This year has flown by. We are almost at the end of October but it feels as though we should still be in the middle of the year.
The vineyards have budded really early and looks like we are about two to three weeks ahead of the normal growing cycle and that means a very early harvest. The vineyards are looking healthy and have now almost finished flowering in all cultivars. Flowering normally takes place during late October and early November so we are indeed very early. We are therefore flat out in the winery getting everything serviced and the winery ready for the 2027 harvest. This means while everyone will still be enjoying the wonderful January sunshine, we will be already be busy picking and crushing grapes to make some more delicious wine for you.
The competition season is also almost over, and I am very happy to say that we have again done very well and we had our best ever results at the Veritas awards. We have again received the award for the best small producer with 10 entries and less and managed to receive no less than 4 Double Gold, 4 Gold, 1 Silver Outstanding ( almost Gold?) and a bronze medal. We will be celebrating on the weekend of 27 and 28 November with a function on the Friday and Saturday as we always sell out so fast for the one day and we would like to give more of our club members a chance to come and celebrate with us.
I will be heading off to the cold and wet UK on the 14th of November for an 11-day trip to go and present our wines to the trade and consumers. I will be heading up North in the UK to Durham, then further North into Scotland to host tastings in Edinburgh and Glasgow. From there it is back down South to Knutsford and thereafter Manchester. The last few days of my trip will be spent in Colchester, London and Cheltenham before heading back home. It will be a full program and looking forward to introducing Flagstone to some new potential customers and consumers and seeing a few new places with names that I did not even know exists!
I have also been doing quite a few tastings this year travelled to Johanneburg earlier this year to support our sales team there, then a tasting in a cold and wet Bloemfontein mid-September and also visited the beautiful town of Pringle Bay earlier this month. The sales team has also been putting a lot of hours and kilometres in making sure our wines get in front of customers and consumers. Now you may ask why all of this effort. Well, if you have not read somewhere in the news about it, the global wine industry is under immense pressure as wine consumption keeps on declining. It is as the saying, “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going” and “Tough times never last, but tough people do”. This is therefore not the time to sit back and hope for the best, but the time to put feet on the ground and push forward.
I would like to say a Big Thank You to everyone that keeps on supporting Flagstone and help us do what we love the most and that is to make delicious wines.
Cheers until next time.
Gerhard Swart
Another trophy for Flagstone
We're proud to announce that our Dragon Tree Cape Blend 2023 has been named a 2026 Perold Absa Cape Blend winner! This prestigious recognition is another exciting achievement for Flagstone and a celebration of the quality and character of this distinctly South African blend. A fantastic addition to the Dragon Tree story!
95 Points for Our Paradigm Chenin Blanc!
Our Paradigm Chenin Blanc 2025 has earned an impressive 95 points and a place in the Top 10 of the Winemag.co.za Old Vine Report 2026! Crafted from old bush vines planted in 1979, this recognition celebrates the remarkable heritage of these vineyards and the dedication of our winemaking team, led by Gerhard Swart and Mia Boonzaier.
Meet our newest four-legged ambassador
A huge thank you to everyone who submitted name suggestions for our new Anatolian Shepherd puppy! We received so many fun, creative and unique ideas, and after a vote, we’re excited to announce that our puppy’s name is Velvet!
Congratulations to our wine club member Tim for the winning suggestion!
We look forward to sharing more about this exciting journey with Cheetah Outreach. Welcome to the Flagstone family, Velvet!
Wine on promotion: Thursday 29th – Sunday 8 November
- The Surge Sauvignon Blanc 2024
- Treaty Tree Red 2022
- Longitude Red Blend 2025
- Poetry Sauvignon Blanc 2026
- Da Luca Sparkling Rosé
Click HERE to shop now.
Upcoming food and wine Pop-up Events
Join us at the Flagstone Tasting Room as Chefs Mark & Mo serve up two exciting new menus, perfectly paired with the opportunity to enjoy your favourite Flagstone wines.
Upcoming Pop-Up Dates:
- Friday, 30 & Saturday, 31 October
- Friday, 6 & Saturday, 7 November
Bookings are essential!
To reserve your spot, contact us at flagstone.wines@vinarchy.com or call the Flagstone Tasting Room directly: 021 850 5891
