Cloof's Shiraz reputation is built on Crucible Shiraz and The Very Sexy Shiraz, two wines that have both won gold medals on wine shows around the world. After several vintages of each we have the opportunity of looking back on their achievements.

The world is awaiting the release of The Art and Design of Contemporary Wine Labels, an “illustrated survey [highlighting] leading designers who have elevated the design of wine labels to an art form”. Featured in the book are two Cloof labels, but the author bemoaned her lack of space, as she would have wanted to include several more of our labels.

We're flattered, gratified and all-round chuffed at being selected from tens of thousands of labels around the world. Even getting one label selected is exciting, but two!

There are no prizes for guessing that the label for the Bush Vines CPS was not one of those selected.

In contrast with previous years, the 2010 harvest is progressing at a relatively sedate pace. The key to this, of course, has been moderate temperatures. Past vintages have almost always been affected by heat waves at some point, which have the effect of causing many blocks to be ready for harvest simultaneously. When this happens the cellar gets put under some pretty serious pressure (to put it mildly).

Our versatile indoor and rustic outdoor spaces, with uninterrupted views over vineyards and plains, make Cloof the perfect venue to host your wedding. The tranquil, down-to-earth country feeling is a canvas that can be coloured any way that takes your fancy. Or just enjoyed for its rustic charm.

Cloof lovers will have noticed a disproportionate number of blends in our assortment. Our only white wine, Daisy Darling, is a blend, and so are the majority of the red wines we bottle. Apart from the fact that it's a heap of fun spending a couple of hours deliberating over a tableful of tank and barrel samples, we find that the wines just end up being very much better balanced, and a whole lot more interesting.