Wow! It has been one great vine of a ride over the past year. My first post was for Klein Constantia on 27 November 2016. One hundred and eighty posts, 102 wines estates visited and 1,400 wines tasted later, the website has been viewed over 7,500 times by more than 4,000 visitors from 65 countries. Facebook and Instagram support has grown to over 225 and close to 550 members, respectively.

Thank you for your enthusiastic support and contributions. Not everything has worked out as I had hoped or expected but that comes from a new venture and adventure. The website is fast becoming the ‘Go To’ place for wine enthusiasts and visitors to access to decide where to visit or wines to buy. Even better, there’s no shortage of wine estates to visit so I shall have another busy year ahead. I have many more new ideas for the website too – more in the coming months.

The future looks hugely exciting with more creativity being shown by winemakers, unusual cultivar wines, or grape varieties being made in different styles. I am looking forward to tasting inter alia different white and red blends, wild yeast and barrel-fermented wines, Italian and Portuguese cultivars.

Meanwhile, and it has been mighty difficult to decide in many categories, here are the winners of the inaugural Cape Wine Lovers’ Society Annual Awards for 2017:

Best Overall Wines & Tasting Experience:
De Grendel, Durbanville

Best Wines:
Cavalli Wine & Stud Farm, Stellenbosch
Best Tasting Room Experience:
De Wetshof Estate, Robertson
Best Cellar Tasting Experience:
Hermanuspietersfontein, Hermanus
Best Tasting Room Activity:
Blending Wine at Excelsior Wine Estate, Robertson
Best Festival:
Wacky Wines Festival, Robertson
Best Small Producer:
Hout Bay Vineyards, Constantia
Best Hidden Gem:
Rainbow’s End Estate, Stellenbosch
Best Value for Money Wine Estate:
Uitkyk Wine Estate, Stellenbosch

Best MCC:
2013 Charles Fox Vintage Brut (Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir) – R240
Best White Wine:
2015 De Wetshof The Site Chardonnay – R190
Best Rosé:
2017 Cederberg Shiraz Rosé – R60
Best Red Wine:
2015 Delaire Graff Botmaskop (69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot, 3% Malbec) – R295
Best Dessert Wine:
2015 De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc Noble Late Harvest (375ml) – R130

Best White Blend:
2015 Cavalli Cremello (42% Chenin Blanc, 31% Chardonnay, 31% Verdelho) – R125
Best Red Blend:
2015 Delaire Graff Botmaskop (69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot, 3% Malbec) – R295
Best Organic Wine:
2013 Waverley Hills CW Reserve Shiraz – R195

Best Sauvignon Blanc:
2015 Silvermist Sauvignon Blanc – R150
Best Chenin Blanc:
2016 De Morgenzon DMZ Chenin Blanc – R90
Best Chardonnay:
2015 De Wetshof The Site Chardonnay – R190
Best Sémillon:
2015 Black Oystercatcher Reserve Wild Ferment Sémillon – R230
Best Unusual White Wine:
2016 Idiom Heritage Bianco di Stellenbosch Pinot Grigio – R125

Best Pinot Noir:
2016 Hamilton Russell Estate Pinot Noir – R440
Best Merlot:
2015 Rainbow’s End Merlot – R150
Best Pinotage:
2012 Seven Oaks 6 + 1 Pinotage – R95
Best Cabernet Franc:
2016 Rainbow’s End Limited Release Cabernet Franc – R300
Best Cabernet Sauvignon:
2014 Warwick Blue Lady Cabernet Sauvignon – R300
Best Syrah/Shiraz:
2014 La Vierge Anthelia Shiraz – R135
Best Unusual Red Wine:
2016 Arendsig Inspirational Batch No2 – Grenache – R150

Best General Wine Course:
Certificate Course, Cape Wine Academy
Best Specialist Wine Course:
The Shiraz Experience, La Motte

Best Wine Tour Accommodation:
Arum Lily Cottages, Wolseley