With Diemersdal Estate in Durbanville achieving two five-star ratings in the 2023 Platter’s South African Wine Guide for wines made from the estate’s signature variety, namely Sauvignon Blanc, owner-winemaker Thys Louw says a new era of critical acclaim for Cape Sauvignon Blanc appears to be beckoning.

Boplaas Family Vineyards has just been awarded the title of Port of the Year and received a five-star rating from the esteemed Platter’s South African wine guide, arguably South Africa’s most influential wine publication. In addition, the celebrated winery also collected Platter’s highest ratings for no less than 10 of its wines.

Top image: Carina Gous

Kleine Zalze, the leading Stellenbosch wine estate and tourist destination, has announced the promotion of its sales and marketing executive Carina Gous to that of general manager, with cellarmaster RJ Botha now head of all wine production. Gous follows Johan Bestbier, who retired at the end of August 2022.

Top image: Dr Paul Clüver

Dr Paul Clüver, founder of Paul Clüver Family Wines on his family farm De Rust in Elgin, is a winner of this year’s WWF’s Living Planet Award. WWF’s Living Planet Award is made annually to exceptional South Africans who, through their catalytic contribution, inspire people to live in harmony with nature. The winners were named at WWF South Africa’s annual general meeting on 11 November at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. 

Boplaas Family Vineyards has released a first-of-its-kind potstill brandy. Boplaas 2005 Single Harvest 17YO Potstill Brandy’s rarity in the Boplaas range stems from the spirit having been made from a single harvest and a single vineyard.

Top image: Wolfgang Amadeus Ludwig Von Kathoven admiring the fine new vintage of Vin de Joie from La Motte in Franschhoek.

After the success of its maiden vintage, La Motte is delighted to release the 2022 Vin de Joie Rosé. Celebrating the estate’s French heritage, this Provençal-style Rosé called Vin de Joie is a delicate wine that promises to bring joy – whether in the form of simple pleasure or social merriment.

Visio Vintners team from left: – Gerald Snyman, Brandon Uitlander, Alicia Alves and Norman Paulse

A dream of making wine from own vineyards, marketing it to the local and international wine world and sharing in the profits accrued from the sweat of one’s labour has been realised for workers of premium Stellenbosch estate Kleine Zalze, with the recent release of the first range of wines under the new Visio Vintners label.

Top image: Morne Els

Morne Els joins Paul Clüver Family Wines as National Sales Representative from 20 October. Els, who was formerly involved with the Stellenbosch Collection including Rust en Vrede Estate and Guardian Peak Wines, holds a B Comm degree from the University of Stellenbosch specialising in logistics and entrepreneurship.

Top image: Narina Cloete, winemaker at Blaauwklippen.

A woman who caresses the cultivars in her cellar with soft hands and exceptional  sensitivity but extracts maximum flavour and complexity; the outstanding terroir of  Blaauwklippen in the golden triangle of Stellenbosch’s winelands and the taste  explosion of the Malbec grape that is nurtured there, these are part of the winning  recipe that earned Narina Cloete a 2022 Veritas double gold. 

Elgin pioneering wine estate Paul Clüver Family Wines underscored its versatility by being awarded a FNB Top 10 Sauvignon Blanc SA award, being one of ten wines selected as the best from 161 entries into this year’s running of the only wine competition committed exclusively to South Africa Sauvignon Blanc. The Paul Clüver Sauvignon Blanc 2022 joined nine other Sauvignon Blancs from around the winelands in this year’s Top 10 line-up of the best of these wines the country has to offer.