This blog has been nominated for SA Blog Awards in two categories, namely Best food and wine blog and the best company blog.
Thanks to everyone who nominated this blog. If you haven’t already voted, please do vote for us. It’s easy. Click on the banner on the right of the page. Scroll down.  Fill in your [...]

The Arniston Bay UK competition is now closed. Thanks to all the people who entered.
We will be announcing the winner within the next few days so be sure to hold thumbs and keep checking the website.

If you like what I’ve done on the Arniston Bay  blog  please nominate us for the SA Blog awards.
It’s easy. Click on the banner on the right of the page.  Fill in your email (confirm) and you done.
Thank you!

Arniston Bay is always been associated with the unwinding in tranquillity and we are set to continue this chill vibe at the forthcoming Women’s Show.

Shows and exhibitions can take its toll and really tire you out and that is why laid back brand , Arniston Bay  Wines,  decided to be the ‘Unwind Haven’  for visitors [...]

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This week is one of South Africa’s premier wine events as the 32nd Mercury Wine Week is hosted at Suncoast in Durban from 25-26 August.
This event is seen as one of Durban’s most popular social gatherings and organisers expect more than  5000 visitors this year.
This is always a great event and please join us for [...]

South Africa has won over many fans for the hosting a great World Cup in the middle of our winter. Now you can stand a chance to visit this amazing country in the summer for an unforgettable beach holiday
You will also have a chance to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and [...]

Britain’s love affair with wine continues on the web as online wine sales are deemed to be the fastest growing area of UK retail.
The UK wine market is seen as one of the most important wine markets in the world in a recent report by Drinks business it is estimated that online wine sales are [...]

Robyn MacLarty’s amazing salad recipe got the nod for recipe of the month. She is the our first SA food blogger winner with this stunning dish and post.
This recipe looks so delicious and the way she presents it on her blog ( KOEK! ) makes your mouth water.
Recommended wine: This salad will be perfectly complemented [...]

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Britain, along with just about every other living soul, has football fever, judging by the extent of media coverage on this World Cup. Arniston Bay wines is running a competition which allows you to enjoy your own South African thrill.
This competition is run by Fabulous magazine and lucky readers will win a six bottle case [...]

Stand a chance to win double tickets to The Wine Show Jo’burg which will be held at The Coca Cola Dome from 4-6 June 2010.
If you want to win the tickets and you’re living area and able to attend, all you have to do is leave a comment on our Facebook page or upload a [...]

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Haul out your beloved heels, and huddle your girlfriends closer! Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha are stepping out in style again on the big screen for the Sex and the City movie sequel. And now, Arniston Bay is giving you even more reason to celebrate: simply show us why you’re head over heels for Arniston [...]

The United Kingdom tends to function as a litmus test for international wine markets.
The island nation has a long history of wine appreciation and is credited with creating the prestigious Master of Wine program as well as WSET — the Wine and Spirits Education Trust.
Wine is part of daily life in the U.K. and brands [...]

More men are starting to drink rosé wine as drier styles become more fashionable, according to leading UK supermarket buyers and suppliers.
The growing popularity of food and wine matching is also helping the rosé category to attract more male drinkers, according to Pierpaolo Petrassi MW, Tesco’s senior product development manager for wine, who said the [...]

The average employed adult works between 35-44 hours a week. That’s a huge amount of time to spend in the office, and yet the same people who change all their light bulbs to CFLs rarely give a second thought to getting their to-go coffee in a paper cup.
It only takes minutes to make your workspace [...]

South Africa has overtaken France to become the fourth largest selling country for wine in the UK.
Latest figures from market analysts AC Nielsen show sales of South African wines have overtaken French for the first time in the UK wine market.
South African wine sales grew 20 percent, by volume, to 12,270,000 9L cases, compared to [...]

No matter how versed you are in the world of wine there will always be labels and brands that you’ve never tried, but when faced with ordering from a list of wines that you’ve never heard of it is possible to make a more educated selection than simply reading what the menu says and then [...]

The first SA Food bloggers conference was a wonderful day and will definitely become an annual event.
South African Food bloggers came together at the Cook’s Playground in Cape Town and it was amazing to meet (in person) some of the legends of SA food Blogging.
It was incredible to have online food personalities like  [...]

We’re having another Market Day wine sale at our Welmoed cellar door in Stellenbosch.

Dates: Thursday 25 March to Saturday 27 March 2010
Venue: Welmoed Cellar door. Here are the directions: Directions to Welmoed
The following wines will be on sale:

If you’d like more details regarding the sale, please contact our cellar door directly on 021 881 [...]

England has one of its best chances to win the World Cup at this year’s FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The English clubs are dominating forces in Europe and the squad will be full of superstars.
For off-licences, the prospect is for increased beer sales, and with the tournament taking place in one of the [...]

In the past, people relied mainly on traditional media to gain access to a vast array of topics. The worldwide blogosphere has revolutionised the way we communicate and has opened up channels for debate, news, entertainment and general socialising. Blogs offer a more personal communication and interaction with the blog (information portal) and its consumer.
Arniston [...]

South African wine companies dominated the results of the inaugural Drinks Business Green Awards in London.
Dr Paul Cluver, founder of Paul Cluver Wines, received arguably the highest accolade, winning the Lifetime Achievement Award, for his ongoing, visionary approach to conservation and exemplary environmental credentials. Dr. Cluver is also the Chairman of the company of wine [...]

Congratulations to Joanita Christie and Derek Mitchell

Their Facebook comments were judge to be the best and they have each won an Arniston Bay wine hamper.

We are giving away Arniston Bay wine prizes for the best quote / comment on our Facebook page.
All you have to do is become a Facebook fan and leave a comment / quote on the page.

As South Africa continues to defy the global economic downturn by annually lifting the export of its packaged wines, it is making concerted moves to lower the weight of its wine bottles and so maintain its status as one of the world’s most eco-progressive winemaking nations and a leader in production integrity.
From this year, 750-ml [...]

South African wine has achieved the largest increase in UK market share during 2009, according to the latest Nielsen figures.
Its performance takes the country from 10.4% of the off-trade market to 12.3% in the year to December 26, 2009.
The South African category also grew 24% by value and 23% by volume in the same [...]

Braai (or BBQ) is a big part of the South African summer and various social events and gatherings consists of a braai.
But what is the right sort of wine to offer at a braai? Let’s get one thing straight: there isn’t a right sort! The wine you choose for your braai should be one that [...]

South Africa’s wine industry expects increased global sales in 2010, although the strong and volatile rand threatens its long-term prospects. This is according to Su Birch, CEO of  Wines of South Africa
The sector expects the 2010 Fifa World Cup – which kicks off on June 11 – to boost sales hurt by a global economic [...]

Drinking and Driving over the Festive Season? Then it’s time to ask Goodfellas to the party.
Cathy Marston writes  “Sadly, I realise that this is not the norm here in SA. The drink-driving stats in this country are horrendous with alcohol being blamed for 50% of the 18,000 deaths on our roads every year – yes, [...]

In the year to end-October South Africans have scaled down their wine and brandy consumption, but in export markets more South African wine has flowed from bottles than in the previous corresponding period.
A statement issued by Yvette van der Merwe, managing executive of SA Wine Industry Information & Systems (Sawis), reported that domestic sales of [...]

According to a recent Telegraph article South Africa’s wines are improving in leaps and bounds and there has been a dramatic increase in quality.
South Africa is currently the world’s ninth largest wine producer with more than 600 wineries and 6,000 wines. It is the fastest growing wine-supplying country in Britain, with a 12.1 per cent [...]

After opening a bottle of wine it just takes a few days for the  wines to “go bad”. The time which it will “stay good” depends on a few factors.
Both red and white wines will oxidise once exposed to the elements and will eventually convert into vinegar. Essentially, the only wines that keep for any [...]

In the US, Merlot was almost unheard of until the 1970s and gained prominence in the US market when customers found it stylish and classy to ask for a glass of Merlot, which became synonymous with a glass of red wine.
Merlot achieved rapid prominence because at its best, it’s the easiest fine wine for novices [...]

Consumer goods with a relatively wide price range like coffee and wine are deemed to be indicators for economic trends. The buying patterns of US consumers can be seen as a possible indication of trends in the global economy.
A recent report by a leading US retailing group indicates that the buying [...]

What’s a green wine drinker to do? The cork versus screw cap battle is getting increasingly dirty. The issue of environmental credentials has entered the fight and that is yet to have closure – so to speak. So for the wine drinker with a green tinge, how do they stack up?
There is nothing more annoying [...]

British wine consumers continued their new found love affair with Rosé wines as the sales of this pink wine has again outperformed the overall drink sector.
Demand for Rosé among women has pushed wine sales through the £5 billion barrier for the first time.
The market for non-sparkling wine grew by 6.5 per cent to £5.04 billion [...]

Wines of South Africa (WOSA) is planning a series of international braai festivals, a World Cup for sommeliers, and a range of other novel initiatives to highlight abroad South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup. 

The braai festivals, to be held in key export destinations such as the UK, Holland, Germany, Scandinavia and countries in [...]

It seems that UK retailers are focusing to pour their resources into promoting low-alcohol wines.

Supermarkets and retailers are gearing up to stock a wider range of low-alcohol wines in the run-up to Christmas, in response to growing consumer demand and increasing health concerns about drinking.
The latest research confirms that British drinkers are unwittingly knocking back [...]

The dynamic South African wine brand, Arniston Bay, is continuing its great performance in the UK market. AC Nielsen figures reveal that Arniston Bay off-trade sales are up 30% by value and 31% by volume, making the brand one of the fastest growing in the UK.
Barney Davis, brand and business development manager for [...]

The well known South African food and wine writer, Michael Olivier recently heaped praise on the easy-drinking Arniston Bay Chenin Blanc/ Chardonnay.
He said: “This is such a lovely, lovely wine. Pale straw in colour  and you can pick up some pineapple and ripe melon on the nose.” He added that wine has a “lovely sort [...]

A taste for Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay or a liking for Merlot or Shiraz can indicate more than just a preference in wines. It could also reveal personality traits.
New research showed that drinkers who preferred a sweet taste in wine were more likely to be impulsive while those who chose dry varieties had greater openness.
According [...]

As the title reads, this Wine Tourism Handbook is South Africa’s Ultimate Guide to the Cape Winelands full of useful and practical information you can use to visit wine regions, cellar doors and restaurants with the help of  maps and contact details for the wineries and more.
First thing the book does for [...]

Pop into your local bottle shop and you’re overwhelmed with options. Red or white? Rosé or sparkling? Domestic or imported? And nowadays: traditional or eco-friendly?
Although our minds tend to wander to organic farming and sulfite-free winemaking when thinking about eco-friendly wine, it’s actually the transportation of the product that produces the largest carbon footprint. Wine [...]

Consumption, most analysts agree, has not been affected by the recession. If anything, Americans are drinking more wine than ever. But they are drinking cheaper wine and spending less money on it.
Another thing we might notice is fewer of those enormously heavy bottles so often used to convey that you have picked up (or tried [...]

the company of wine peopleTM and Percy Fox & Co have agreed that Percy Fox & Co will become the exclusive UK distributor for leading South African brand, Arniston Bay. The agreement will take effect from Monday 10th August and will also include the Welmoed, Kumkani and Versus brand portfolios.
These brands will provide a powerful [...]

A recent study shows that British wine drinkers are shifting in colour as they turn to the competitors of red.
Over the first trimester of 2009, red wine lost six points, being the favourite drink of 72 percent of wine drinkers, whereas the number was 78 only three months before. The share of [...]

Researchers in France have found a way to identify wine so accurately they can pinpoint where the drink was made and in which barrel it was fermented.
It uses an electronic nose to make even the most well established sommelier a little nervous.
The unique way exploits the complex mix of thousands of compounds found in each [...]

Have you ever wondered who came up the idea of heels? It seems that these shoes has been around for ages and women all around the world are loving their heels
Rumour has it that the heel was invented by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). Throughout history the heel has been enjoyed, by men and women, for [...]

We’re having another Market Day wine sale at our Welmoed cellar door in Stellenbosch.

Dates: Thursday 30 July to Saturday 1 August 2009
Venue: Welmoed Cellar door. Here are the directions: Directions to Welmoed
The following wines will be on sale:

If you’d like more details regarding the sale, please contact Anri or Zoliswa at our cellar [...]

South African wines continue to go from strength to strength in the UK market as it moves past French wines to claim the fourth spot. Wine from Australia, USA and Italy are still more popular but the gap is decreasing.
Latest market figures from analysts Nielsen show that drinkers prefer reds, whites and rosés from Italy [...]

Congratulations to Ramona-Lee Scott.
Ramona-Lee is the lucky Facebook fan of the month and has won an Arniston Bay wine hamper.
Become a Facebook Fan of Arniston Bay and stand a chance to win wine hampers: Arniston Bay Facebook Page