It came as a big surprise when a wooded Cabernet Sauvignon won the top spot as the best young wine of the 2024 vintage at the SA Young Wine Show. The article detailing the full results was wine.co.za's biggest story of the year.
"For the second successive year a wooded Cabernet Sauvignon – this time from Diemersdal Estate in Durbanville – excelled by clinching the prestigious General Smuts Trophy as overall SA Champion Young Wine of 2024, after also being named as the country’s Best Cabernet Sauvignon (wooded) at the SA Young Wine Show... Perdeberg Wines bagged the Pietman Hugo Trophy for the winery achieving the most points with its five best entries – this being the first time that Perdeberg wins this trophy."
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Wine tourism was a hot topic in 2024. Our most-read article on wine tourism was this round-up of some of the best wine farms in Stellenbosch.
"One of the most spectacular places to visit in Cape Town and a must, if you love wine, is the Stellenbosch Wine Routes, with its vineyards set against the incredible mountain range. This place is known for its range of grape varieties and the exceptional quality of its wines. Let’s take a look at the top Stellenbosch wine farms you have to visit."
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The South African Winelands is taking the wine world by storm, with critics having only high praise for many producers. Waterford Estate talks about the part its Cabernet Sauvignon plays in bolstering this reputation.
"Waterford Estate’s cellarmaster Mark le Roux reflects on the South African wine industry and what makes Waterford Estate unique saying, 'Selling wine with a beverage mindset is challenging – selling South Africa, our history, our culture, our diversity, our story, our passion, our uniqueness is the key to success. By understanding the value in this is what makes our business profitable and viable.' Waterford Estate is proud to be a part of the Stellenbosch Winelands and represents this region by producing Cabernet Sauvignon that truly expresses the region's terroir."
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Diemersdal Estate released its coveted Sauvignon Blanc Reserve from the 2024 vintage in June – a wine release that was clearly much anticipated.
"Diemersdal Estate, the multi award-winning wine estate in Durbanville, has just released its coveted Sauvignon Blanc Reserve from the 2024 vintage, a wine of exceptional exuberance and expression of cool-climate Durbanville terroir. Proprietor-winemaker Thys Louw says the 2024 vintage delivered exceptional quality Sauvignon Blanc, despite warm to hot conditions experienced in December and early January ahead of the harvest."
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The results of the 2024 Perold Absa Cape Blend Awards and Pinotage Rosé Awards were announced in end-September.
"This Heritage Month, the 2024 Absa Perold Cape Blend and Pinotage Rosé Awards mark a celebration of South Africa's dynamic and evolving wine culture, paying tribute to the pioneers who have propelled these uniquely South African wine styles to global prominence. These awards recognise not only the innovation behind Cape Blends and Pinotage Rosés but also the enduring vision of winemakers dedicated to advancing South Africa’s wine heritage."
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The launch of the new Go Wellington hub heralds a renaissance of a revitalised food, wine and tourism route in the Cape Winelands. Graham Howe gives the low-down.
"Under an hour’s drive from Cape Town, Wellington is a historic gateway to the Cape Winelands. A dozen leading wine cellars from the wine district came together recently to celebrate the launch of gowellington.co.za, a multi-dimensional food, wine and tourism website linking wineries, guest lodges, restaurants, and adventure tourism operators in the heart of the Boland. In the old days, Wellington was known as Limietberg, named after the furthest limit you could ride by horseback in a day. Well, these days it's a short hop on a tourist day trip from Cape Town."
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From Norma Ratcliffe to Beverly Farmer, wine writer Isabeau Botha shares the stories of some of the remarkable women making a difference in the Winelands.
"In 1984, Norma Ratcliffe, co-founder of Warwick Wine Estate, produced her first wine, illegally, in a dairy. Often hailed as the 'First Lady' of the South African wine industry, Norma became the first woman to join and chair the Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG). Forty years later, women in South Africa's wine industry are no longer a rarity. From winemakers and sommeliers to viticulturists, writers, entrepreneurs, and landowners, women increasingly hold positions of power – earned through merit."
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In September Liquid Icons, the Gérard Basset Foundation, and Taylor's Port announced the recipients of the international Taylor's Port Golden Vines Diversity Scholarship.
"Liquid Icons, the Gérard Basset Foundation and Taylor’s Port are delighted to announce the winners of the 2024 Taylor’s Port Golden Vines® Diversity Scholarships. Since 2021, these Scholarships have offered financial support, guidance, mentorship and incredible internship opportunities for individuals interested in undertaking the MW (Master of Wine) and MS (Master Sommelier) programmes. Each Taylor’s Port Scholarship offers the winner funding for their studies and to undertake their choice of internships from an extensive list of providers."
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Few tawny ports have become as entrenched as the go-to choice for South Africans, as the expression produced by Boplaas.
"Tawny port is characterised by a golden-brown colour and nutty, fruitcake flavours imparted by their maturation in barrels. In these vessels, gradual oxidation and evaporation both define and concentrate its flavours and aromas. The popularity and esteem of Boplaas tawnies, however, can be directly linked to a combination of unique factors."
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In tenth place, Daily Maverick's article looks at how high production costs have forced 40% of local wine producers into losses.
"There are two tales to tell about SA’s R57-billion wine industry. On one hand, consumption of wine in SA has recovered over the past two years, telling a story of robust growth and exuberance in the industry. Most of the consumption growth came after the end of Covid restrictions, which barred sales of wine and induced a drought across the country from 2020 to 2021. On the other hand, there is also a story of wine farms across SA still facing profitability problems despite the resurgence of wine sales and consumption."
Click HERE to read the article.
Interested in writing for wine.co.za in 2025? We welcome all writers to submit articles to us, whether you're an industry expert or a budding food and wine writer. Email Jeanine, our news editor, at editor@wine.co.za.