2023 Damascene | New Vintage Release

This cool and caressing semillon has notes of lemon and lime peel, sliced pears, honeysuckle and beeswax. It’s medium-bodied with lively acidity on the palate and plenty of texture too. Subtly leesy.This cool and caressing semillon has notes of lemon and lime peel, sliced pears, honeysuckle and beeswax. It’s medium-bodied with lively acidity on the palate and plenty of texture too. Subtly leesy. Drink or hold. Rating: 93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Nov 2024)

Jean Smit gets his Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc from three old-vine parcels in the Bottelary Hills on shale, Greywacke and granite soils. Mealy, waxy and stony, it's a savoury, bone-dry expressionJean Smit gets his Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc from three old-vine parcels in the Bottelary Hills on shale, Greywacke and granite soils. Mealy, waxy and stony, it's a savoury, bone-dry expression of the variety with lime and yellow apple flavours and a refreshing mineral core. The Stockinger foudres add a sheen of class. Drinking range: 2025 - 2031 Rating: 94 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Sept 2025)

"We don’t talk enough about structure in white wines," says Jean Smit, who set out to do something about it with this Paardeberg Chenin Blanc. Made with grapes from a vineyard planted between"We don’t talk enough about structure in white wines," says Jean Smit, who set out to do something about it with this Paardeberg Chenin Blanc. Made with grapes from a vineyard planted between 1971 and 1983, this has understated Austrian oak, top notes of straw and aniseed and a pithy, mouth-watering palate with granitic tension. Drinking range: 2026 - 2032 Rating: 94 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Sept 2025)

From a plot sourced from the Mooiplaas Farm. Shows complex aromatics of mint leaf, sweet leaf spice and a delicate herbaceousness, with an underlying tilled earth note, earthy red currant fruit,From a plot sourced from the Mooiplaas Farm. Shows complex aromatics of mint leaf, sweet leaf spice and a delicate herbaceousness, with an underlying tilled earth note, earthy red currant fruit, dusty minerality and subtle minty chocolate peppermint crisp nuances. The palate is cool and sleek, intense yet beautifully seductive and elegant, with velvety creamy tannins and a tangy, delicately fresh acidity. An atypical Cabernet Franc but utterly delicious! Rating: 94 Greg Sherwood MW (Nov 2024)

Complex notes of cherries, iron, cloves, aniseed and grilled meat follow through to a medium-bodied, chewy and substantial palate. Lots of grip and focus plus excellent freshness. Best from 2026.Complex notes of cherries, iron, cloves, aniseed and grilled meat follow through to a medium-bodied, chewy and substantial palate. Lots of grip and focus plus excellent freshness. Best from 2026. Drinking range: 2026 - Rating: 94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Nov 2024)

Dry land farmed from an east facing plot next to Goldmine and Roundstone with soils that are a mixture of brown shale and schist. Another 20% of fruit added from a granitic site on the JakkalsfonteinDry land farmed from an east facing plot next to Goldmine and Roundstone with soils that are a mixture of brown shale and schist. Another 20% of fruit added from a granitic site on the Jakkalsfontein farm with a 75% whole cluster portion. The aromatics show a lofty, piercing perfume, intensity and florality with violets, rose petals, waxy crayons, incense, potpourri, and vibrant red berries, cranberry, wild strawberry and pithy red currant fruits. The minerality is beautifully chalky with a graphite vein and a pithy, wet river pebble complexity. Seamless balance, harmonious and incredibly well made, finishing with a seductive black olive and red bramble berry intensity. Superb! Rating: 96 Greg Sherwood MW (Nov 2024)

The 2023 Syrah Ceres Plateau comes from Bokkeveld shale soils, planted at 1,000 meters in elevation and picked the day before the harvest rains. It incorporates 60% whole cluster and submerged capThe 2023 Syrah Ceres Plateau comes from Bokkeveld shale soils, planted at 1,000 meters in elevation and picked the day before the harvest rains. It incorporates 60% whole cluster and submerged cap maceration to soften the tannins, taken off the skins a little quicker than the other Syrahs. This has a "cool" bouquet, tightly wound at first but unfolding with black fruit, black olive, a touch of garrigue and melted tar. Very Old World in style, the palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins on the entry. Finely balanced, the 2023 is more compact on the finish than the Stellenbosch cuvée, therefore I would afford this three or four years in bottle. Drinking range: 2027 - 2042 Rating: 93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Sept 2024)