South Africa is celebrating with the announcement that the locally produced Van Ryn’s 20-year-old potstill brandy has been awarded World’s Best Wine Brandy at the 2022 World Brandy Awards.

Jonathan Ross, a sommelier at Eleven Madison Park, is responsible for resurrecting the old world tradition of using heated tongs to open wine.

Top Caption: Tim Hutchinson, executive chairman of DGB (left) receiving the Mundus Vini Best Producer award from Robert Joseph, board-member of Mundus Vini.

How fun would it be to be a spendthrift even just for a day? When your financial shackles come loose and your dreams of ‘living the dream’ come true, there are many places that money could take you. If you are curious where that is, where the one-percenters go to play, here is the scoop.

Bacon jam is that perfect mixture of salt, sweet, and savory that can surprise people into wanting to go back for more again and again.  The unique flavor, the fun texture, and how sensationalized bacon generally make this a fun ingredient everyone should have in their kitchens. These recipes aren’t very strict, so make sure to make them your own! 

Org de Rac has just released its first wine from the 2022 vintage, a Shiraz Rosé made by Lizelle Gerber who took over the winemaking reins of this premier organic Swartland winery at the end of last year. A seasoned Cape winemaker, Gerber says the first wine bears the quality and varietal expression one expects to find from organically farmed vineyards.

David Finlayson Wines from Stellenbosch reaffirmed the international status of South African Cabernet Sauvignon with its GS Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 announced Best Cabernet in the World at the annual Concours International des Cabernets in France. This annual competition is committed to awarding the world’s best wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and other Cabernet-related grape varieties.

Culture is an essential part of the lives of South Africans.  As we exist in modern society, it’s equally important to continuously have conversations on culture to understand the real significance behind our cultural traditions and perceived misconceptions that may arise from certain practices.

Laibach, the Simonsberg estate that was purchased by neighbouring Kanonkop in January this year, will in future be known as Ladybird Vineyards. The new name of this 40ha property comes into immediate effect, with the current Laibach wine range to be phased out over the next 18 months, replaced by the Ladybird Vineyards brand of wines made from the property’s 36ha of vineyards.

A Cabernet Franc wine from Chamonix Estate’s mountain vineyards in Franschhoek took this year’s top prize at the annual Cabernet Franc Challenge that has since 2016 been at the forefront of recognising the quality of South African wines made from this classic Bordeaux grape variety. Chamonix was awarded the Cobie van Oort Challenge Trophy for Top Scoring Wine at this year’s challenge, with the Chamonix Cabernet Franc 2020 edging-out the 37 other entrants of this year’s competition.