The new Mother Rock wines have found their way onto lists and shelves at restaurants and retailers around the country. As is tradition, Stompie shares his wines at the most intense point of harvest; not as a logistical convenience, but as a moment of reflection. For him, it’s a pause between seasons: a chance to [...]
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Mother Rock Newsletter January 2026
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Tasty TESTALONGA!
Keeping to tradition, Craig and Carla Hawkins of TESTALONGA are the last big release of our year. If you’re a TESTALONGA groupie, you’d be expecting the usual 19 wines all at once, and have to choose which wines you buy. This year the youthful Baby Banditos (now including the two Ninja pet-nats) and the Mielies [...] More -
NEW Pieter Ferreira Blanc de Blancs 2020
The new vintage of Pieter Ferreira Cap Classique Blanc de Blancs is ready just in time for the festive season. As with all wines from Pieter Ferreira, the hallmark is impeccable fruit with long lees aging, precision winemaking and extra fine bubbles. 55 Months on the lees producing an Extra Brut (3.7 g/l RS) Cap [...] More -
Raffle for Rosie Colombo
Rosie Colombo, daughter of our friend Dan Colombo, is a joyful and strong four-year-old who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. She and her family (Luisa, Dan, and brother Malakai) face a long and costly treatment journey ahead. The South African wine industry has come together to create one of the most insane raffles we've [...] More -
Platter’s 2026 Awards
Platter's Wine Guide is your ultimate passport to the world of South African wine. This comprehensive resource offers detailed reviews of thousands of wines, from beloved classics to innovative new blends. It details the stories behind South Africa's most celebrated wineries, explaining their history, philosophy, and winemaking techniques. If you know anything about South African [...] More -
Force Celeste is brewing up a storm!
The 2025 Force Celeste range is here, and boy is it a… force of nature. Winemaker Stompie is stepping beyond the broad, sometimes ambiguous, term "natural wine." He humbly refers to the new release as ‘honest wine’; a clear, unadulterated reflection of the vintage, the vineyard, and the unique Swartland terroir. The goal is accessibility [...] More -
Vulpes 2024 wines are on Fire!
We are absolutely ecstatic to share the latest vintage release from Vulpes Wines—the highly anticipated 2024s. This release marks the third vintage for this small, exclusive label, helmed by winemaker Nuschka de Vos. The name Vulpes is a clever, deeply personal nod to her Dutch surname, "de Vos," which means "the fox," reflecting both her [...] More -
New Intellego Wines! 2025 Release
Jurgen is back with a new release that's as full of life and funk as ever! Intellego Wines was founded in 2009 by winemaker Jurgen Gouws. His wines are a part of the "new wave" of South African winemaking that emphasises a natural, minimal-intervention approach. The name Intellego is Latin for "understand," reflecting Jurgens' quest to bottle the [...] More -
Neal Martin 90+ Scoring Wines of 2025
Neal Martin, 2020 Worlds best wine critic of the year, is a senior editor at Vinous.com. His specialty and interests are in Bordeaux and Burgundy, as well as South African and New Zealand wines. ― Neal Martin, Vinous Neal Martin is celebrated for his unbiased and candid assessments. He doesn't hesitate to critique wines that [...] More -
Introducing Yardstick Wines!
We are absolutely thrilled to share that Yardstick by Adam Mason is joining the Ex Animo portfolio. Adam is a passionate and talented winemaker with deep roots in the South African wine industry, and we’ve long admired his work. After starting his career in 1997 and working at iconic Estates Klein Constantia, Mulderbosch, and DeMorgenzon. [...] More