 2012 crop, prices are sky-rocketing. 2011 Burgundy is a good, classic vintage however. ‘From an [...]

Henri Krug, former directeur and chef de caves of Krug Champagne, has died of cancer. The 76-year-old passed the reins to his brother Rémi in 2001 but remained an active member of the tasting panel that assisted the winemaking team long after his retirement. ‘Henri Krug was an emblematic person in the Champagne world,’ Krug [...]

Antonio Galloni of the Wine Advocate has given kudos to one of our most popular Italian imports – Terre Nere’s Etna Rosso. The critic has awarded the 2011 vintage 92 points, describing it as ‘remarkably balanced and poised’. ‘Sweet herbs, tobacco, liquorice, fennel and herbs emerge from this utterly gracious and compelling red. This is [...]

Chris and Andrea Mullineux have fast become the darlings of the SA wine industry. In just 4 vintages, Andrea has been invited into the Cape Winemakers Guild and, together with numerous 5* Platter ratings, their 2010 Syrah was nominated as ‘Red Wine of the Year’ in the Platter 2013 guide. The new releases are even more exciting! How these [...]

Earlier this month, Jancis Robinson MW gave South Africa’s white wines the nod and suggested that they are among the world’s best-value buys. ‘Cape Chardonnay,’ she said, ‘can be some of the finest in the southern hemisphere.’ She also sang the praises of Elgin Rieslings, particularly those of Paul Cluver – ‘the South African king [...]

It seems that the wines of Tenute Silvio Nardi are reaching dinner tables in even the farthest reaches of the globe. The Tuscan producer recently sponsored a 1,300 km sailing expedition from Argentina to the South Pole. As you can see from the photo below, the Brunello di Montalcino was a big hit with the [...]

Harry Haddon of 2oceansvibe.com has hailed Winery of Good Hope’s Pinot Noir as ‘the best damned Pinot in the country for under R150′. According to Haddon, ‘There is plenty of tangy berry fruit – raspberries and strawberries – with Pinot Noir’s characteristic mushroom forest floor aroma…elegantly structured, with fine tannins, a long mineral finish.’ At [...]

CNBC has published an interesting interview with Peter Shakeshaft of Vin-X, a UK-based wine investment company. Though the value of blue-chip Bordeaux wines declined last year, Shakeshaft suggests that the long-term outlook remains positive, with prices having risen an average of 14.9% over the last 20 years. Will the wine investment market recover in 2013? Watch [...]

Last month we highlighted Marc Kent’s nascent project in the Swartland: Porseleinberg. James Molesworth, the senior editor of the Wine Spectator, has produced a video on the estate’s rocky blue shale soil –  the unique terroir that gives Porseleinberg’s wines their distinctive mineral character. Watch the video on Wine Spectator.com for a taste of extreme viticulture (no subscription [...]

Robert Parker released his much-anticipated Bordeaux 2010 scores on Friday. As usual, his ratings have had a notable effect on prices, with Liv-ex The Fine Wine Exchange (the leading provider of wine market data) reporting an uptick in demand for the vintage’s top achievers. In total, ten wines received 100 points, including Latour, Petrus, Pontet [...]

How does SA compare with the very best of France – the home of the most revered wines in the world and often used as the benchmark for most SA winemaking? Here is a write-up of a private tasting that compared some of the finest wines from each country. Many styles and varieties could have been [...]

Each year Wine Cellar offers the latest vintage of Bordeaux en-primeur, or as futures. This age-old platform affords you access to almost all of Bordeaux’s top wines, at the best possible prices. We will be commencing with the 2012 campaign as the chateaux start releasing their prices in April. Read more on en-primeur here or email Roland@winecellar.co.za to join our en-primeur mailing list. Last [...]

As announced last week on Wine Cellar Plus, we are proud to be the new importer of Drappier Champagnes. To introduce journos and critics to our exciting Drappier range, we held a trade tasting yesterday in our Cape Town cellars. The tasting was hosted by Michel Drappier himself and the response to the wines was [...]

Last month, the Wine Cellar team visited Reyneke in Stellenbosch to find out more about biodynamic winemaking. Self-confessed wine geek Ryan Mostert was on hand to talk us through the estate’s award-winning wines and to explain why cow s**t really is black gold…

Earlier this month, we sent our newsletter subscribers an update on the wines of Tenuta delle Terre Nere – the ‘Burgundy of the Mediterranean’. These wines come from volcanic soils on the slopes of Mount Etna and are some of Wine Cellar’s most popular Italian imports. If you were savvy enough to buy a case [...]

Wine Cellar is proud to announce that we are now the official importer of two superb Champagne houses: Drappier and Jacquesson. Drappier is one of the finest boutique houses and was founded in 1808, whilst Jacquesson is regarded as the oldest independent Champagne house. Jacquesson Champagnes are technically all extra-Brut. Each year, the non-vintage is given a unique cuvée [...]

James Suckling and Neal Martin (of the Wine Advocate) have published their in-bottle scores for Bordeaux 2010. Suckling, who was formerly the senior editor of the Wine Spectator, calls the vintage ‘superb’ and has awarded 11 wines perfect scores, including Cheval Blanc, Latour, Ducru Beaucaillou and Pontet Canet. Comparing the vintage to 2009, the critic [...]

The news broke this week that Antonio Galloni is leaving the Wine Advocate and has launched his own venture: Antoniogalloni.com. His website is aimed at younger consumers and features coverage of wines from Italy, Champagne, California and Burgundy. Galloni stated, ‘Antoniogalloni.com will enable me to serve my readers better than ever before, always with the [...]

Boekenhoutskloof winemaker Marc Kent is channeling his energy and passion into a new project in the Swartland. Having joined forces with Callie Louw, Kent bought a 173-acre property in the Porseleinberg in 2009, across the valley from Adi Badenhorst’s farm. Syrah is the estate’s main focus, and whilst much of the crop ends up in the [...]

With a cooler ripening season and lower than average rainfall, the 2012 vintage provided conditions for optimal ripeness and excellent purity of fruit. The first of this highly anticipated vintage to hit the market is the Crystallum Peter Max Pinot Noir. And it’s an absolute humdinger! This is the first vintage containing 100% Hemel-en-Aarde (Ridge [...]

British wine journalist Jamie Goode visited Reyneke last week during a brief trip to the Cape. “Reyneke was one of my best experiences in Stellenbosch,” he writes, “and this was on a trip filled with good visits.” “There’s a sense of energy at Reyneke, and this is now being transmitted to the wines.” The critic [...]

In 2013, we launch a series of tastings for those who are new to the world of fine wine, or who wish to touch up on their international wine knowledge. The introductory tastings are somewhat different from our regular tastings: wines are not tasted blind; the atmosphere is slightly more relaxed and we try to [...]

For many of South Africa’s leading producers, the 2013 harvest is already well underway. We’ve been following the estates closely as they share their enthusiasm – and photos – on Facebook and Twitter. Below are some of the best comments and images that have been posted in the last few days. Tokara ‘And so begins [...]

The Wine Spectator’s senior editor, James Molesworth, has published a series of blog posts on his recent tour of the South African winelands. His ‘diary entries’ focus on the people and places behind some of the country’s leading wines. Click on the links below to visit his blog. Rust en Vrede ‘One of South Africa’s [...]

The wines of Terre Nere (‘Black Earth’) are some of the most popular Wine Cellar imports. Grown on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, they show the vibrant fruit of southern Italy, combined with the elegance and delicacy endowed by old vines, volcanic rock and high altitude. A DOC since 1968, the last decade has [...]

This week on Jancisrobinson.com, Jancis reflects on global trends in winemaking. The British critic notes that many producers are moving away from potent, “blockbuster” styles in favour of lighter, more elegant wines. South Africans, she suggests, are embracing this change. Read the full article here.

Following his recent trip to the Cape winelands, British writer and critic Tim Atkin has published an article on Stellenbosch. You can read the full report on Timatkin.com. We’re glad to see Reyneke listed amongst Tim’s favourite producers from the region (along with Kanonkop, Thelema and several others). Not only is winemaker Ryan Mostert producing [...]

It seems that Vin de Constance’s cameo in 50 Shades Darker (E L James’ erotic novel) is boosting its international appeal. In the follow-up to 50 Shades of Grey, Klein Constantia’s dessert wine is served at an extravagant masked ball, along with a third course of sugar-crusted walnut chiffon candied figs. Apparently, fans of the bestseller are eager [...]

2012 was an extremely successful year for Christie’s, with the auction house recording its second-highest annual wine sales figure to date. Acker Merrall and Sotheby’s reported a decrease in red Bordeaux sales, whilst demand for top Burgundy rose sharply. Both auction houses saw Asia’s share of total revenue fall (a trend that is expected to [...]

Allen Meadows, aka the Burghound, has published his comments on Burgundy’s 2011 vintage. According to Meadows, who is arguably the leading authority on the region’s wines, “The most successful 2011s are wonderfully fresh, seductively textured, generous and utterly delicious wines that offer excellent if not truly exceptional transparency.” The critic suggests that buyers who enjoyed [...]

  Despite frosts and hailstorms during the growing season, Champagne producers have suggested that 2012 may be an outstanding vintage. According to Decanter, winemakers are pleased with the quality, acidity and intensity of the base wines. Several of the most prominent Champagne houses, including Dom Perignon, have confirmed that they will be producing a 2012 [...]

‘One of France’s most compelling wine producers,’ says Robert Parker about Domaine Vieille Julienne. These are traditionally made, extraordinarily concentrated Châteauneuf-du-Papes made from old-vine, biodynamically farmed sites. Minuscule yields without the use of SO2 during vinification and ageing in neutral wood contribute to bold but vivid, long-ageing wines from this unique terroir. But apart from [...]

The 2013 edition of the Penin Guide, which is essentially the Platter of the Spanish wine industry, has named Teso La Monja (of DO Toro) the ‘Best Winery in Spain’. The wine estate was founded by the Eguren family in 2007 after they sold their first Toro winery, Numanthia, to luxury-goods giant LVMH. The Penin [...]

With the Burgundy 2011 En primeur campaign now in full flow, the critics are beginning to review the new vintage. On Saturday, Jancis Robinson MW published her overall impressions of the 2011s from the Cote de Nuits – a district in the northern Cote d’Or where many of Burgundy’s most illustrious Pinot Noirs are produced. [...]

Piedmontese wine legend Angelo Gaja anticipates an Italian wine shortage in the near future. According to Wine Searcher, the leading producer has warned that the country’s cellars could be empty by June and the 2013 harvest could see “panic over rising grape prices”. Read the full article on Wine-searcher.com. We’ll be receiving the latest vintage [...]

The wines of Burgundy are arguably the world’s most sought-after. No other region is able to produce such ethereal, elegant and profound Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on such a large scale. The wines speak of their soils, growers and vintages, making them among the purist expressions of vitis vinifera and possibly the most difficult to [...]

Neal Martin of Eroberparker.com has added his voice to the chorus of international praise for South Africa’s Young Guns. These young winemakers, or “Cape Crusaders” as Martin puts it, are all about letting the vineyards speak. They focus on what could be described as “natural” winemaking and there’s no doubt that they’re creating some of [...]

Neal Martin has singled South Africa out as the most exciting New World country on the scene at the moment. In a recent article on Erobertparker.com, the respected British critic sings the praises of renegades such as Eben Sadie, Adi Badenhorst and Chris Mullineux – winemakers who are shaking things up and injecting a healthy [...]

UK wine mag The Drinks Business has named its top women in wine to watch in 2013. The multinational list of rising starts includes Sarah Jane Evans MW, who is tipped to become the next chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine, as well as South African winemaker Ntsiki Biyela of Stellekaya and viticulturist [...]

Wine Advocate contributor Neal Martin has published a list of his most memorable wines of 2012. It’s perhaps no surprise that his vinous highlights include the likes of Bordeaux legend Chateau Lafleur 1950 and Spain’s Vega Sicilia Unico 1962. More notable, however, are the South African wines that are in their company. Klein Constantia’s Vin [...]

In his most recent tasting article, Richard Hemming of Jancisrobinson.com reflects on the top-quality wines he tasted during a visit to South Africa in September. He highlights 36 of the Cape’s best offerings, including wines from Cape Point Vineyards, Ataraxia, Mullineux, Kanonkop and Paul Cluver. Read the full article on Jancisrobinson.com. One of Hemming’s most [...]

For the first time in 20 years, Chateau d’Yquem has elected not to produce a Sauternes in 2012. The chateau, which is indisputably the king of France’s sweet wines, made the call after the vintage failed a post-harvest taste test. More on this story on Decanter.com. The estate’s decision may well have a knock-on effect [...]

Chateau Mouton Rothschild has revealed that pop artist Jeff Koons has designed its 2010 label. The label combines a Pompeii fresco – The Birth of Venus – with a silver drawing of ship sailing under the sun. The controversial artist’s design is somewhat reminiscent of Mouton’s 1993 Balthus label, which featured a pencil sketch of [...]

UK critic Tim Atkin is in South Africa this week and has been tasting some of the country’s leading wines. If you haven’t been following his progress through the winelands on Twitter (@Timatkin), here are a few of his most telling tweets: “09 Eagles’ Nest Shiraz with dinner. Love this wine. Such elegance and spice.” [...]

Temperatures dropped to -12°C in Germany last weekend, providing ideal conditions for eiswein. For some estates, this is the first time in several years that it has been possible to produce the wine, which is made from frozen grapes. The grapes need to be left on the vine until winter temperatures are sufficiently low (at least [...]

As the year draws to an end and we celebrate the start of the holiday season, many of us are breaking out the bubbly. But which particular sparkling wine or Champagne is the perfect summer fizz? We thought we’d share the opinion of one of our prominent clients, who attended a blind tasting last night. [...]

Jeff Leve’s 2012 vintage report suggests that it’s been another challenging year for the Bordelais. A difficult growing season gave rise to late and uneven ripening, which in turn necessitated very careful sorting. In short, yields will be low and quality levels will vary. Read Jeff’s full Bordeaux 2012 report and harvest summary on www.thewinecellar.insider.com.

Robert Parker plans to step down as editor-in-chief of The Wine Advocate, the independent wine guide he founded more than 30 years ago. The world’s most influential wine critic announced last week that he has sold “a substantial interest” in his company to Singapore-based investors who will soon release a Southeast Asian edition of TWA. [...]

Champagne house Louis Roederer has sold Chateau Bernadotte to King Power, an Asian duty-free company that imports leading international brands into China. The Bordeaux chateau, which has 100 acres of vineyards in the Haut Medoc, produces 17,000 cases of wine a year. More on this story on Winespectator.com.

Six vintages of Gianfranco Soldera’s prized Brunello have been destroyed. According to reports, vandals broke into the producer’s winery in Montalcino and drained the Brunello oak casks, which contained vintages 2007 to 2012. In total, more than 60,000 litres of wine have been lost. More on this tragedy on Decanter.com.

Harry Haddon of 2oceansvibe.com has put together a list of his top ten cheap wines for Christmas. We’re pleased to see that Antebellum Chenin Blanc 2012 has made the cut. (Find out more about Antebellum Chenin Blanc in our recent newsletter.) We’d also recommend Mount Abora Saffronne Cinsaut 2012, which is hands down the best [...]

Vilafonté has confirmed that the eagerly awaited 2010 vintage of Series C will be released on the 1st of March, 2013. To celebrate the release of the 2010, Wine Cellar and Vilafonté will be co-hosting a series of exclusive tastings across the country, giving you a chance to sample the new vintage ahead of the [...]

Chile has introduced three “complementary” regional denominations: Costa, Andes and Entre Cordilleras. According to Decanter, this has prompted some members of the trade to raise concerns about the limited practical value of new Chilean appellations. Read the full article here.

Kanonkop has released the 2011 vintage of its locally and internationally famed Black Label Pinotage. Only 1,700 bottles of the 2011 were produced, of which 1,500 will be sold for R1,200 per bottle. Since the release of the inaugural 2006 vintage in 2009, Black Label has become an iconic South African Pinotage. The wines are [...]

Michel Reybier has appointed Aymeric de Gironde as general manager of Bordeaux Second Growth, Cos d’Estournel. de Gironde is currently the international commercial director of AXA Millésimes and will take over from Jean Guillame Prats following his departure in February. Prats announced last month that he is leaving the estate to join LVMH, after more [...]

According to UK drinks magazine Harpers, French producer Plaimont Producteurs has launched a specialty cuvée made from phylloxera-resistant vines. During the late 19th century, vineyards across Europe were ravaged by a phylloxera epidemic that brought many leading estates to their knees. Plaimont Producteurs’ limited edition cuvée is made from a plot of vines in Saint [...]

Rhone producers Alain and Maxime Grailloit were recently in South Africa for the Swartland Revolution. Roland meets up with the father-son duo to taste wines from their respective domaines in Crozes-Hermitage, and to discuss the “classic” 2010 vintage. To order Alain or Maxime’s wines, email roland@winecellar.co.za.

Roland gears up for the Swartland Revolution by racing Rhone winemaker Maxime Graillot of Domaine Alain Graillot and Domaine des Lises. Between laps, they give us their thoughts on Mount Abora Koggelbos Chenin 2011 and Antebellum Chenin Blanc 2011. To buy any Mount Abora wines, email Roland@winecellar.co.za.

Wine Spectator has published its Top 100 Wines of 2012. The top ten are an eclectic mix, featuring big names from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Bordeaux, Mendoza and Sonoma County. First prize goes to Shafer Vineyards Relentless 2008 – a Rhone-inspired red from Napa Valley, which retails at around $60 in the US. We aren’t surprised to see [...]

In recent years, China has become one of the most important markets for blue-chip Bordeaux. Initially, demand from Hong Kong and mainland China was limited to a narrow group of Crus Classes. Over the last 18 months, however, Asian buyers have broadened their horizons. Not only are they opting for a more diverse range of [...]

Despite facing frosts, hail, mildew and even drought, many top estates in the Loire have produced good to excellent 2012s. According to wine writer Jancis Robinson, adverse weather resulted in tiny yields, but the quality of the dry whites is generating excitement. The Muscadets have been particularly successful, with Robinson suggesting that they’re strides ahead [...]

Chateau Haut Brion, the illustrious first growth run by Domaine Clarence Dillon, has purchased Domaine Allary Haut-Brion. Decanter recently reported on the sale of the 1.5-hectare vineyard, which neighbours Haut Brion. Read the full report on Decanter

Wine Cellar joined other media and VIPs at the Cape Town International Convention Centre for this year’s tasting of wines entered into the Cape Wine Makers’ Guild Auction. We chatted to wine makers, buyers and writers, and came across a somewhat controversial wine from Adi Badenhorst. The Auction will be held on Saturday the 6th [...]

Could we have asked for a more spectacular venue than Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient and their Conference Room? Definitely not. From the moment our guests arrived, greeted by bokke and zebra along the driveway, they were made to feel special and welcomed with proverbial open arms. Transported what feels like a million miles away [...]

Roland speaks to key winemakers about the highly anticipated – and much hyped in wine circles – 2009 vintage, and the wines that they have produced. Is this the greatest vintage ever? These are the wines you need to buy! Email Tessa@winecellar.co.za or see the list of featured wines here!

Yves Cuilleron, the brilliant Rhone winemaker, was in South Africa for a bit, and Wine Cellar organised a dinner at Harald Bresselschmidt’s Auslese venu. We got to taste through the much lauded 2010 vintage as well as some classy older vintages.

Here are notes from our Grand Cru Burgundy tasting held at the Cape Wine Academy on 5 June 2012. The idea was to select a representative Grand Gru from the most important villages and note their intrinsic characters. Various producers, some mordern than others, as well as various vintages added more discussion and depth. 1 [...]

Here is a short picture diary of my tour through Burgundy in May 2012. A wonderful time to visit as spring means sunny, warm days and not too many tourists (Beaune is one of the most visited places in all France!). At this stage the 2010s have likely been bottled for a month, giving you [...]

Here’s a quick video of the 10 vintage Raats Cabernet Franc tastings we held at Wine Cellar recently. Click here to see all the pearls of wisdom that Bruwer had to offer – we had to break them into four smaller videos.  

We recently held a 10 year vertical tasting of Raats Cabernet Franc. The wines were excellent and confirmed – what we all already knew – that Bruwer Raats is South Africa’s foremost Cabernet Franc producer. We speak here, of course, of single variety bottlings of which there are 42 others in the country. As Bruwer [...]

Here is a short album of my Bordeaux visit in early May 2012. Not only did I taste the latest 2011 Bordeaux vintage, but also visit many chateaux, speak to their owners as well as taste as many wines as possible. Each chateau prepares a sample of their envisaged release for the critics and merchants [...]

Wine Cellar is happy to announce that we will be having an invite only tasting of both of these wines, with the Cabernet Franc being a vertical going back 10 years on the 24th of April. This is an awesome chance to see how these two fine South African wines have developed, as well as [...]

  (Their wines are a lot better than this photoshop job)  You don’t get to look into the future all that often. That gaze is normally reserved for prophets, seers, and witch-doctors, we are offering you the chance to do just that on the 9th of May. The Young Guns tasting is the most exciting [...]

The second in our series of Wine Cellar workshops where we taste a line-up of what we consider the best wines in each category. See our inaugural Shiraz shoot-out here. Each wine is decanted into one of the other bottles, so each taster knows the lineup but not the order. In this way you can [...]

The third in our series of Wine Cellar workshops where we taste a lineup of what we consider the top wines in a category, blind, in order to find an eventual winner. See the other tasting results here. Each wine is decanted into one of the other bottles, so each taster knows the lineup but [...]

The Nederberg Auction – happening later this year – has just gone through the selection process of the wines that will be available. Less than half the wines submitted for tasting made it through to the final auction. This year 12 wineries will have their wines on auction for the first time, they are: Almenkerk, Beyerskloof, Bosman [...]

Jancis Robinson has written an interesting blog post on the situation of workers on wine farms from around the world. Essentially there needs to be better pay for skilled agricultural workers, but will that involve the consumer paying more for their wine? Here’s the link to the article. http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a20120328.html Let us know in the comments [...]

This is a circus blend, an unconventional fusion of 5 cultivars with the 2011 bringing in a 6th. It seems as though Peter Finlayson’s ultimate talent lies in blending judging from the ageability of the Blanc de Mer and success of the Hannibal red blend. Riesling provides the backbone, with the other varieties adding character [...]

After drinking a bottle of the 1995 Jamet at Burrata (new Restaurant at the Old Buiscut Mill) last week, I was reminded of this tasting we setup late last year. On this occasion the 1995 was stupendous and one of the greatest wines I have had this year and would award it 18+/20. Its lightness, [...]

Check out this article from The Drinks Business on Parker’s influence. We recently drank a bottle of the 2000 Pavie and it certainly wasn’t OTT! Watch out for the Pavie 2000 on Wine on the Week! See here for the Parker note and prices

How will a wine age? Learning more and more about wine I realise ageing is not a function of sugar, tannin, acid or even weight. But rather, it’s a function of balance. And if the wine is not balanced in its youth it will unlikely mature with grace and develop extra character. Of the components, [...]

Is the Riesling revival finally here? This is a review of a tasting of a whole series of Rieslings spanning almost 20 years from 5 different countries at Wine Cellar 7 March 2012. [check out the video here] We started with what I feel is the best riesling in South Africa, the Howard Booysen 2010. A [...]

A beautifully defined flight of 4 wines (highlighted out of 6 flights from the Constantia Fresh afternoon tasting) illustrating maturity of Bordeaux styles from Bordeaux, South Africa and the USA 01 – Buiternverwagting Christine 1995 (2008 – R270 per bottle) Translucent and rusty to the eye, the nose immediately takes one to Bordeaux style  it [...]

With a few new kids on the block cracking massive ratings with their maiden shirazes, we thought it a great idea to taste them off against a few international and local benchmarks. We were 9 tasters (winemakers, critics and pundits) with 9 wines at the Hussar Grill Rondebosch in order to confirm our findings over [...]