Fiona McDonald | wine.co.za

Fiona McDonald

Trained journalist and now freelance writer, Fiona McDonald is the former Editor of WINE magazine (2000 - 2008), Whisky (2009 - 2011) and CHEERS magazine (2011 - 2023), and currently serves as the regional chair: South Africa at the Decanter World Wine Awards. She also tastes and writes for the annual Platter's South African Wine Guide.

Monday, 19 August, 2024

Planting seeds for future harvests

"Men never saw it coming... Not so long ago, the idea of a woman in the cellars would have been as unthinkable as the idea of a woman operating a baker's oven." - Jean-Robert Pitte

Thursday, 5 January, 2023

Stepping stones | #wineforgood

"You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." – Martin Luther King jnr

Wines of South Africa, Fiona McDonald

Monday, 28 November, 2022

Altering perceptions

George Bernard Shaw wrote: “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

Friday, 25 October, 2019

Hot ticket items

“Build it – and they will come.” It’s a line from the baseball movie, Field of Dreams, starring Kevin Costner. As Fiona McDonald writes, the premise is to do the groundwork and then watch the rewards roll in.

Tuesday, 30 April, 2019

#wineforgood: True friendships - Mzokona Mvemve & Bruwer Raats and Black Elephant Vintners

Craft beer and spirit makers in South Africa are winning hearts and minds and ‘share of throat’ with authenticity and realism. More than one wine label is too, as Fiona McDonald writes.

Tuesday, 28 January, 2014

SA Success

Three South African wines were included in Decanter magazine's selection of the Top 50 wines of 2013.

Monday, 16 September, 2013

Mixing it up

The news that South African producers took four International Trophies at the Decanter World Wine Awards has provided a welcome boost for an industry in need of some positive input. This is a remarkable achievement in view of the fact that only 32 International Trophies are awarded overall – from a catchment pool of 14 382 entries.

Wednesday, 22 October, 2008

Coals to Newcastle

There's something quite ironic in travelling to Johannesburg for a media launch - and flying back to Cape Town with a wooden six-bottle case of wine.

Friday, 30 April, 2004

New award to raise the bar for local Shiraz

Encouraging the development of superlative South African Syrah

Friday, 26 March, 2004

Wine lovers - you be the judge!

Your opinion matters ...