There are signs of dynamic life in South Africa's backwoods Swartland region, source of an increasing number of truly distinctive wines. The weekend of 12-13 Nov this year is to be devoted to The Swartland Revolution, the first in a series of annual none-too-ceremonious wine weekends in Riebeek Kasteel organised by AA Badenhorst Family Wines, Mullineux Family Wines, Porcelain Mountain Wines, Sequillo Cellars and The Sadie Family Wines. Marc Kent of Boekenhoutskloof is the animus behind Porcelain Mountain Wines, based on vineyards that initially supplied Eben Sadie, who put the region on the map in the first place.
Ingredients in the weekend include tastings of top wines from the area presented by the likes of Tim James, Michael Fridjhon and Neil Pendock, meals prepared by Reuben's and Bar Bar Black Sheep, and a technical tasting presented by Stéphane Ogier of Côte Rôtie. A ticket for the entire weekend is 1750 rand, or 50 rand for the Real Men Ferment Wild Tasting on Saturday afternoon only.
See more details at www.theswartlandrevolution.com
Meanwhile, at the more conventional end of the South African wine spectrum, the wines for this year's Cape Wine Guild auction have just been announced and can be viewed here.