I recently tweeted that I’d be leading a tasting of hipster wines. “Will you wear a wool hat?,” ” someone asked in response. Another tweep asked if there would be any PBR on hand for afterward. But we did taste some fine and fun wines, if quirky and hard to find (though not in Brooklyn). What can you do? wine picks MORE >>

“Dazzling!”. This is the only possible word that can describe the Waterkloof winery in Cape Town, an area which is leading the competition for the world’s most tourist-friendly, destination-specific wine region in the world. The slopes of Schaapenberg boast a myriad of different aspects but south-facing ones predominate. Waterkloof. News S. MORE >>

SIPPED: anti-snobbery. What might just be the best-selling wine glass this holiday season? Why, the RedNek wine glass, a Bell jam jar on top of a Libby candlestick holder as a base. Sales have hit $5 million already. Good thing it comes with the lid, making it the travel mug of wine glasses. CNN ]. SPIT: Vinturi aerator. bonappetit.com ]. MORE >>

Downes Family Vineyards Sanctuary Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2011. This looks like an 18th century English cottage!” I remark, sipping a cup of tea while waiting to meet James Downes, who owns Shannon Vineyards in the cool climate region of Elgin (whose wines are sold under the name Downes Family Vineyards in the USA). First, imagine the vista. News S. MORE >>

So my last visit in South Africa was with five producers located in the Hermanus Wine Route, also known as the Hemel en Aarde Valley, close to the sea. It was a gorgeous summer day (just thinking about it makes me nostalgic as now, just a week later, it is absolutely freezing in NYC) and the sun was shining bright. African winemaking world. link]. MORE >>