The virtues of open-mindedness tend to be overrated. I like the idea that the purpose of an open mind is much the same as that for having an open mouth - to close it on something nourishing. Read more

Agreeing that it’s the most poetic name for a varietal, one still has to negotiate exactly what this classic, fussy Italian delivers. Steenberg set up a small survey. Read more

A year-and-a-bit ago we were all expecting (after a lot of on-off rumours) the imminent purchase of Cordoba and perhaps Mulderbosch by Charles Banks, a rich American who had recently severed his relationship with the Californian cult producer Screaming Eagle Read more

The Cape Winemaker's Guild has announced the wines that will be on offer at its auction to be held in Stellenbosch on 2 October. Read more

Sometimes producers can have too much of a good idea. If a little extra freshness can lift the aromatic profile of a young white wine, it's not necessarily wise to go for a little more. Read more