This is a photographic record of our three day attendance at the show.
The event was open only to members and affiliates of the wine industry
Pre-registration was essential and the proof of
registration given to the staff members gave us our media passes
The cheerful Information ladies
An clever interactive board at the entrance helped visitors to find the stands they were looking for
We headed straight for Speakers Corner
where the Seminar on Sauvignon Blanc was being addressed by Michael Fridjhon
Lynne, luckily, was sent to the last seat, in the front nogal!
Very interesting and precise descriptions of the wines by Michael, showing their differences
He told us that Sauvignon Blanc is the white variety that is in most in demand at the high end of South African dry wines
In 2023 122,000 tons were produced
A very interested crowd with many foreign visitors attending.
We began with the Four year old 2021 Strandveld Pofadderbos from Elim, Cape Agulhas region,
as far south in Africa as you can get
Green pyrazines & capsicum notes with wood hints first, hints of blackcurrant, lovely deep layers of fruit on the nose and continued on the palate with crispness from the good acidity and a fullness on the palate. Still fresh and has aged well and will continue
Iona Monopole 2022 Sauvignon Blanc from Elgin which is from one of the true cool climate regions of the Cape
This wine had pyrazines on the nose with very good elegant fruit. Surprises on the palate with crisp capsicum, fullness, length and depth with wood on the end. A little tropical from the late harvest, mid-March to early April, that is necessary in this area
This shows six of our best examples from different regions to showcase how many styles we have, climate and soils have such a good effect on wines in the Cape
Next was the Diemersdal 2023 The Globe from the Durbanville area
Tropical notes, ripe fruit and elegance on the nose. Full on the long-lasting palate, where green meets tropical fruit
This wine is built to last, has good minerality and is a wine to pair with food
The Black Swan from Steenberg in our cool Constantia area has green pepper, citrus, and smoke and lingers
Lime, lemon, length, elegance and deep fruit continue to open up on the palate
Classic Chardonnay character with lots of wood on the end adds structure
Alvi's Drift 2023 from the warm Wellington area over the mountains, has huge plantings
Smoke, ripeness, tropical notes of interest then minerality from the limestone soil
Silky on the palate, soft and unctuous with intense lime, lemon, ripe melon and pineapple
No pyrazines. It is wooded, but just for support
The final wine was an oaked Sauvignon Blanc from Stellenbosch, the Stark-Conde 2024
So perfumed with white blossoms and citrus. On the palate, shy at first then the fruit appears
Rounded and tropical from the heat, but followed by crisp acidity and length, another food wine
After a very good tasting, it was time to explore the vast halls of Cape Wine 2025
Conrad Vlok of Strandveld Vineyards and Johan Malan of Simonsig
Michael Fridjhon with a visiting wine trade member
Lynne with wine educator Linda Binns
David Finlayson's new Semillon Gris. We have seen and tasted a few of this varietal and are impressed,
definitely a good grape for warmer climates, it has layers of flavour
Kathy Grier CWM with Nora Thiel of Delheim - the T shirt applies to both!
The Spier stand, so many wines to try
Time for lunch. Such smiling staff with hard jobs
in the cafeteria, we managed to find a table and ate a reasonably priced hamburger,
which soaked up some of the tastings
The Certified Organic producers had got together on one stand where one could taste these very well produced wines
Tasting organic winemaker Sophie Germanier's wines
Lisa Goodwin with her Fryer's Cove wines. We so intend to go up there again for a break and will visit
Such good wines come from that distant area up the West Coast
A J Nel showing Vilafonte and gives us another chance to taste these expensive and excellent wines
Narina Cloete, winemaker at Blaauwklippen with wine consultant Billie Lambrechts
Gus Dale of Elgin Vintners. We remember tasting with Gus when he worked in the Hemel and Aarde Ridge,
where he was producing such impressive wines, and now he is doing the same at Elgin Vintners
Jacques du Plessis, Oak Valley winemaker
We do buy their wines quite regularly as they are special and go so well with food,
especially the Fountain of Youth Sauvignon Blanc
Sometimes getting to taste at the counter was quite difficult as the wines are so popular
Evan Alexander of Boekenhoutskloof, showing their New Zealand Sauvignon import to German delegates
Talented Donovan Rall whose wines for the Cape Winemasters Guild have received amazing scores this year,
was showing his excellent, crafted wines on the Zoo stand where we had a lot of fun over the three days
A group of very good wine makers had banded together (again) to showcase their wines with great humour and fun
It works, people are attracted and enjoy the experience of tasting and the fun
On the first day they had all dressed up as 1970 wine makers
We nearly didn't recognise Miles Mossop with his side whiskers and straight laced formal look,
so different from Miles' usual laid back surfer look
A meeting space to do business or just rest a while
This is just one small lane of stands
Pierre Wahl, Overhex and Survivor Wines cellarmaster
Beaumont Family Wines owner/winemaker Sebastian Beaumont
and Jennifer Pearson, who is responsible for their sales and marketing
De Wet Viljoen, winemaker at Wildekrans in Botrivier
Vinimark's busy stand
Denise Stubbs MD of Thokozani meeting delegates
South Africa Wine is the national body representing wine grape producers, cellars, wine-related businesses
and wholesalers
Berene Sauls and her son showing her Chardonnay and Pinot noir; her farm is in Tesselaarsdal
Margaux Nel of Boplaas showed us her White Port,
completely delicious for drinking before or after a meal or for drinking with tonic as an aperitif
and their collection of good wines and Ports which consistently do well in competitions
Bruwer Raats and Nick Pentz
Nick told us that his father Peter "The Old Man" was seriously ill
We learned later with great sadness that he had died soon after the show ended
Andrew Baker speaking to JC Martin of Creation Wines in the Hemel en Aarde Ridge
Dave Nel on the Zoo stand with the great wines made by Peter-Allan Finlayson
Duncan Savage on the Zoo Stand. On day three they all appeared in formal attire, SO Soigné
Duncan, Miles Mossop and Peter-Allan Finlayson impressed us so much with their wines (and their costumes!)
Doekie miesies!
Lynne laughed so much while returning each day to taste more superb wines on the Zoo stand
that she was gifted their scarf
Restauranteur chef Harald Bresselschmidt of Aubergine restaurant speaking to a member of Yellowwood Winery
Aubergine was celebrating its 30th anniversary
Harald was off to London next day to receive his Guiding Spirit Award for Wine in Hospitality,
awarded to restaurants with the world's best wine lists and cellars
The Guiding Spirit Awards for Wine in Hospitality 2025, sponsored by T-Oinos, were awarded to Harald Bresselschmidt,
chef and owner of Aubergine Restaurant in Cape Town, Doug Govan of Victory Hotel, Sellicks Hill, South Australia
Ho Kin Fung of Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant in Singapore,
leading sommelier and natural wine advocate Pascaline Lepeltier,
Valeria Mortara of Anchoita Restaurant in Buenos Aires
and Josep Roca, head sommelier of three Michelin-starred restaurant El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Catalonia
The Hogan wine stand
De Wetshof with their splendid selection of seven Chardonnays, a Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc and Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Merlot, Rosé and Noble Late Harvest. Always impressive
Happy smiles from the Meerendal team
Herman and Aletta Coertze, owners of Meerendal, Marisa van Rensburg, Logistics and Export Manager
and Wade Roger-Lund, GM and winemaker
LRJ with winemakers Tanya Beutler, Mary Lou Nash CWM, friends in the wine industry
The busy PIWOSA stand
PIWOSA is the acronym of Premium Independent Wineries of South Africa
PIWOSA members Gary and Kathy Jordan looking Spring-like and promoting their Jordan wines
Someone insisted on taking a photo of us together, it is not a regular occurrence!
And it is a good photo, even John was looking older than he felt
A few members of the support team who made it all happen
Liesl Cluver Rust on the Paul Cluver stand
Johnathan Grieve, owner of Avondale organic wine estate in Paarl with his trademark hat
Farmers need the right equipment
It was the last afternoon and Lynne was almost prepared to climb aboard and drive this home. Sadly, no licence...
Pieter Carstens of Leeuwenkuil giving us our last tasting of the exhibition and what a corker it was !
( East End slang for great, nothing to do with corks....)
We think that this was a very, very good exhibition and hope that the expectation of good business was fulfilled,
the SA wine industry certainly worked their socks off
Here's hoping Canada shows interest in taking the wine destined for that other North American colony without a 30% tariff
All the stories we have produced since 2012 can be opened from the archive list
near the top of the column on the right of this page
