Shiraz 2007
"BEST BUY: 89 points TOP 100 BEST BUY of 2008"
"A luscious, savory character is the backbone of this Shiraz - spicy red fruit and a touch of vanilla oak on the nose lead it. The flavours of balsamic vinegar, black pepper and plum add to the sexy style of the wine."
- December 2008, WINE ENTHUSIAST Magazine, USA

Platter's South African Wine Guide 2010

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
4 Stars
"Serious but approachable, appealing. Yummy blueberry & maraschino cherry."

Reserve Shiraz 2007
4 Stars
"Juicy plum, vanilla & nutmeg. Long, fruited finish; serious wine, well priced as most here."

Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
3½ Stars
"blueberry compote underpinned by gravel, fleshy succulence & drinkability."

Pinotage 2008
3½ Stars
"Blueberry mocha-choc flavour, exotic violets at end. Complexity with house-style drinkability."

Shiraz 2008
3½ Stars
"Juicy pastilles & violets; choc softness but also quite dry tannin."

Rosé 2009
2½ Stars
"Tangy mulberry & slight leafy edge, take-me-to-the-picnic wine."

Chardonnay 2008
3 Stars
"Light floral, kiwi, some peach, cream & toast. Uncomplicated & tasty."

Chenin Blanc 2009
3 Stars
"Vibrant lime, kiwi & apple. Zesty acidity & lees fullness."

Sauvignon Blanc 2009
3 Stars
"Fruit salad. Fig, thatch & sweat. Peach & lemon zest too. Mild acidity."

Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
"Now here's a honey. Big mouthful of shapely black cherry-like fruit and the kind of texture that makes you run your tongue around the inside of your mouth while saying "mmm" to yourself."
- Stephen Meuse, The Boston Globe, Sept 30, 2009
> read more

Chenin Blanc 2009: "Wine of the Week"
"Leafy, tropical fruit aroma with light sweetness in the entry, but nice balancing acidity. Served chilled, this is a nice quaffing wine for the last hot days of fall, and works also with Thai food. And the bottle weighs only 2 pounds, 10.6 ounces."
- Dan Berger, The Press Democrat, Sept 28, 2009
> read more

Chenin Blanc 2009
"Abundance of bright juicy pear fruit and some rollicking acidity make it up; nicely lingering finish."
- Stephen Meuse, The Boston Globe, Nov 18, 2009
> read more

South African Wine Magazine
BEST VALUE AWARDS 2010

Cabernet Sauvignon 2008: "Best Value"
"Purity and polish… Cherries, mocha coffee and a hint of herbs on the nose and in the mouth. The oak has been very well judged and doesn't overwhelm. A very smart wine at the price. Satisfaction guaranteed."

Pinotage 2008: "Best Value"
"Delicate violet perfume with black cherry hints. A mouthful of plums and cherry with some spicy, toasted oak. Dry tannins, light bodied, rounded."

Chenin Blanc 2009: "Best Value"
"Tropical fruit and apple spice. A richly textured mouthful with melons and spicy baked apple pie. A touch of honey too, with the fruit well balanced and tangy lime acidity lending freshness and lift to the whole."

Chenin Blanc 2008
"BIG DINNER THANKSGIVING WINE"
- The Today Show, NBC, USA, November 22, 2009
> read more

Chenin Blanc 2009: "BEST BIG PARTY WINE"
"This lively South African white's citrus-and-melon flavors and perky acidity make it adaptable to the Thanksgiving week-end's wide range of foods."
- Food & wine Magazine, USA, November 2009
> read more

Chenin Blanc 2008: "JUDGE’S CHOICE: 86 pts"
"Open, peachy, ripe apple nose with bits of pink grapefruit."
- Vancouver Wine Awards, Anthony Gismondi, Oct 31, 2009
> read more

MAN Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon awarded Best Value in Wine Enthusiast for third consecutive vintage
The MAN Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 has once again been rated as a "Best Value" in the Wine Enthusiast Magazine (USA). In the June 2009 issue, the MAN Cabernet scored 88 points with a Best Value designation and was described as being an "elegant Cabernet appealing, New World style red".

This is the third "Best Value" award in a row for the MAN Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon.

Previous vintages of the MAN Cabernet Sauvignon received 87 points Best Value (2006 vintage) and 85 points Best Value (2005 vintage).

The MAN Vintners Chenin Blanc 2008 also received a Best Value designation in this issue of Wine Enthusiast. The Chenin Blanc 2008 was described as being a "friendly Chenin tangy [and] approachable". This is the fourth Best Value award in a row for the MAN Chenin Blanc, with previous vintages scoring 85 points (2007), 87 points (2006) and 86 points (2005), all designated as "Best Value" wines.

MAN Vintners wines continues to build an excellent reputation in the media in the USA. The 2007 red wines have performed exceptionally well this vintage: all three 2007 wines have been awarded "Best Value" awards by the Wine Enthusiast.

The MAN Vintners Pinotage 2007 received an 88 point rating and the MAN Vintners Shiraz 2007 received a 89 point rating, also being listed as one of the Top 100 Best Value wines for 2008 in the Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

"Summer Sizzlers"
"Take the MAN Vintners range and especially the Sauvignon Blanc, where you have a super wine when chilled and poured will quench any afternoon thirst.

This wine had pretty much the world in a glass and easily became my pick of the bunch. Crisp and lively, this wine grabs your interest. The limes and rich pineapple flavours kicks things off to bring a balance and length to the wine that makes this the perfect one to sip and share or eat and drink.

Move to the red and the Shiraz brings a little surprise for its gentle opening. An excellent rich colour brings a mouthful of plums and red berries while roundness in the vanilla and spice keeps your interest alive in this smooth and silky offering."
- Andrew Carey, Limerick Post, Ireland, 27 June 2009

"La Recommandation de la Semaine
Vin que produicent trios amois, tous trios vinificateurs d'autres vins, le Coastal Region 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon MAN Vintners, d'Afrique du Sud, d'un pourpre-prune soutenu sans que ce soit un vin opaque, a ce bouquet ample, très mûr, expressif, proper à beaucoup de vins rouges de pays chauds. On retrouve la meme maturité sur le plan des saveurs, avec des notes de cuir, de figues fraîches et séchées, le tout campé sur des tannins gras, aimables. 20% de la cuvee est élevée en fûts de chêne américain. Rien de particulièrement distinguee, mais on en a largement pour ses sous. 15.8 /20"
- Jacques Benoit, La Presse Montréal Samedi, 27 June 2009

Sean Wood: Wood on Wine
"MAN Vintners Chenin Blanc 2008: Chenin Blanc, formerly known as Steen, was the most widely planted white grape in South Africa. Today it is making a comeback. This one is a fine example of the pure fruit and mineral crispness that South Africa can achieve with this grape. Look for clean citrus, melon, and tropical fruit with good intensity and great balance. Makes a refreshing aperitif, but will also pair with many fish and white meat dishes.

Man Vintners Pinotage 2007: Fleshy red berry on the nose. Red berry fruit carries through on the palate, together with some red cherry notes and lightly grippy tannins. Dry tannin and brisk acidity."
- The Halifax Chronicle Herald, Canada, 25 June 2009

"Chenin easy on palate, wallet: Uncorked, Jurgen Gothe
MAN Vintners Chenin Blanc is hard to beat for value:
You can't beat this one for value. Luscious but not over-powering. An excellent newcomer to our shelves that's obviously built on a well-established Steen heritage."
- Jurgen Gothe, Vancouver Georgia Straight, June 4, 2009

MAN Vintners Shiraz 2007 | 88 points
"Smooth and clean with ripe blackberry fruit and good acid structure; fresh, long and balanced."
- www.tastingpanelmag.com, December 2008, Anthony Dias Blue

MAN Vintners Chenin Blanc 2008
"Wine Buy of the Week"
"Citrus aromas fairly leap from this pale-gold beauty of a wine, which also has mineral scents. The flavors are extremely fresh, the almost lush fruit going instantly crisp and tart. It's very assertive for a chenin blanc - and downright delicious. Pairings: Poultry, fish, savory appetizers and aged cheeses."
- Donald Rosenberg, Cleveland.com, Feb 18, 2009

Chardonnay 2008 | "BEST BUY: 87 points"
"Wine Buy of the Week"
"This elegant white offers enticing aromas of minerals, citrus and peach and flavours of white fruit, citrus and crisp apple. Clean but complex, it's a great choice for varied seafood and poultry dishes."
- September 2009, WINE ENTHUSIAST Magazine, USA

Chenin Blanc 2008 and Pinotage 2007
"Wine Buy of the Week"
Now being served in Frankfurt Airport's Lufthansa First Class Lounge

Chenin Blanc 2008
Judge's Choice (Runner Up) in the "White Single Varietals – All Others Category"
Runner Up in its Category, total of 11540 wine entered overall
- Wine Access 2009 International Value Wine Awards, Canada

Cabernet Sauvignon | "BEST BUY: 88 points"
"Bright plum and berry aromas are backed by cedar and smoke in this elegant Cabernet. Tobacco and spicy pepper balance juicy fruit flavours to create an appealing, New World style red. Pair with bigger dishes - think steak, grilled lamb, stews."
- Wine Enthusiast Magazine, June 2009

Chenin Blanc | "BEST BUY: 85 points"
"Fresh melon, tropical fruit, citrus and spice aromas are the hallmark of this friendly Chenin. Tangy approachable fruit flavours and a long finish add to the appeal. Pair with everything from lobster salad to grilled chicken."
- Wine Enthusiast Magazine, June 2009

Three MAN Vintners wines included in Wine Spectator list of New World Value Wines :
"The influential USA magazine Wine Spectator included 3 MAN Vintners wines in its South African value wines section in an article in its latest issue (April 30, 2009).

In an article entitled "More for your Money: New World Values Gazetteer" the Wine Spectator highlighted 5 new world wine regions as offering the consumer excellent value for money. They identified 25 wines from each region that were of particular interest, including 25 wines from South Africa.

3 of the 25 South African wines listed were from MAN Vintners: the MAN Vintners Shiraz 2007, the MAN Vintners Chenin Blanc 2008 and the MAN Vintners Sauvignon Blanc 2008.

This endorsement of MAN Vintners comes hot on the heels of an 4 Star rating for the MAN Vintners Chardonnay 2007 and a 3 ½ Star "Best Value on Price" rating for the MAN Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 in the RSA Wine Magazine (March 2009 and April 2009 editions), as well as a TOP 100 BEST BUY of 2008 awarded to the MAN Vintners Shiraz 2007 by the Wine Enthusiast Magazine (USA).

Partners José Conde of Stark-Condé wines and Tyrrel Myburgh of Joostenberg wines feel vindicated by the spate of excellent reviews received by MAN Vintners in recent months: " MAN Vintners has focused on producing excellent wines at affordable prices since it started in 2001. With outstanding juice in the bottle at a no-brainer price, MAN Vintners wines are the perfect recession-busting wines for the besieged consumer in South Africa, the USA, or anywhere in the world."

Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Rod Philips: 3 ½ Stars
"Look for plenty of sweet, ripe fruit here, well balanced with a broad seam of acidity. There's not a lot of complexity or structure, but it's an easy-drinker and effortlessly accompanies burgers, ribs, spicy sausages and red meats."
- Rod Philips, Wine Pointer 11 Feb 2009, rodphillipsonwine.com

Shiraz 2007
"A perennial go-to budget red, MAN's Shiraz continues to rock the value quotient. With lots of sweet plum and succulent blackberry, it has the makings of a fruit bomb until the pepper spice, cocoa, and wisps of smoky oak wrestle structure into place. Great, rich flavour is a pleasant surprise at twelve bones, and this bold red cries out to be matched with anything charred off the grill - any night of the week."
Kenji: B+ "Nice spice." James: A- "Hardy"
- Kenji Hodgson and James Nevison, The Province Newspaper, BC, Canada, 19 March 2009

Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
3 ½ stars
"#1 out of TOP 10 Wines on Price: Best Value Cabernet Sauvignon"
- Wine Magazine, April 2009, South Africa

Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Paarl 2007
3 stars
- Wine Magazine, April 2009, South Africa

Chenin Blanc 2008
88 points
"Pale silver-yellow color. Intriguing scents of apple, lemon cream and vanilla, with a floral element emerging with aeration. Rich supple and round, with nicely concentrated apple and pear nectar flavours along with an exotic note of honey. A satisfying, ripe and fresh Chenin that's all about fruit."
- Stephen Tanzer, Mar/Apr 2009
> read more (subscription required) ...

MAN Vintners Shiraz 2007
87 points
"An easy to drink, oaky style of shiraz with adequate spicy black pepper, roasted vegetable and black fruit notes. It's nice and juicy on the palate as well, and balanced. Solid value. Drink now.".
- John Szabo, www.wineaccess.ca ON, Canada

MAN Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
85 points
"Floral, fragrant, soft, low tannins; clean, enjoyable. Drink now.".
- John Szabo, www.wineaccess.ca ON, Canada

MAN Vintners Chardonnay 2007 : 4 STARS
"Hint of citrus on the nose. The palate is medium bodied with flavours of orange pith and some biscuit-like character. Fresh acidity. Drink now or over the next 2 years.".
- Wine Magazine March 2009

MAN Vintners Shiraz 2006
Jurgen Gothe
"This is the post-tax-time treat: a real deal in a rusty, hearty red: MAN Vintners Shiraz 2006. Spicy, big and berryful; lots of ripe fruit and a long, mellow finish, it has to be one of the great buys out of the South African section these days. Stock up - once word gets around, it'll be flying off the shelves."
- Georgia Straight Newspaper, Ontario Canada, 25 February 2009

Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Pinotage 2007 | "BEST BUY 88 points"
"Red berry, tobacco and sweet oak lead on this exemplary Pinotage, whose mocha, red fruit and smoke flavours offer South African character with an elegant edge. It's balanced and smooth but still hearty enough to stand up to dishes like grilled, sliced meat and stew.".
- March 2009

Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Sauvignon Blanc 2008 | 87 points
"This is a robust Sauvignon Blanc that announces itself with aromas of grass, spice and straw, leading into a combination of fresh fruit and earthy spice flavours. A great balance of acid, fruit and spice means it's assertive, but still poised. A fun wine with lots of character.".
- March 2009

Wine Spectator Magazine
Shiraz Paarl Reserve 2007 | 87 points
"Quite toasty, with vanilla and mocha aromatics, but they give way to let the dark plum, macerated currant and braised fig notes a chance to show their stuff. A soft, forward, crowd-pleasing style. Drink now.".
- James Molesworth, Web Only 2009

Wine Spectator Magazine
Cabernet Sauvignon Paarl Reserve 2007 | 86 points
"Gives a blast of mocha-infused toast, along with dark plum, licorice and black forest cake flavors. Very forward, crowd-pleasing style. Drink now.".
- James Molesworth, Web Only 2009

Wine Spectator Daily Wine Pick - Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Sauvignon Blanc 2008 | 85 points
"Light and fresh, with lime and grapefruit zest notes backed by a clean finish. Drink now ".
- James Molesworth, Jan 12, 2009

Wine Spectator Daily Wine Pick - Chenin Blanc 2008
Chenin Blanc 2008 | 87 points
"Fresh, with lively honeysuckle, heather, blanched almond and mineral notes followed by a refreshing finish. Drink now".
- James Molesworth, Jan 17, 2009

Wine Spectator Daily Wine Pick - Shiraz 2007
Shiraz 2007 | 86 points
"Soft but pure, with a good beam of plum fruit backed by hints of cocoa and tobacco ".
- James Molesworth, Dec 25, 2008

MAN Shiraz 2007: TOP 100 BEST BUY of 2008
MAN Vintners Shiraz 2007 is Number 34!

MAN Vintners Shiraz 2007 has been listed in the Wine Enthusiast magazine (USA) as one of the TOP 100 BEST BUYS of 2008, coming in at position 34 - the first red wine from South Africa on the list.

The Wine Enthusiast described the "Best Buy" Shiraz 2007 as follows: "a luscious, savory character is the backbone of this Shiraz - spicy red fruit and a touch of vanilla oak on the nose lead it. The flavours of balsamic vinegar, black pepper and plum add to the sexy style of the wine." This 89 point score follows on a"87 points Best Buy" score for the MAN Vintners Shiraz 2006.

The "sexy style" of this wine results from grapes sourced from the mainly bush-vine, dry-land vineyards of the Perdeberg region in Agter-Paarl. With a splash of Viognier added in during fermentation, and a 30% American oak (20% of the barrels were new) component, the MAN Vintners Shiraz 2007 is a modern-styled Shiraz priced for everyday consumption.

MAN, this is GOOD VALUE! "Sexy" MAN Shiraz 2007 gets 89 Points.
MAN Vintners Shiraz 2007 has been scored "Best Buy: 89 points" by the Wine Enthusiast magazine, and the Platter's Guide 2009 ratings have been released

"MAN Vintners continues its recession-busting run of good value awards with a score of 89 points for the MAN Vintners Shiraz 2007 in the Wine Enthusiast magazine (December 15, 2009 issue). The Wine Enthusiast described the "Best Buy" Shiraz 2007 as follows: "a luscious, savory character is the backbone of this Shiraz - spicy red fruit and a touch of vanilla oak on the nose lead it. The flavours of balsamic vinegar, black pepper and plum add to the sexy style of the wine." This 89 point score follows on a "87 points Best Buy" score for the MAN Vintners Shiraz 2006.

The "sexy style" of this wine results from grapes sourced from the mainly bush-vine, dry-land vineyards of the Perdeberg region in Agter-Paarl. With a splash of Viognier added in during fermentation, and a 30% American oak (20% of the barrels were new) component, the MAN Vintners Shiraz 2007 is a modern-styled Shiraz priced for everyday consumption. It retails for around $8.99 in the USA and R40 in South Africa.

The MAN Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 was also rated "Best Buy: 87 points" by the Wine Enthusiast magazine in its November 2008 issue, being described as " start[ing] alluringly with rich aromas of cigar, dark berry, a touch of red cherry and black pepper. The flavors of dark berry and tobacco spice are balanced and layered, buoyed by a backbone of minerality and lengthened with elegant tannins."

The latest Platter's Guide to South Africa Wine (2009) was recently released and MAN Vintners wines have again showed themselves to be recession busters for savvy consumers looking for real wines at real prices.

The entire range received either 3 stars or 3 and a ½ stars, with the Shiraz 2007, Pinotage 2007 and Sauvignon Blanc 2008 gaining the smiley face "exceptionally drinkable and well priced" rating, and the rest of the range all getting tick marks for "good value".

With a showing on page 13 of the guide in the "Wines of the Year: Exceptionally Drinkable and Well Priced" (i.e. runners up to the Superquaffer of the Year), the MAN Vintners Sauvignon Blanc 2008 is an awesome value Sauvignon Blanc made in a tropical/herbaceous style for soft summer drinking. "

Wine Enthusiast Ratings:
Shiraz 2007: "Best Buy: 89 points"
" A luscious, savory character is the backbone of this Shiraz - spicy red fruit and a touch of vanilla oak on the nose lead it. The flavours of balsamic vinegar, black pepper and plum add to the sexy style of the wine. "

Wine Enthusiast Ratings:
Cabernet Sauvignon 2006: "Best Buy: 87 points""
" This wine starts alluringly with rich aromas of cigar, dark berry, a touch of red cherry and black pepper. The flavors of dark berry and tobacco spice are balanced and layered, buoyed by a backbone of minerality and lengthened with elegant tannins. "

Platter's Guide 2009
Chenin Blanc 2008: 3 ½ Stars
Good Value: " low-yield bushvines offer ripe, concentrated apple flavours, refreshing acidity & long, lip-smacking finish. "

Platter's Guide 2009
Chardonnay 2007: 3 ½ Stars
Good Value: " rich butterscotch & white peach; well-judged oak from 15% barrel fermentation & fine acid support on firmly flavoured finish. "

Platter's Guide 2009
Sauvignon Blanc 2008: 3 Stars
Wines of the Year: Exceptionally Drinkable and Well Priced: " Crisp, youthful 08 blend Durbanville & Perdeberg fruit. Tropical pineapple/herbaceous combo balanced by zingy acidity. 12,5% alcohol for lunchtime enjoyment. "

Platter's Guide 2009
Pinotage 2007: 3 ½ Stars
Exceptionally Drinkable and Well Priced: " Enticingly bright 07, spicy morello cherries well balanced by tempered tannin & fresh acidity. Dollop Shiraz & viognier add interest. "

Platter's Guide 2009
Shiraz 2007: 3 Stars
Exceptionally Drinkable and Well Priced: " Splash viognier perfumes 07 from Perdeberg bushvines; savoury red fruit structured by year's barrel matured portion. "

South African Airways On Board Wine Listing 2009
Shiraz 2007
"Economy Class Wine"

South African Airways On Board Wine Listing 2009
Chenin Blanc 2008
"Premium Class White Wine"

South African Airways On Board Wine Listing 2008
Chenin Blanc 2007
"Premium Class White Wine"

South African Airways On Board Wine Listing 2008
Chardonnay 2006
"Economy Class Wine"

Wine Magazine RSA: "Best Value 2009"
Pinotage 2007 | 3 Stars
" Interesting use of Viognier in this wine -0 just 1% but it makes its presence felt on both the nose and palate. Ripe plum spice with a floral whiff that carries through to the succulent black-fruited palate. Smooth texture and soft body. Well judged wood and length. "

Wine Magazine RSA: "Best Value 2009"
Chenin Blanc 2008 | 2 Stars
" Made for immediate consumption, hundreds of consumers are not going to disappoint its makers! Pears, crisp apple and melon on the nose and palate. Light-bodied and tangy. Drink up! "