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Domaine des Dieux etched its name in the annals of the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge by winning the trophy for Best Producer for the third time in 8 years.

At the 21st Amorim Cap Classique Challenge held on Thursday 22 September at Tintswalo Atlantic in Cape Town, Domaine des Dieux Claudia Brut Cap Classique 2016 was named best wine overall out of the 126 entries to this year's competition.

Domaine des Dieux, the boutique Cap Classique specialist from the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge appellation, also won the competition's Best Producer award in 2014 and 2018.

We’re celebrating! De Grendel wines raked in a fantastic eight 90-plus scores from respected wine commentator Tim Atkin MW in his 2022 South Africa Special Report, including an outstanding 94 points for our Op Die Berg Chardonnay 2021.

Atkin, a British Master of Wine, tasted his way through more than 2,200 wines for the tenth edition of his special report, which is highly regarded in the wine industry as an authoritative and independent review of the state of South African wine.

“Against formidable odds, South Africa is making some of the greatest wines in its history,” said Atkin.

Andries Burger did not, per chance, find Pinot noir. The grape found, enchanted and overwhelmed him. The first and only cellarmaster at Paul Clüver Family Wines in Elgin, who has been at the helm for 26 vintages this year, not only pioneered Pinot noir in the cool-climate Elgin appellation but has become one of the leading voices propagating the merits of South Africa’s Pinot noir sector through his array of singularly expressive wines made from arguably the world’s most revered red grape.

“Starting out at Paul Clüver I had not been exposed to Pinot noir, although as a student and young winemaker the variety was obviously on my radar, something you’d heard about and tasted, but had no plans to immerse yourself in,” says Andries.

A wooded Shiraz from Diemersdal won the General Smuts Trophy as the overall SA Champion Young Wine of 2022.

A wooded Shiraz from Diemersdal Wine Estate in Durbanville has won the prestigious General Smuts Trophy as the overall SA Champion Young Wine of 2022, after also receiving the trophy for the best South African Shiraz (wooded) at the SA Young Wine Show.

The General Smuts Trophy was last awarded to a Shiraz 18 years ago, in 2004. It is the second time that Diemersdal Wine Estate has won the General Smuts Trophy since their success in 2013 when they won the trophy with a Sauvignon Blanc.

Every year since 2008 the Mullineuxs have made a vintage Straw Wine. The two vineyards they chose to make this very sweet but incredibly special Straw Wine are naturally very high in acid, flavour and structure. This way, when they pick the grapes at normal ripeness and then dry them outside during the desiccation process, they are not just concentrating sugar and flavour but also increasing the intense, zesty acidity that is so critically important when making a balanced Straw Wine.

Every year since 2008 the Mullineuxs have made a vintage Straw Wine. The two vineyards they chose to make this very sweet but incredibly special Straw Wine are naturally very high in acid, flavour and structure.

Thys Louw has just spent a frosty Cape morning in the vineyards. “The guys are doing the winter pruning, it’s important for me to be there. I like to be involved in every aspect of the business.” Now in this book-lined study the sixth generation winemaker reflects on his family’s legacy. “There aren’t that many family owned, generational estates left,” he muses. The number he guesses is around 15.

Diemersdal Wine Estate though, Diemersdal isn’t going anywhere anytime time soon.

In fact this Durbanville sauvignon blanc powerhouse is going from strength to strength.

As Anthonij Rupert Wyne says goodbye to Gary Baumgarten after 11 years, he'll be replaced by newly appointed Carel Chapman.

Anthonij Rupert Wyne says goodbye to managing director Gary Baumgarten who hangs up his hat after 11 years and who has played a pivotal role in the running of the farms. He will be replaced by newly appointed Carel Chapman, himself no stranger to the company.

Hailing from a farm in Gobabis, Namibia, Carel completed his BCom Hons in Financial Economics from the University of Stellenbosch in 2005.

Winter was late in coming this year, but when it did arrive it really made its presence known. Drenching rains – always welcomed by the post-summer soils – icy temperatures, especially during the evenings and early mornings, and even a light dusting of snow on the mountains surrounding the beautiful Robertson Valley.

This is a time of bright, champagne days and clear skies, with the cellar filled with the heady aromas of this year’s wines maturing in the barrels. It is a time of investigating what the vintage of 2022 has provided in terms of flavour profiles, structure and nuance.

The international recognition of Chardonnay as a leading South African wine offering received another boost at this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards, with Paul Clüver from Elgin being one of two Cape Chardonnays to receive a Platinum award and 97pt score at a show described as the world’s most influential wine competition. Paul Clüver Estate, a pioneer of viticulture and winemaking in the cool-climate Elgin region, received a Platinum award for its revered icon Seven Flags Chardonnay 2020, one of only five South African wines to stake a claim in the Platinum category.