<![CDATA[Vino and Vibes]]>https://vinoandvibes.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NI6U!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5dcc1760-3956-4225-ad54-0a8b02ed0700_90x90.jpegVino and Vibeshttps://vinoandvibes.substack.comSubstackTue, 12 May 2026 02:58:35 GMT<![CDATA[New on Vino & Vibes 🍷]]>https://vinoandvibes.substack.com/p/new-on-vino-and-vibes-8a3https://vinoandvibes.substack.com/p/new-on-vino-and-vibes-8a3Mon, 11 May 2026 08:02:26 GMTPlot twist: South Africa’s biggest wine secret has been hiding in plain sight for 365 years. We’ve called her Steen, used her for brandy, treated her like the workhorse of the cellar - and somehow, against all odds, she turned out to be royalty.

This week I’m covering her full glow-up - the 53% global stat that’ll genuinely surprise you, the three-century-long identity crisis, the old bush vines doing the heavy lifting, and three SA bottles I’d happily pour for you (one under R120, one under R200, and a splurge tier so good I refused to pick just one).

Pour something cold. The whole story is over at https://vinoandvibes.life/ - see you there.

Em x

]]><![CDATA[New on Vino & Vibes 🍷]]>https://vinoandvibes.substack.com/p/new-on-vino-and-vibes-3c8https://vinoandvibes.substack.com/p/new-on-vino-and-vibes-3c8Mon, 11 May 2026 06:01:23 GMTPlot twist: South Africa’s biggest wine secret has been hiding in plain sight for 365 years. We’ve called her Steen, used her for brandy, treated her like the workhorse of the cellar - and somehow, against all odds, she turned out to be royalty.

This week I’m covering her full glow-up - the 53% global stat that’ll genuinely surprise you, the three-century-long identity crisis, the old bush vines doing the heavy lifting, and three SA bottles I’d happily pour for you (one under R120, one under R200, and a splurge tier so good I refused to pick just one).

Pour something cold. The whole story is over at vinoandvibes.life - see you there.

Em x

]]><![CDATA[New on Vino & Vibes 🍷]]>https://vinoandvibes.substack.com/p/new-on-vino-and-vibeshttps://vinoandvibes.substack.com/p/new-on-vino-and-vibesMon, 04 May 2026 07:31:02 GMTMalbec is back, baby - and it’s having a moment. That bold, inky, blackberry-and-spice red that everyone keeps reaching for at dinner? There’s a really good reason it stole the spotlight from its Bordeaux beginnings and built a whole new life in Argentina.

This week I’m unpacking what makes Malbec tick - the flavour profile, the food pairings that actually work, and a few South African bottles worth your rands. Plus the slightly dramatic origin story that involves a phylloxera plague and a Frenchman with a very good idea.

Pour something dark. The full post is over at vinoandvibes.life — see you there.

Em x

]]><![CDATA[Quick one 🍷]]>https://vinoandvibes.substack.com/p/quick-onehttps://vinoandvibes.substack.com/p/quick-oneFri, 01 May 2026 13:05:05 GMTRemember the Merlot post — “the Smooth Operator”? Well, one of our local Merlots just walked into London, kept its hands in its pockets, and casually picked up Merlot of the Year at the International London Wine Competition. Steenberg Vineyards 2022 Merlot. Constantia. Gold medal energy.

Plum, mulberry, a whisper of lavender, and that smooth-but-structured swagger we already know Merlot for — except this one’s now got an international trophy on the shelf to back it up.

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Honestly, it’s the kind of bottle you bring to dinner to quietly impress without trying too hard.

Full Merlot story at vinoandvibes.life. Pour something proudly local.

Em x

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