Your 2026 Next Generation Awards winner
Banele Vakele of Tembela Wines is among the most exciting Young Guns to come out of SA. Just named the best overall winner in the Winemag Next Generation Awards 2026, his Chenin and Syrah are on track to become some of the country’s finest examples. Banele’s 2025...
Champagne from Michel Genet: Comfort food just got better
A red next to a roaring fire is great, but have you experienced the joy of a cracking Champagne alongside samp and mushroom risotto, Cape Malay curry, a comforting chicken stew, or warm toast and butter? Michel Genet’s Blanc de Blancs Spirit Grand Cru is the floral,...
Huet Sec 2024s: Classic, stunning, crystalline
The 2024s from Vouvray’s most famous address are here! It was a tumultuous vintage, but Domaine Huet has drawn on nearly a century of experience to produce three gorgeous Sec Chenins. First up is the original Huet vineyard, Le Haut-Lieu, purchased in 1928. This...
98-pt Lady May 2021 – ‘Sets a new benchmark for Cape Bordeaux blends’ (Christian Eedes)
Glenelly Lady May is the pinnacle of Stellenbosch Bordeaux-style blends. Their best-rated release yet, the 2021 is a wine of grace, finesse and persistent power, combining ‘succulence with structure at the highest level’ (Christian Eedes). ‘The wine is...
98-point Anysbos blends – ‘Among the country’s best’ (Christian Eedes)
Anysbos Disdit is one of South Africa’s best wines, and the 2024 is Johan and Sue Heyns’ greatest triumph yet. It was an excellent vintage for powerful, textured whites, and this 98-point Chenin-dominated blend – with Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne –...
Produttori’s Barbaresco: ‘Spectacular. Lustrous. Mouth-watering’
Produttori’s Barbaresco has to be one of the best reds and ‘greatest values in Italian fine wine’. Their 2021 is mind blowing. The energy here is tangible. This medium-bodied, 100% Nebbiolo shows violets, roses, black cherry, raspberry and spice with a nice mineral...
Extremely limited: Botanica’s 99pt ‘Chenin of the Year’ (Platter’s)
The magical Skurfberg mountain produces some of the rarest and most unique Chenins in the country. This is one of them. For more than a decade, Botanica’s Mary Delany Chenin has consistently been rated 95+ by Platter’s, Winemag and Tim Atkin MW, with the 99-point 2024...
Terre Nere: Valuable and venerable volcanic reds
Have you ever tried a wine made from ungrafted, prephylloxera vines that are over 140 years old? Enter the Terre Nere Etna Rosso Prephylloxera Don Peppino 2023 from Mount Etna in Sicily, Europe’s largest active volcano. This wine is in a league of its own. The 2023...
Querciabella Riservas: King of the Tuscan Hills
Is there a more delicious wine right now than Querciabella’s newly arrived Chianti Classico Riserva from the glorious 2021 vintage? From an estate ensconced in the Tuscan countryside, this 100% Sangiovese offers luscious black cherry notes, thyme, lavender, spice and...
Leeuwenkuil Heritage Syrah 2022 – The wait is over
Have you ever had a wine that stops you dead in your tracks? This has been our experience of the Leeuwenkuil Heritage Syrah 2022. Not only has it received a near-perfect score from Platter’s (99 points), it also recently scored 97 points (blind!) in the Winemag...









