When the temperatures drop, white wine can be every bit as satisfying as red. The best South African white wines for winter are textured, layered, and food-friendly, with enough depth to pair beautifully with hearty seasonal dishes and enough freshness to keep each sip lively.

At Fairview, this is where our textured whites truly shine. Wines like Beryl Back, Broken Barrel White, Viognier, Altesse, and the Bloemcool wines such as Ploegperd offer warmth, character, and complexity that make them ideal for cold evenings in South Africa.

The Bloemcool Range holds some of Fairview’s most exciting white wines

Why white wine works in winter

Winter calls for wines with a little more weight and personality. A crisp, light white can be refreshing in summer, but in winter many drinkers want something broader, rounder, and more layered.

Look for white wines with:

• Texture and mouthfeel.

• Stone fruit, citrus peel, spice, or floral notes.

• A touch of oak or barrel fermentation.

• Enough acidity to balance richer food.

These wines are not just refreshing, they are comforting. They belong on the table with roast chicken, creamy pasta, baked fish, and soft cheeses.

Fairview’s textured whites

Beryl Back

Beryl Back is one of Fairview’s standout white wines, known for its generosity and layered style. It has the kind of depth that makes it especially appealing in winter, whether you are pairing it with roast chicken, mushroom dishes, or a creamy pasta.

For readers searching for the best South African white wines, Beryl Back is an excellent place to start.

Broken Barrel White

Broken Barrel White is another great winter option. It has a richer, more textured profile that gives it the structure to stand up to more savoury dishes and fuller flavours.

If you are looking for a white wine Paarl recommendation with character, this is a wine worth highlighting.

Fairview Viognier

Viognier is one of the most expressive white varietals in the world, bringing perfume, stone fruit, and richness to the glass. It is a natural winter wine because it has enough body to feel substantial without losing its freshness.

Charles Back was instrumental in introducing Viognier to South Africa, which gives this wine an important place in Fairview’s story as well as in the broader South African wine landscape.

Fairview Altesse

Altesse is elegant, distinctive, and food-friendly. It offers a slightly more unusual style for wine lovers who want to explore beyond the obvious choices, while still remaining approachable and delicious.

This makes it a strong option for anyone looking to discover a memorable winter white wine South Africa can be proud of.

Bloemcool Ploegperd

The Bloemcool wines bring another layer to Fairview’s white wine offering, and Ploegperd is a lovely example of a wine that feels thoughtful and expressive.

This characterful white blend from old Piekenierskloof vineyards incorporating minimal winemaking and natural fermentation, allows the terroir and old vines to shine through in every glass.

Fairview Viognier Pairs beautifully with an array of dishes

Best food pairings for winter whites

The best winter white wines shine when paired with dishes that have richness, savoury depth, or a creamy element. They are particularly good with:

• Roast chicken with herbs.

• Creamy pasta or risotto.

• Baked fish with butter or lemon.

• Mushroom tart or vegetable tart.

• Chicken pie.

• Soft cheeses and warm cheese dishes.

Why these wines deserve attention

There is a common assumption that winter drinking belongs mainly to red wine, but that leaves out some of the most exciting whites South Africa has to offer. Textured whites are ideal for colder months because they combine richness with freshness, making them versatile and satisfying.

Visit or shop the range

If you are planning a winter evening in, or looking for a bottle to pair with a comforting meal, Fairview’s textured whites are an excellent place to begin. Explore the wines online, plan a tasting, or visit us in Paarl to experience them for yourself.

From the richness of Beryl Back to the perfume of Viognier and the elegance of Altesse, these are wines that show just how rewarding white wine can be in winter.

www.fairview.co.za

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Happy National Shiraz Day! There are grape varieties you make wine with. And then there are the ones that become part of your story.

At Fairview, Shiraz has always been one of the latter. It was one of the first four varieties bottled under the Fairview label back in 1974, and it remains one of the most important grapes in our cellar today.

From the warm, granite-rich vineyards of Paarl to the dryland vineyards of the Swartland and the cooler sites closer to the Atlantic, Shiraz has a remarkable ability to express where it comes from. That diversity is exactly what makes National Shiraz Day worth celebrating.

This year, we’re making a proper week of it with four very different bottles of Shiraz. Different vineyards. Different winemaking approaches. Different expressions of the same extraordinary grape.

Why We Celebrate National Shiraz Day

National Shiraz Day is a chance to celebrate one of the world’s great red wine varieties and explore just how differently it can express itself from one vineyard to another.

At Fairview, our relationship with Shiraz goes back decades. It was among the first varieties bottled under the Fairview label in 1974, establishing a relationship with the grape that has continued through generations.

Charles Back has championed Shiraz throughout his career, while our winemaker Anthony de Jager will happily tell you that it remains his favourite variety.

For us, Shiraz isn’t simply another grape in the cellar. It is part of the fabric of Fairview.

And perhaps the most exciting thing about South African Shiraz is that there is no single definition of what it should taste like.

What Makes South African Shiraz So Interesting?

South Africa’s diverse wine-growing regions give Shiraz plenty of room to show its personality.

In warmer inland areas, Shiraz can develop generous dark fruit, spice, structure and concentration. In cooler or higher-altitude vineyards, the same variety can take on more savoury, peppery and elegant characteristics.

The Swartland has become particularly renowned for its dryland vineyards and distinctive Rhône varieties, while Paarl offers its own combination of warm days, cool nights and ancient soils.

This is where South African red wine becomes particularly interesting. Rather than trying to make every Shiraz taste the same, winemakers can use different sites, farming techniques and winemaking approaches to reveal different sides of the variety.

And that is exactly what we love about Shiraz at Fairview.

Four Shiraz Wines, Four Very Different Stories for National Shiraz Day

To celebrate National Shiraz Day, we’ve selected four bottles that demonstrate just how much personality this grape can have.

Fairview Eenzaamheid Shiraz 2022

From the historic Eenzaamheid farm in Paarl, this Shiraz comes from unirrigated vines growing in gravelly, decomposed shale soils.

The result is a serious, structured red wine with dark fruit, red plum, wild berries and fynbos notes. Spicy and savoury, with grippy tannins, it’s a wine with the structure to develop beautifully over the next five to eight years.

Bloemcool Drip Wyn 2023

This is Shiraz with a rather extraordinary story.

Made in the Swartland, only a tiny fraction of the wine is collected by gravity as it slowly drips from the skins overnight. Just one 500-litre barrel was produced.

The result is dense, concentrated and packed with dark fruit, spice and dryland structure.

It’s a fascinating example of how a different winemaking approach can completely change the expression of Shiraz wine.

Klein Amoskuil Die Nagmuis 2023

A little more untamed and unmistakably Swartland.

Die Nagmuis is a semi-carbonic, organic bush-vine Syrah from Klein Amoskuil. Deep purple in colour, it brings together plum, blackcurrant, herbs and subtle oak with a savoury, wild character.

It shows another side of South African Shiraz: energetic, earthy and driven by the character of dry-farmed bush vines.

Fairview Shiraz 2023

Then there’s the everyday expression of a variety we take very seriously.

Fairview Shiraz brings together fruit from different coastal regions to create a generous, approachable red wine. Expect dark berries, plum and warm spice, with the balance and drinkability that make it an easy bottle to return to.

It’s a reminder that great red wine doesn’t always need to be complicated.

Sometimes, you simply want another glass.

One Grape. Many Expressions.

Four wines. Different sites. Different winemaking. Different price points.

Same grape.

That’s part of what makes Shiraz so intriguing.

From Paarl’s structured, spice-driven expressions to the wild, dryland character of the Swartland, these wines demonstrate how strongly a grape can reflect its origins.

And our relationship with Shiraz continues to evolve.

Our Cyril Back Shiraz 2023 was recently named one of South Africa’s Top 12 Shiraz wines in the 2026 Shiraz SA Challenge, adding another chapter to a story that began more than 50 years ago.

For us, that is what National Shiraz Day is really about: celebrating the grape, the vineyards, the people behind the wines and the different places that give each bottle its personality.

Shiraz, Wine and the Cape Winelands

If you’re exploring wine tasting near Cape Town, Shiraz is a particularly rewarding place to start.

At Fairview in Paarl, wine tasting is about more than simply comparing bottles. Our wines draw from a collection of sites across the Cape, allowing visitors to experience the diversity of the region through the glass.

Pair your tasting with our handmade cheeses, explore the farm and meet the goats that have become such an important part of the Fairview story. Or settle in at the Goatshed for a meal and discover how naturally Shiraz works alongside food.

It’s one of the things we love most about wine: a bottle can take you somewhere.

A Shiraz from Paarl can tell a very different story from one grown in the Swartland. Yet both can sit comfortably alongside the same table, the same meal and the same conversation.

Seven Days of Celebrating Shiraz

To mark National Shiraz Day, we’re celebrating for seven days with these four very different bottles.

Whether you’re looking for a serious Paarl Shiraz to put away for a few years, a rare Swartland expression, an organic bush-vine Syrah or an approachable bottle for the dinner table, there’s something here to explore.

Online Exclusive | Seven Days Only

Delivery is free on orders of R550 or more anywhere in South Africa.

→ Explore Fairview Shiraz

A Celebration of a Grape That Became Part of Our Story

At Fairview, Shiraz has been part of our story since the very beginning of the Fairview label.

More than five decades later, we’re still discovering what this grape can do.

From old vines and dryland vineyards to innovative winemaking and classic Paarl expressions, Shiraz continues to challenge, surprise and reward us.

So this National Shiraz Day, raise a glass to South Africa, to the Cape’s remarkable vineyards and to a grape that has earned its place in our cellar.

We are Shiraz people.

Seven days of celebrating Shiraz. Four very different bottles to drink your way through it.

To Shiraz. To South Africa. To Life.

→ Shop Shiraz Online

→ Plan a Visit to Fairview

The post National Shiraz Day: Celebrating South Africa’s Shiraz at Fairview appeared first on Fairview.

Over the years, we’ve come to appreciate goat’s cheese for a lot more than its tangy flavour, creamy texture, and versatility in the kitchen. It’s also easier to digest for many people, and offers a nutritional profile worth knowing about.

What Makes Goat’s Cheese Different

Goat’s Milk vs Cow’s Milk: What’s the Difference?
The biggest difference comes down to protein. Goat’s milk is naturally high in A2 beta-casein, while cow’s milk contains more of the A1 type, a protein many people find harder to break down. That difference, combined with smaller, more evenly distributed fat globules, gives goat’s cheese its lighter, smoother texture, a distinct alternative to the richer, denser character of cow’s milk cheese.

Easier to Digest
This is where goat’s cheese tends to stand out. Because its fat globules are smaller, the stomach breaks it down more gently than it does cow’s milk, and for many people that means less heaviness after eating. It’s also naturally lower in lactose, which is why it tends to sit better with people who are mildly sensitive to it, though it’s still not suitable for anyone with a diagnosed lactose intolerance or milk allergy.

Naturally Nutritious
Goat’s cheese is a good source of protein, calcium, and vitamins A and B2, along with minerals like magnesium and potassium. These nutrients help support healthy bones, muscles, energy production, and overall wellbeing.

Our Goat’s Cheese Range

Provenance is the thread that runs through everything we do. Each cheese in this range is made with goat’s milk from our Saanen herd. From time-honoured cheesemaking traditions to distinctive shapes and ways of ripening, here’s what sets them apart:

Chevin
Traditional Chevin holds a special place in our history as the first cheese ever produced at Fairview. Made from goat’s milk, the curds are placed into cloth bags and hung to drain. This time-honoured process gives it its signature soft, creamy texture and fresh, delicately tangy flavour.

Available in three flavours: Traditional, Garlic & Herbs, and Black Pepper & Paprika.

Crottin
A traditional French-style goat’s milk cheese with a soft, delicate texture and fresh, tangy flavour. Hand-ladled into small moulds and left to drain, it develops a fine natural rind and firmer texture as it matures. Its flavour evolves from mild and creamy to more complex, earthy and distinctly goaty.

Grill it for a goat’s cheese salad, melt it over crostini, or bake it into a tart.

Goat’s Milk Camembert
This Camembert develops its character as it matures, with a bloomy white rind giving way to a soft, creamy centre as it ripens from the outside in. It has a fresh tang with subtle earthy and mushroom notes. When fully ripe, it becomes rich and luscious, with a creamy mouthfeel and lingering savoury finish.

Chèvre Roue
A distinctive doughnut-shaped goat’s milk cheese dusted with vegetable ash. Its signature hole through the centre allows it to ripen from the inside out, creating greater depth of flavour. It has a smooth, creamy consistency with a fresh, tangy flavour, subtle earthy notes and a distinctive goat’s milk character.

De Triomphe
A soft goat’s milk cream cheese log with a delicate, naturally wrinkled rind created by a Geotrichum mould culture. Its smooth, creamy centre has a fresh, clean acidity with subtle yeasty, earthy and mushroom notes. As it matures, the cheese becomes softer and its flavour develops greater depth and complexity.

A Wine Farm With a Difference

There aren’t many places where you can taste wine and cheese that are both crafted on the same farm. That’s what makes a visit to Fairview in Paarl so special.

Take your time with one of our wine and cheese tastings, browse the Farm Deli for your favourites to enjoy at home, or settle in for breakfast or lunch at the Goatshed Restaurant, where our wines and cheeses naturally find their way onto the menu.

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Recipe by Georgia East

Prep time: 10 min Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tub Black Pepper Cheese Spread 1 pack Salada Blanc 100g smoked salmon Caper berries, to taste ½ red onion, thinly sliced Zest of 1 lemon 4 croissants, warmed Fresh dill, for garnish

The post appeared first on Fairview.

Recipe by Georgia East

Serves 2

Ingredients:

100g Salada Blanc

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tbsp lemon juice

¼ tsp smoked paprika

½ tbsp pesto

2–3 peppadews, finely chopped

Chilli flakes, to taste

The post appeared first on Fairview.

Fairview Celebrates Top 100 and Double Platinum Wins at the National Wine Challenge

Fairview has once again been recognised amongst South Africa’s best at the National Wine Challenge, with four wines earning the competition’s highest accolade of Top 100 and Double Platinum status. In addition, Fairview Primo Pinotage 2023 was awarded a Double Gold Medal, reinforcing Fairview’s reputation for quality, innovation, and consistency across the cellar.

Award-Winning Fairview Wines at the National Wine Challenge

This year, four Fairview wines achieved both Top 100 and Double Platinum status:

• Fairview Old Vine Project Steen 2024

• Fairview Altesse 2025

• Fairview Beryl Back 2024

• Fairview The Beacon Shiraz 2023

In addition, Fairview Primo Pinotage 2023 received a Double Gold Medal, further highlighting the depth of quality in the range.

Our National Wine Challenge Double Platinum & Top 100 wines

About the Awards

For sixteen years, the National Wine Challenge has been regarded as one of South Africa’s most rigorous wine competitions. To earn a place amongst the Top 100 requires exceptional scores from a panel of local and international judges, making these awards a meaningful recognition of the work happening in both Fairview’s vineyards and cellar.

What These Awards Mean for Fairview

What makes this achievement particularly proud is the diversity of the wines recognised. From old vine Chenin Blanc and a fresh Bordeaux blend to Shiraz and Pinotage, these awards reflect the breadth of what Fairview stands for: curiosity, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to quality.

The  celebrates wines that consistently perform at the highest level, and Fairview’s presence in this list is a testament to the team’s dedication to crafting wines that truly reflect the Cape.

Thank You from Fairview

To our winemaking team, vineyard team, and to everyone who continues to support Fairview, thank you. These awards are a shared achievement, and they inspire continued excellence in every vintage.

Here’s to another year of making wines that truly reflect the Cape.

Shop our award winning wines here – www.fairviewmarketplace.co.za

www.fairview.co.za

The post National Wine Challenge | Fairview Celebrates Top 100 and Double Platinum Wins appeared first on Fairview.

A winter favourite, Fairview Shiraz & Shanks, returns to the slopes of Fairview this July, this time with an extra helping of laughter. On Saturday, 25 July 2026, Fairview’s Goatshed Restaurant will host Shiraz & Shanks and Comedy with Nik Rabinowitz, an evening of hearty food, exceptional wines, and one of South Africa’s most celebrated comedians.

There are few winter pairings more satisfying than a generous glass of Shiraz alongside a rich, slow-cooked lamb shank. At the Goatshed Restaurant, that comfort food classic becomes something even more memorable: a warm fire, a relaxed country setting, good company around the table, and a night designed to celebrate the best of winter dining in the Cape Winelands.

Chef SJ Nel has created a four-course menu inspired by seasonal flavours and refined country cooking, with each course paired to wines from the Fairview cellar. As Fairview’s flagship red variety, Shiraz will naturally take centre stage on the evening, supported by other cellar favourites chosen to complement the menu and elevate the dining experience.

Adding to the occasion, guests will enjoy a live performance by Nik Rabinowitz, one of South Africa’s most recognisable comedy voices. Raised on a farm outside Cape Town, Nik has spent nearly two decades entertaining audiences locally and abroad with sharp wit, quick observations, and a uniquely South African sense of humour. His warm, intelligent style makes him a perfect fit for an evening that blends great food, great wine, and great conversation.

Event details

Fairview Shiraz & Shanks and Comedy with Nik Rabinowitz

Saturday, 25 July 2026
Arrival: 18:00 – 18:30
Dinner: 19:00 – 22:00
Tickets: R975 per person

Book here

Includes a four-course dinner, selected wine pairings, and live comedy.

The Shiraz & Shanks evening has become one of the standout events on the Goatshed calendar, and with Nik Rabinowitz joining this year’s line-up, it promises to be one to remember. For guests looking for a memorable winter evening in Paarl, this is an event that brings together the very best of Fairview hospitality.

Booking is essential.

www.fairview.co.za

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