If you are planning a wine tour later on to South Africa, the best way to prepare is to drink South African wines. We have many favourites. Read below about four excellent producers we sometimes (or regularly) visit on our tours to South Africa.
- Glenwood, Franschhoek
- Stark-Condé, Stellenbosch
- Post House, Stellenbosch
- The Ahrens Family, Paarl
Glenwood Vineyards, Franschhoek
We highly recommend Glenwood in Franschhoek. The winemaker, DP Burger, always has new projects and ideas going on and he tells you about them with great enthusiasm. Glenwood is located in the gorgeous valley called Roberstvlei. The vineyard is surrounded by mountains and on part of the property DP and the owner, Alistair Wood is reintroducing the native fynbos flora which is so important for the insects and the birds.
We can pretty much recommend all wines from Glenwood. Here are some favourites:
Glenwood Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon
Franschhoek, ~12-15 euro
8 hours of skin contact and 7 months ageing on the lees. A fresh, citrusy nose from Sauvignon and a lovely mouthfeel from Semillon.
Glenwood Grand Duc Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc 2016
Franschhoek, ~20 euro
Fermented with wild yeast and 15 months oak ageing on the lees. Full-bodied and structured with some fatness, ripe fruit and a nice and fresh finish.
Glenwood Grand Duc Chardonnay 2017
Franschhoek, ~35 euro
12 months of oak ageing with 60% new barrels. Fermented with wild yeast. Superb classic Chardonnay style with well-integrated oak aromas.
Glenwood Shiraz Vigneron’s Selection 2017
Franschhoek, ~15 euro
Aromas of spices and dark berries dominate this structured and concentrated wine made from small, ripe grapes.
The Ahrens Family Wines, Paarl
Albert Ahrens has his cellar in Paarl but the grapes come from different wine regions in the Western Cape. His OVC, a superb Chenin Banc with delicious honey notes, comes from Bottelary, a sub-region (ward) of Stellenbosch that has gained some fame lately.
Whiteblack is another lovely white made with a south of France grape blend: Roussanne, Marsanne and Grenache Blanc. The grapes come from Voor-Paardeberg, a hot and dry region just north of Paarl.
Among the reds, look for Black, a wine from Swartland made with Syrah, Carignan, Grenache and Cinsault. It is complex and rich yet juicy and very drinkable.
The Ahrens Family OVC 2017, Bottelary, Stellenbosch, ~30-35 euro
The Ahrens Family Whiteblack 2017, Voor-Paardeberg, ~30 euro
The Ahrens Family Black 2016, Swartland, ~30 euro
Post House, Stellenbosch
At Post House, many of the wines are named after a specific stamp. There is, of course, a sweet wine called Treskilling Yellow, named after the world-famous Swedish three skilling banco. All names have some connection to the postal world for the simple reason that the house used to be a post office in the old days. The wines are mostly red and they are rich and flavourful.
Stark-Condé, Stellenbosch
Another of our favourite producers is Stark-Condé in the fantastically beautiful Jonkershoek Valley in Stellenbosch. The estate’s flagship wine is the magnificent Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon from a small vineyard with granite soil. The White Field Blend is a blend of Roussanne, Chenin Blanc, Viognier and Verdelho. The grapes are picked and fermented together as they should be in a true field blend. A beautiful wine where the fullness of Roussanne and Viognier meet the freshness of Chenin and Verdelho.
Stark-Condé The Field Blend 2018, ~15 euro
Stark-Condé Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, ~35 euro
We recommend the entire Stark-Condé range.
