Wine & Wineries

Lanzerac offers tours during March

27 March, 2013 by WotzUpSouthAfrica Leave a Comment

For those interested in our wine heritage, and history, be sure to make your way to the Lanzerac - currently offering a tour around the Estate - but only until the end of March. With a glass of Rosé to get you going, your tour guide will provide you with a brief overview of what to expect during the tour. Highlights will include a tasting of the "Mrs English", a reserve Chardonnay. This wine is a tribute to Mrs English who purchased the farm in 1914, changing its name from Schoongezicht to Lanzerac. This will be followed by an introduction, and a tasting of the Estate's Pinotage. From an historical point of view, the world’s first commercially produced Pinotage - a 1959 vintage came from this Estate. (It was

Tagged With: Historic Tour of Lanzerac Estate, history of wine, mrs english, pinotage, professor perold, South Africa, stellenbosch, wine tours

Circumstance Cape Coral Rosé 2012

21 February, 2013 by WotzUpSouthAfrica Leave a Comment

Waterkloof Estate has released the 2012 vintage of its dry rosé – the Cape Coral Mourvèdre. The hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed Mourvèdre grapes used for this rosé, originate from the Stellenbosch region, characterised by mild winters and long hot summers, with the vines planted in cool, deep red soils which provide adequate water for this late ripening variety. Waterkloof follows time-honoured traditional winemaking techniques in its state-of-the-art gravitational cellar and in their pursuit of more individually styled wines, the team relied on natural, wild yeast fermentation which took five months to complete. The wine was left on the primary lees for another five months to add further complexity before

Tagged With: cape coral mourverde, helderberg, rose, Waterkloof, wine estate

The Six Flowers wooded white blend

11 February, 2013 by WotzUpSouthAfrica Leave a Comment

The Neethlingshof estate outside Stellenbosch has launched its first wooded white wine, a blend of the six white cultivars that grow on the farm. Called The Six Flowers, it forms part of the estate’s exclusive Short Story Collection range which includes two reds – The Owl Post Pinotage and The Caracal Bordeaux blend – in addition to The Maria, its much awarded noble late harvest wine. The Maria was named for Maria Marais, the feisty widow of Charles Marais who dominated life on Neethlingshof for close on 50 years in the early 1800s. She is indirectly also responsible for the name of the new wine. She and her husband bought the property in 1788. He died 25 years later, in 1813, leaving her the farm and the care of their

Tagged With: Chenin blanc and Chardonnay, De Wet Viljoen, Gewürztraminer and Weisser Riesling, neethlingshof, Sauvignon blanc (20%) and Viognier (10%), The Caracal Bordeaux blend, The Owl Post Pinotage, The Six Flowers, wooded white wine

South Africa’s first anti-freeze winery in Sutherland

26 December, 2012 by WotzUpSouthAfrica Leave a Comment

To most of us Sutherland is the land of infinite landscapes, bossie-veld that stretches till the eye meets the horizon, and by night... star studded skies take your breathe away. Naturally this is home to Karoo lamb and B&B’s are plentiful as Capetonians flock there to gaze at the magnificent starry skies and see white blankets of snow in winter. But would you have guessed that a boutique winery could survive there… Winemaker Bi-Anne du Toit was born and raised in the Swartland and comes from a family of determined farmers. Having completed her studies in oenology and viticulture at Elsenburg in 2003, she then headed to France to work on a wine estate and this would be the start to her amazing journey in winemaking…

Tagged With: Anti-Freeze, Bi-Anne Du Toit, Boutique, Coldest Winery in South Africa, Snow, Stars, sutherland, The Maiden 2011, The Palms Market, Wine, Winery, ZAHarmonie

Du Toitskloof’s Chenin Blanc recieves best boxed white wine award

14 December, 2012 by WotzUpSouthAfrica Leave a Comment

Du Toitskloof’s Chenin Blanc has been named the best boxed white wine at the third annual Spit or Swallow Box Wine Awards held at Mercury Live in Cape Town on November 29. The cellar’s Pinotage Merlot Ruby Cabernet took the Best Red Box Wine award in 2010. The panel of Freddy Mercury look-a-like judges included everyday wine drinkers to wine connoisseurs who set out to choose the best red and white wines from the 33 box wines tasted. The selection process included a blind tasting where participants tweeted their scores out of ten. The three liter Du Toitskloof Chenin Blanc has become a firm favourite amongst wine enthusiasts due to the wine being exactly the same as that in the 750ml bottle. The wine is well balanced and

Tagged With: best boxed white wine, du Toitskloofs Chenin Blanc, The Spit or Swallow Box Wine Awards

Headed to the Cape for the holidays? Fairview launches Junior Cheese Masters

13 December, 2012 by WotzUpSouthAfrica Leave a Comment

It’s that time of the year again … school holidays. Keeping children amused for six weeks or more can be a challenging task for any parent. An activity that will surely keep your child entertained is the newly launched Junior Cheese Masters at Fairview Wine and Cheese in the Paarl Winelands. Junior Cheese Masters is a fun and educational experience that will teach children how cheese is made, while filling up those little bellies too. Each session will guide your child through the cheese-making process, from seeing how a goat is milked and tasting the fresh milk, to adding the rennet and cutting the curd. The creative corner will supply endless entertainment, including decorating their own cheese container with paint and

Tagged With: 0218632450, Cape Town, cheese making, children making cheese, fairview, junior cheese masters, things to do for the holidays, wine estate

The 33rd edition of Platter’s Wine Guide

11 December, 2012 by WotzUpSouthAfrica Leave a Comment

As synonymous with South African wine as the Western Cape itself, so too is the Platter’s Wine Guide. The 2013 edition is packed with information, happenings, trends and ratings of the South African wine industry. A new concept, ‘backstories’, aims to ‘‘put the romance back into wine”, by bringing to the foreground again the stories behind South Africa’s cellars, people and brands. This is further enhanced with the inclusion of the full-colour photo gallery, re-imagined by up-and-coming photographer, Teddy Sambu. Now in its 33rd edition, this is the trusted and definitive guide for both the connoisseur and plebian alike. It features over 900 South African wine producers, merchants and brands, including 54 new

Tagged With: Melck’s Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, Muratie Estate, Platter's Wine Guide 2013, Superquaffer, Teddy Sambu, Wine, Wineries, ‘backstories’, ‘‘put the romance back into wine”

Muratie Winery – Stellenbosch

4 December, 2012 by WotzUpSouthAfrica Leave a Comment

The array of prestigious local and international awards won this year by Muratie Wine Estate underlines the significance of their recent rejuvenation. This included improved viticultural practices and the refashioning of the cellar, both to enhance the quality of their wines, yet at the same time adhering to the Melck family’s deep respect for the Estate’s rich heritage. Muratie is indeed steeped in history, reaching as far back as the 17th century, as one of the oldest wineries in the Cape Winelands. The Melck family has recently honoured the Estate’s fascinating history by naming Muratie’s Iconic Wines after extraordinary iconic characters from Muratie’s colourful past, each with its own enchanting story described on

Tagged With: 0218652330, melck, muratie, muratie wine estate, ronnie melck

The Wine Show Durban – Top 10 Tips

19 November, 2012 by Wotz Leave a Comment

The Wine Show Durban is only 4 days away taking place from 23 – 25 November 2012 at the Durban Exhibition Centre and will offer KZN residents the opportunity to sample wines from over 60 estates. For first time visitors it can be daunting to decide which wines to try, which to buy and what questions to ask. The Wine Show aims to demystify wines for all and ensure that wine connoisseurs and novices alike find new favourites amongst the wines on offer. To make sure your experience of The Wine Show is fun and enjoyable we spoke with the people from The Wine Show and compiled top ten tips to help you navigate the show like a pro: Take a look at the Show Map to familiarise yourself with the layout and find out where your

Tagged With: durban, The Wine Show Durban, Top Ten Tips, Wine

The Wine Show Durban 2012

8 November, 2012 by Wotz Leave a Comment

This November, wine-loving Durbanites can look forward to tasting some of SA’s best wines at The Wine Show Durban. Following on the success of The Wine Show Joburg and PE, the inaugural Durban event will take place from 23 – 25 November at the Durban Exhibition Centre and will see over 60 wineries gathered under one roof. “Since launching in 2006, The Wine Show has become known as a show for all South Africans with its unique blend of edutainment, colourful stands, mouth-watering food and a selection of SA’s finest wineries. The relaxed atmosphere allows wine-lovers the opportunity to hear about the stories behind their favourite wines, giving them a new appreciation for the hard work and

Tagged With: durban, Durban Exhibition, Durban Exhibition Centre, The Wine Show Durban, Wine, Wine Festivals