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The Pinotage Festival returns this month, showcasing South Africa’s unrivalled terroir diversity through themed tasting zones. In “Regional Expressions”, festival-goers will discover how climate, soil and landscape shape Pinotage’s flavours. Among many new faces, we spotlight three producers who define what unique terroir can mean—Hasher Family Estate (Upper Hemel-en-Aarde), Bruwer Vintners (Polkadraai Hills), and Diemersdal (Durbanville)—each bringing a new perspective to Singapore. Don’t miss the chance to taste their distinctive wines and experience firsthand how regional origin impacts style.

Ahead of Singapore’s first Pinotage Festival, we trace how ground-breaking wineries, visionary winemakers, and transformative moments defined a century of Pinotage—from local legacy to international acclaim—highlighting celebrated sites, the social forces of apartheid, and a future of expanding horizons.

South Africa’s wine industry shined at a buzzing expo, showcasing its unmatched old vine age certification, legendary producers and passionate newcomers, highlighting why its wines increasingly draw global admiration.

When participants at our wine events ask, “What is a Cap Classique?” I explain South Africa’s sparkling wine tradition using the homey analogy of bottle-fermented kombucha. Sharing my own kitchen experiment—grape-infused, second-ferment sparkling kombucha—brings the process to life. Both drinks start with an initial fermentation (wine or sweet tea), and it’s the patient, craft-focused second fermentation in the sealed bottle that creates those magical bubbles, whether in a cellar or on your countertop. The result? A rewarding, bubbly celebration of flavour and fun at any scale.