The Blog
Guides, stories, and insights from the world of wine. Explore our collection of articles on regions, grapes, food pairing, and more.
Buying Guides4 min read
Two bottles, one cellar: a blend and a Shiraz
The Darling Cellars Cabernet Merlot and its Black Granite stablemate come off the same West Coast hills. They ask you for completely different evenings.
13 August 2026
Buying Guides4 min read
A present for the friend who thinks they hate Merlot
False Bay's Peacock Wild Ferment Merlot is the bottle to put in someone's hands when you want them to be genuinely, quietly delighted. Here's who it lands with, and why.
12 August 2026
Grape Guides5 min read
How to spot Cabernet Sauvignon blind, in one glass
Cabernet gives itself away by structure before flavour. Boekenhoutskloof's Stellenbosch bottling is about the clearest lesson in the grape you can pour at home.
11 August 2026
Wine Education4 min read
South African Syrah isn't just a warmer Shiraz
The belief is that Cape Syrah is Shiraz with the heating turned up. A pale copper rosé, made without a stick of oak, is a surprisingly honest place to test that.
10 August 2026
Wine Education4 min read
Ten minutes with Reyneke Organic Red
A slow-motion guide to the first ten minutes of a bottle: what to look for, in what order, and what each thing quietly tells you about how the wine was grown and made.
9 August 2026
Seasonal4 min read
A red for the last of the British barbecue weather
August can't decide between shirtsleeves and jumpers, and neither can the table. Spice Route's Swartland Mourvedre handles both.
8 August 2026
Buying Guides4 min read
If your midweek red usually comes from France
You already reach for Shiraz, Cinsault and Mourvedre without knowing it. Here's how the Cape version of that habit lines up, and where it goes its own way.
7 August 2026
Food & Wine4 min read
Lamb chops, rosemary, and one bottle from Stellenbosch
An August dinner that straddles summer and autumn, from the first sprig of rosemary in the pan to the last inch left in the glass.
7 August 2026
Grape Guides5 min read
South African Shiraz: the Cape's answer to the Rhone
From Swartland bush vines to polished Stellenbosch estates, South African Shiraz offers power with restraint and ripeness with spice.
20 January 2026
Sparkling4 min read
South African sparkling wine: Cap Classique explained
From the cool slopes of Elgin to the coastal winds of Walker Bay, South Africa quietly makes some of the world's best value traditional-method sparkling wine.
16 January 2026
Buying Guides4 min read
The perfect case of wine: why six bottles beat one
From regional showcases to entertaining cases, a case of wine is the gift that keeps going. Here is how to pick the right one.
31 October 2024
Seasonal4 min read
South African wines for Christmas: festive pairings from the Cape
From Cap Classique to bold Pinotage, how South African wines earn their place on the Christmas table.
23 October 2024
Heritage4 min read
Sedgwick's Old Brown Sherry: South Africa's winter classic
For more than a century this deep amber fortified wine has been keeping South Africans warm through winter nights. Here is why "OB's" earns a place in your drinks cabinet.
22 October 2024
Producers3 min read
Boekenhoutskloof: the estate behind your favourite everyday wines
From The Chocolate Block to The Wolftrap, how this Franschhoek estate became one of South Africa's most trusted names, and why UK drinkers keep going back.
28 February 2024
Grape Guides3 min read
Sweet red wine from South Africa: a guide for UK drinkers
Why South African sweet reds are winning over British palates, and how they pair with everything from a Sunday roast to a chocolate pudding.
27 February 2024
Regions4 min read
Stellenbosch wine: a guide to South Africa's premier region
From historic estates to modern cellars, Stellenbosch has set the standard for South African wine for three centuries. Here is what makes it work.
30 August 2023
Producers4 min read
The Chocolate Block: South Africa's cult Syrah blend
Why Boekenhoutskloof's flagship red became a must-have for UK drinkers looking for bold, distinctive South African character.
3 August 2023
Grape Guides5 min read
South African grape varieties: a guide to the Cape's key grapes
From Pinotage to Chenin Blanc, the grapes that define South African wine and what each one actually tastes like.
16 May 2023
Producers3 min read
Goats do Roam: the story behind Fairview's most playful range
How a herd of goats wandering through Paarl vineyards inspired one of the Cape's best-known labels, and why it is more than a clever name.
30 April 2023
Producers3 min read
Fairview: where goats, cheese and good wine meet in Paarl
Charles Back's Fairview has been shaking up South African wine for decades. Here is why this Paarl estate deserves a place on your table.
29 April 2023
Grape Guides4 min read
South African Malbec: the Cape's dark horse red
Argentina made Malbec famous. South Africa is quietly making its own version, and it is earthier, more savoury and considerably less discovered.
8 April 2023
Grape Guides4 min read
South African Sauvignon Blanc: the Cape's cool-climate whites
From Constantia's ocean breezes to Elgin's mountain slopes, South African Sauvignon Blanc is finally getting the recognition it deserves in the UK.
5 April 2023
Producers3 min read
Primordial Soup: the South African red blend that breaks the rules
This Western Cape blend throws Shiraz, Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon together in a wine as characterful as its name. Here is why it is worth your attention.
4 April 2023
Sparkling4 min read
Blanc de blancs: South Africa's pure Chardonnay sparklers
The Cape's blanc de blancs offer elegance, complexity and real value, all from Chardonnay and all made by the same method as Champagne.
1 April 2023
Grape Guides4 min read
Clairette Blanche: South Africa's forgotten white grape
Once dismissed as old-fashioned, this ancient Cape variety is quietly winning over winemakers and drinkers who value character over fashion.
14 March 2023
Producers3 min read
False Bay wines: South African character at everyday prices
Waterkloof's accessible range proves that good Cape wine does not have to be expensive, and the Peacock Wild Ferment bottles are the pick of it.
8 March 2023
Grape Guides4 min read
South African red blends: Cape blends and beyond
From Pinotage-led Cape blends to Bordeaux-style classics and Swartland Rhone styles, here is how to tell South Africa's red blends apart.
7 March 2023
Grape Guides4 min read
South African white wines: a guide to the Cape's finest
From bone-dry Chenin Blanc to rich Cape blends, South African whites offer something genuinely different. Here is what UK drinkers need to know.
6 March 2023
Travel5 min read
Wine tourism in South Africa: from Cape Town to the winelands
Planning a wine trip to the Cape? Here is how to choose regions, plan a route, and bring the good bottles home.
16 January 2023
Heritage5 min read
The story of South African wine, from Cape Colony to now
Three and a half centuries of winemaking have shaped South Africa into one of the world's most interesting wine countries. Here is how it happened.
13 January 2023
Food & Wine4 min read
South African wine and food pairing for UK tables
From Cape Malay curries to Sunday roasts, how South African wines work with the food you actually cook.
12 January 2023
Regions5 min read
The wine regions of South Africa, from Stellenbosch to Swartland
South Africa's wine regions run from cool coastal valleys to sun-baked inland plains, and each one has its own character and story.
30 December 2022
Grape Guides6 min read
South African Chenin Blanc: from Steen to superstar
Why South Africa's most planted white grape has won over drinkers from the Cape to the UK, and how to find the bottle that suits you.
30 December 2022
Grape Guides5 min read
What exactly is South African Pinotage?
From bold and smoky to coffee-scented styles, Pinotage divides opinion like no other grape. Here is why South Africa's signature variety is winning over UK drinkers.
1 November 2022
Grape Guides5 min read
South African red wine: a complete guide to the Cape's finest
From Stellenbosch Cabernet to Swartland Syrah, here is why South African reds are winning over UK drinkers with bold flavours, real value and genuine character.
26 October 2022
Producers4 min read
The history of Waterkloof: from Sheep Mountain to biodynamic pioneer
How a windswept hill above False Bay became home to one of South Africa's most committed organic estates, and why its Seriously Cool Chenin Blanc sells so well here.
21 September 2022
Buying Guides4 min read
How to buy South African wine online in the UK
From Stellenbosch Cabernet to Swartland Chenin Blanc, where to find the good bottles and how to choose well.
21 September 2022