What I Drank Last Night

Judging of the Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Semillon and Viognier categories  to be reported on in the November issue of WINE magazine was completed earlier today. The panel consisted of Ginette de Flueriot of Wineworx, KWV winemaker Johann Fourie, wine writer Angela Lloyd, restaurateur Jonathan Steyn and me.  WINE journalist Jeanri-Tine van Zyl officiated as an associate judge. [...]

The luxurious and consequently not inexpensive Grande Roche in Paarl might have been an incongruous venue to judge entries submitted for inclusion in WINE magazine’s 2010 Best Value Wine Guide but pleasurable even so. With the process complete by lunch time yesterday, hotel GM Gawie Marx treated his fellow panel members to lunch on the [...]

Tasting for WINE magazine’s 2010 Best Value Wine Guide  began this week, entries for possible inclusion amounting to 969 compared to 1 093 in 2009. Judges include Christine Rudman CWM in the capacity of floating chair, Carrie Adams of Johannesburg retailer Norman Goodfellows, Ginette de Fleuriot of Wineworx, Gawie Marx, general manager of the Grande [...]

This year’s Bordeaux-style red blend tasting to be reported on in the September issue of WINE magazine  has attracted 115 submissions compared to 123 in 2009. The panel is myself, Ginette de Fleuriot of Wineworx, Charles Hopkins, winemaker at De Grendell in Durbanville, Bernard Le Roux, winemaker at Noble Hill in Paarl and restarateur Jonathan [...]