Top image: Danielle Jacobs from Boschendal doing a perfect sabrage.

William Kentridge, South Africa’s most important living artist, is currently having the most comprehensive exhibition of his work to date shown at Zeitz MOCAA, South Africa’s leading arts centre under the title Why Should I Hesitate: Putting Drawings To Work.

Image Caption: Judging Cap Classique. From left, Sydney Mello, Heidi Duminy, Cathy Marston, Elunda Basson, Joaquim Sá (MD of Amorim SA) and Paul Gerber.

An initiative launched by Amorim South Africa three years ago to offer a service whereby rare old wines are re-corked to give them a new lease on life has led to Amorim being selected to give recorking support for wines that are to feature at two premier local wine auctions.

Despite all the long-hours, sweat and hard-work, there is something magical about the harvest season. For us in the cork industry, it lies in the satisfaction of seeing the just-cut bark from the cork oaks arriving at our plants in southern Portugal to be processed. It smells of earth and fresh wood, a truly natural product from wild forests, each tree stripped of its bark every nine years.

With the current global demand for cork stoppers surpassing 12bn units annually and the wine market’s upward growing curve, the world’s leading cork-company Amorim is going back to basics to ensure sufficient supply of quality product for the years ahead. And by going back to basics we are talking about the source of cork, namely the quercus suber, also known as the cork oak tree. Speaking to the popular Grandes Escolhas Magazine, Antonio Amorim, president of Amorim Cork told of the company’s plans to ensure unhindered supply of product from a new generation of cork forests.

After the introduction of screw top wine bottles, the cork industry went into a nosedive. 

After the introduction of screw top wine bottles, the cork industry went into a nosedive. 

Top image: Johan Malan and Christine Rudman

Top Image Caption:

JP Colmant (Best Blanc de Blancs Trophy), Kobus van der Merwe, KWV Laborie (Gold Medal Blanc de Blancs), Christine Rudman, Frans Malan Trophy winner, Etienne Louw, Pierre Simond Wines (Gold Medal Blanc de Blancs), Shane Mullis, Domaine des Dieux (Best Brut Trophy and Best Overall Producer), Charl Schoeman, Simonsig (Best Rosé Trophy), Hannes Nel, Lourensford (Gold Medal Brut), Pierre de Klerk, Graham Beck Wines (Gold Medal Blanc de Blancs) Xander Grier, Villiera (Gold Medal Brut) and Elunda Basson, Pongracz (Museum Class Trophy. In front: Sharon Parnell (Domaine des Dieux)