Battered by the slump in demand for commodities, Africa's most developed country is teetering on the brink of recession and unemployment is rising. But the country's winemakers have a very different story to tell. Exports were up 5% in 2015, and the industry is predicting more growth in 2016. South Africa is the world's 7th largest wine producer. Its vineyards account for 4% of global wine output, and volumes have increased 20% over four years to about 420 million liters annually. In a nation of beer lovers -- South Africans drink 10 times as much beer as wine -- more than half of that is destined for the export market. The reason: local profit margins of just 2%. Global consumers on average pay four times more for a bottle of South African wine than local buyers. The U.K., Europe and the rest of Africa are major buyers. And while China's commodity imports may have slowed, South Africa's exports of wine to the Asia powerhouse jumped 40% last year. "We'll see how the numbers go with the economic slowdown in China, but I do think the growth into Africa, into China and the U.S. specifically, is great," said Rico Basson, managing director of Vinpro, which represents winemakers.

China's emerging middle classes are good for sales volumes but aren't willing to pay top dollar for premium wines, according to Ntsiki Biyela, South Africa's first black female winemaker. That's why her vineyard -- Stellekaya -- has pulled out of China to focus on more lucrative markets in the U.S. "Texas will buy every last grape we have," she said, adding that Stellekaya sales volumes to the Lone Star state were up by more than 60% last year. wine bar la table spStellekaya has also broken into California, the heart of U.S. winemaking, and New York. best wine bar rochesterSouth Africa has been producing wine since 1659. best wine bar moscowIt grows white wine grape varieties, including chenin blanc, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, and red varieties include pinotage, which was created in South Africa. which is the best red wine brand

Production this year has been hit by wildfires and the worst drought in 100 years, but winemakers are confident they will meet global demand. The industry contributes 2% to South African GDP and employs 300 000 people, making it the biggest permanent employer in agriculture.Rubino's Wine Grapes & Juice*** ATTENTION WINE MAKERS - PLACE YOUR ORDERS TODAY FOR GRAPES and JUICE FROM CHILE.the best tasting non alcoholic red wineGrapes and Juice from Chile are due in the 1st or 2nd week of May 2015. beer and wine store silver spring to check for pricing in April and to place your orders. ***Rubino's Wine Grapes & JuiceWe re now taking orders for California and Italian Wine Grape and Juice Varieties! - price list attached.See allRubino's Wine Grapes & JuiceInventory update as of today 12/3/15: California: 2 Barbera, 12 Sangiovese, 3 Chianti, 5 White Merlot Itailian: 1 Amarone, 12 Brunello, 1 Lambrusco, 1 Meritage, 2 Malvasia, 1 Montepulciano, 6 Valpolicella, 2 Vino de Casa, 1 Chianti, 1 Dolcetto, 1 Sangiovese If you would like to order, please reply here or send an email to homebrewsupply@optonline.net Thank you!

Rubino's Wine Grapes & Juice updated their cover photo.Rubino's Wine Grapes & JuiceWe have access to some overstock for both California and Italian Rubino's Wine Grapes & Juice Juices. Here is what is left. California - 16 Sangiovese and 7 Chianti Italian - 1 Barolo, 6 Brunello, 1 Lambrusco, 1 Meritage, 2 Malvasia, 1 Montepulciano, 10 Valpolicella and 2 Vino de Casa If you are interested, please email homebrewsupply@optonline.net Thank you! Rubino's Wine Grapes & Juice*** ATTENTION WINE MAKERS - PLACE YOUR ORDERS TODAY FOR GRAPES and JUICE FROM CALIFORNIA AND ITALY! *** California available now and Italian expected first week of October. Rubino's Wine Grapes & Juice*** ATTENTION WINE MAKERS - PLACE YOUR ORDERS TODAY FOR GRAPES and JUICE FROM CHILE AND NEW THIS YEAR, GRAPES FROM SOUTH AFRICA! This year we are bringing in Pinotage from the Breede River Valley in the Western Cape region of South Africa. Grapes are due to arrive in late March and will be packed in 20 pound crates. Orders are limited for South African, so please get your orders in quickly while they last and be one of the first to produce an amazing South African wine right here in the U.S. Reserve your grapes today!!!

*** Rubino's Wine Grapes & Juice shared Puzzle Pax's post.Puzzle Pax added 7 new photos.Thanks to TechShop Pittsburgh for having us at their 21+ party last week! or wait until the next # CHEERS!Rubino's Wine Grapes & Juice shared Puzzle Pax's video.Posted by Puzzle Pax# races all set up and ready for you to win some beer! Contact us if you would like to run the # at your next event with your company logo on each PuzzlePax! Rubino's Wine Grapes & Juice shared a link.Lee and London Elves Hard at WorkRubino's Wine Grapes & JuiceOrders are still coming in strong. California is still available. But, for a limited time only. Rubino's Wine Grapes & JuiceCalifornia and Italian Season was a great success in September and October of 2013. Wine Grapes and 6 Gallon Juice Pails were sold out once again and we now look forward to another round of Chilean variety in April/May 2014. Don't forget the Chilean season as it will arrive soon. We will be posting our pricing very early this year and will be very competitive.

for availability and get your orders in early and reserve your selection! Prices for Chilean varities of Grape and Juice for wine making will be available February/March of 2014. Thanks to everyone that helped make the 2013 wine making season a huge success! Rubino's Wine Grapes & JuiceFresh California Grapes and California and Italian Juice are in season for the Winemaker! or call in your order at 609-977-9866. Grapes and Juice are due in approximately the 3rd week of September. Big night at National Wine Challenge for Fairview, Paul Cluver … Paul Cluver of Elgin and Fairview of Paarl the top achievers at National Wine Challenge awards function – each winning six spots among SA Top 100 chosen from the entry submissions. Bouchard Finlayson has Pinot Noir experts smiling at UK taste-off Tête de Cuvée 2013 from Bouchard Finlayson of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in the Walker Bay district outside Hermanus is the only SA gold medallist at 2017 Global Pinot Noir Masters.

Sauvignon champ Diemersdal and Steenberg win gold in Bordeaux 2017 edition of Concours Mondial du Sauvignon (Blanc) attracts over 800 entries, with France dominating the awards presentation at which South African cellars win 10 medals. Eben Sadie honoured by Masters of Wine Institute, London The Masters of Wine and The Drinks Business publication in the UK present Eben Sadie of South Africa’s Swartland district with their 2017 Winemakers’ Winemaker Award. On the Paardeberg outside Malmesbury in the Swartland, home of The Sadie Family Wines Four Cape cellars grab share of the spoils at Chardonnay du Monde Gold medallists at Chardonnay taste-off in Burgundy feature four from SA: Bon Courage and Weltevrede from Robertson, Survivor from Worcester (Swartland fruit) and DGB. Cab Franc Challenge attracts 50 entries, yields 14 gold medals Most of South Africa’s Cabernet Franc producers ‘come to the party’, six winners chosen at the 2017 Challenge and roadshow expanded to include Cab Franc Carnival in Johannesburg.

Three Cape cellars excel at international Tourism Challenge Creation Wines of Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Delheim of Simonsberg-Stellenbosch and La Motte of Franschhoek wave the flag for South Africa at the 2017 Drinks International Wine Tourism . South Africa’s Top 20 wineries big and small, spread far and wide Top 20 SA cellars on Cape Peninsula (4) and Cederberg (1), in Elgin (1), Franschhoek (3), Hemel-en-Aarde (1), Paarl (1), Somerset West (1), Stellenbosch (7) and Tulbagh (1) – 2017 Classification. Top 100 SA Wines… 2017 Hall of Fame… Most fancied most often South Africa’s most highly rated wines overall for the period 2007 to 2016, those special bottlings that achieve good to great reviews vintage after vintage, year after year. Scrolls of honour here. SA Wine & Cellar Classifications showcase top track records Focusing on the most successful outfits in the winelands of South Africa over the past 10 years: 2017 SA Wine Classification , 2017 SA Cellar Classificaion here, highlights here.

The Cape’s 20 most successful wines on the world stage in 2016 The number of South Africa’s highly-rated, world-class wines runs into the hundreds, but some are more highly praised more often by the top tasting panels on the planet: Top 20 in 2016. Best Value SA Wine Guide 2016 – highly rated, all under R100 pb South Africa’s best-value wines of the year, those that have earned very good reviews from one or more of the top panels locally or internationally AND which sell/sold for less than R100.  So many to choose from for the title of SA Wine Champ 2016 Winemaker of the Year, Winery of the Year, Most Successful Producer of the Year… Delaire Graff, Nederburg, Mullineux and Rijk’s among the title holders, but who’s tops overall?  Five of South Africa’s Top 10 restaurants are in the Cape winelands, among the vines, with 2016 Eat Out laureates including Camphors, La Colombe, Maison, Overture and Waterkloof. Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Awards go to farms and cellars in nine of the very best wine-producing areas around the world – including six of South Africa’s top outfits.

With the judges all wine Masters of one sort or another, Cape cellars fared well at the 2016 Drinks Business Chardonnay taste-off in the UK: one Master award, seven Golds. Stellenrust – winner of Platter’s White Wine of the Year award Platter’s guide features over 8000 wines including 94 ‘classics’ Nederburg of Paarl, Riebeek Kasteel’s Mullineux, Radford Dale and Stellenrust of Stellenbosch scoop top awards in 2017 edition of Platter’s SA Wine Guide. 5 Star laureates here. Sauvignon champs range from Merwida at R51 to Nitida at R285 South Africa’s Sauvignon Blanc producers enter 169 wines in annual Top 10 competition, with top performers based predominantly in Durbanville, Elgin, Stellenbosch. Veritas Double Gold × 2 for Flagstone, KWV, Rustenberg, Spier Distell collects more medals than anybody else at Veritas 2016, four cellars win a couple of double golds each, and Boschendal vies with Goedverwacht for ‘best value’ kudos. Six Nations trophies for SA Cab, Shiraz, Pinotage, White Blend

South Africa’s Cederberg Private Cellar, Rijk’s of Tulbagh, Rustenberg and Stark-Condé of Stellenbosch triumph (and surprise) at Six Nations Challenge in Australia. Young Kanonkop fetches up to R2233 a bottle at CWG Auction 2016 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction provides inkling of who’s who at cutting edge of Wine SA and new records across the board. Average prices, highest prices and more here. Elim-Cederberg collaboration earns top score for Weather Girl With 1829 entries, Michelangelo sets new record as biggest wine competition in South Africa. Top producers collect 11 trophies, 15 platinum awards and hundreds of golds. The Berrio vineyards outside Elim, Cape Agulhas, home of an exceptional white blend Nederburg and DeMorgenzon show the French a thing or two Trophies for Best Cabernet Sauvignon and Best Chenin at International Wine & Spirit Competition go to South African cellars, with Neethlingshof taking the title in the Pinotage class.

40-year-old Stellenbosch Shiraz auctioned for R7333 a bottle De Toren, Kanonkop, Vergelegen and La Motte… De Wetshof, DeMorgenzon and Ken Forrester… Zonnebloem, Monis, Libertas and Jaubert… 2016 Nederburg Auction highlights here. 5 Star rating followed by yet another trophy for Anura bubbly 2016 Cap Classique Challenge winners feature Paarl’s Anura Vineyards, Colmant of Franschhoek and the House of JC Le Roux, Stellenbosch – a total of 11 gold medallists. Iona, Strandveld and Tokara lead charge in battle of the blends Latest White Hot Wine Awards point to wonderful success stories despite the reluctance of judges to give a ‘perfect’ score. 35 entries, not a single dud in sight, and another win for Elgin.  Pinotage Association Top 10 features Kanonkop, Rijk’s, plus… L’Avenir Single Block 2014 is arguably the most successful Pinotage on the show circuit in 2016. And few wines can match the value offering of Knorhoek’s second label at R40pb.

With Chenin Blanc the most widely planted wine grape variety in South Africa, the best in the industry’s annual Top 10 contest are bound to be complex and interesting. Nederburg’s Muscadel impresses wine aficionados worldwide After scooping trophies at the International Wine Challenge in London and the SA Trophy Wine Show, Eminence chosen among Top 10 gold medallists at Muscats du Monde, France. Stellenbosch cellars dominate the top ratings at Winemag.co.za’s 2016 review of South Africa’s Bordeaux-style red blends, yet the highest score is bestowed on Gouverneurs Reserve. DeMorgenzon declared best Chardonnay at Decanter Awards South African cellars excel at 2016 Decanter World Wine Awards in London: 1 Best in Class, 6 Platinum Awards, 29 gold medals, 212 silvers, 273 bronze medals. All the top SA laureates here. Production up, exports down, domestic sales up, imports up, fewer farmers, more wineries, more estates, fewer vines… SA now eighth-biggest wine-producing nation.

Delaire Graff and Tokara take top awards at Trophy Wine Show Delaire Graff wins trophies for top red and top producer overall. Tokara blend judged top white wine overall. Trophy for best value gold medallist goes to Secret Cellar. Consistency and good value evident in 2016 Shiraz Challenge Cederberg, Eagles’ Nest, Fairview and Saronsberg among the Top 12 in SA Shiraz Producers Association’s annual taste-off. Windmeul and Laborie ‘best value’ in ‘dream dozen’. Saronsberg of Tulbagh – one of the top Shiraz cellars in South Africa Staged in the northern Rhône Valley, France, the 2016 Syrah du Monde sees eleven South African wines from Shiraz collect silver, five strike gold and two rank among the best wines reviewed. SA wineries earn 21 gold medals and 12 trophies at the International Wine Challenge in London, with kudos for the top SA red and white on show going to Tulbagh and Stellenbosch cellars. Cape Blend and Chardonnays shine brightest for SA at Mondial