May 31, 2012 Issue
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Alphabetical Listing
Posted: May 31, 2012
May 31, 2012 Issue
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Tasting Reports
South Africa’s rich array of high quality wines waits to be discovered
Posted: May 31, 2012 By James Molesworth
Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
The South African wines importer still sees a bright future after a long, hard road
Posted: February 1, 2012 By James Molesworth
I sat down with André Shearer, chairman of South African importer Cape Classics, Inc., to talk about selling South African wines in the competetive American and Asian markets. The youthful looking 50-year-old father of three lives in Somerset West, speaks with a gentle South African accent (he was born in Johannesburg) and is now celebrating his 20th year importing South African wine into the U.S. market. His company accounts for one in every three bottles of South African wine in the U.S. and exclusively represents 20 brands, including top names such as Thelema, Mulderbosch, Kanonkop and Ken Forrester. Here are excerpts from our conversation.
News & Features
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News
Report finds inhumane worker conditions, but investigators visited 0.5 percent of grape farms
Posted: September 27, 2011 By Mitch Frank
News & Features
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Tasting Highlights
Some of South Africa's best, rarest and experimental wines can be yours through the 2011 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction
Posted: September 23, 2011 By James Molesworth
Aug. 31, 2011 Issue
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News
Posted: August 31, 2011 By Alison Napjus, James Molesworth
Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
The winemaker’s Ataraxia label makes its return to the U.S. market
Posted: August 1, 2011 By James Molesworth
Apologies for the rather quiet blog recently. I've had my nose to the grindstone, or at least to the Riedel glass, as I'm in the midst of an intensive tasting period working my way through the bulk of Rhône wines for my annual report, slated to appear near the end of the year as usual. While I've still got a ways to go, it's clear that 2009 provides the best buying opportunity for ageworthy Northern Rhône reds since the superb 2005 vintage. Stay tuned for more on those ….
I did manage to take a short break from the tasting room to catch up with Kevin Grant, winemaker and owner of South Africa's Ataraxia winery, which is now back in the U.S. market after a short hiatus. Ataraxia is one of the small, top-quality producers that's been head-scratchingly absent from the U.S. market, along with the likes of Kevin Arnold's Waterford Estate and Beyers Truter's Beyerskloof.
News & Features
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Tasting Highlights
New reviews of Cabernets, Syrahs and more, all priced at $25 or less
Posted: July 1, 2011 By James Molesworth
News & Features
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Tasting Highlights
New reviews of diverse and delicious wines from the Cape region
Posted: June 24, 2011 By James Molesworth
News & Features
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News
A first look at vintage quality in South Africa, with eyewitness reports from growers and winemakers
Posted: June 3, 2011
May 31, 2011 Issue
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Alphabetical Listing
Posted: May 31, 2011
May 31, 2011 Issue
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Features
Eight small producers offering variety and value
Posted: May 31, 2011 By James Molesworth
May 31, 2011 Issue
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Tasting Reports
Quality and diversity are on the rise, but South African wines still struggle for recognition
Posted: May 31, 2011 By James Molesworth
News & Features
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News
Investment bankers buy historic Cape peninsula property
Posted: May 27, 2011 By James Molesworth
Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
The octagenarian former owner of Château Pichon-Longueveille-Lalande moves full speed ahead on her new South African project
Posted: May 24, 2011 By James Molesworth
Though she doesn’t come to the U.S. as often as she did during her heyday running Pauillac’s famed Château Pichon-Longueville-Lalande, May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, who twice lived in Kansas when her husband, a French military officer, was stationed at Fort Leavenworth, still loves it when she does visit. "We were in the middle of the country, but far from everything," said de Lencquesaing, who stopped by the Wine Spectator office today. "So we traveled when we could, often to Napa to visit wineries." Her love of wine paid dividends when de Lencquesaing was eventually asked by her family to return to France and run the Bordeaux property, starting in 1978.
Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
Catching up with Chilean winemaker Adolfo Hurtado and South Africa's Neil Patterson
Posted: May 19, 2011 By James Molesworth
I had a few winemakers come through the office the week before last, on their way to pour their wines at Wine Spectator's 2011 Grand Tour, which stopped in Chicago, Las Vegas and Boston this year. I sat down separately with both Chile's Adolfo Hurtado, winemaker at Viña Cono Sur, and South Africa's Neil Patterson of L'Ormarins.
News & Features
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News
Johann Rupert will acquire the vineyards, cellar and winery of its longtime neighbor in Franschoek
Posted: March 1, 2011 By Robert Taylor
News & Features
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News
Former Screaming Eagle co-owner's Terroir Capital buys leading South Africa producer
Posted: December 14, 2010 By Augustus Weed
Nov. 30, 2010 Issue
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Savvy Shopper
Posted: November 30, 2010 By Bruce Sanderson
News & Features
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Features
Leading producers explain the evolution of their country’s wines
Posted: November 2, 2010 By Augustus Weed
