I think these so-called judges should stay at home, some of our Cap Classique's are on a par or better than their French counterparts!

Bronwen,
Please grow up and please train your palate by means of tasting more international wines rather than tassies and you will hopefully understand what makes a wine with elegance, finesse and pedigree, your short sighted comment does not help with the promotion of South African wines, poor show young man!

This is only a small percentage of whats actually going on i think. Like you said, some of these brands/wineries are some of the oldest in SA and now in foreign hands. Our winelands are becoming more and more like Europe where big companies buy wineries/brands and families gets pushed off their own land...sadly because of their decisions!!!

Well thanks for the list and for quoting Gugile Nkwinti. In this matter it would be interesting to talk about figures. Mr. Pendock has always made a point of what foreigners do. He never liked the splashing of money (by foreigners). I must admit that it sometimes lacks of style. But who will say no if hundreds of millions are spent in the country without a chance of getting them out ever?
Let us first look at the facts. Why not give the results of Thabo Mbeki's investigation into foreign ownership? How much do foreigners actually own in South Africa? Not much.
There is one more fact to keep in mind. Just like South African owned farms, hardly any of the farms controlled by foreigners is income-generating for their owners. So please, Mr. Pendock, don't make the matter worse by making lists and repeating fears and allegations. Write quality, bring facts. Or even better, remember that you are a damn good wine writer. Stick to your guns.

Have you actually read the list? Some farms don't belong on the list (Vergelegen), but most of the farms where started by foreigners or where totally run down and had to be re-built with a lot of money. What would have been the alternative?
Which big company buys vineyards in South Africa? This is exactly the problem. No big company invests here. It is only private people trying to do something meaningful with their money.
BTW: What are your feelings about SAB buying American, Italian and other beer brands, or the Ruperts buying Swiss and German watch companies, Swiss clinics, French fashion brands, UK cigarette brands etc. Is this OK? I don't have a problem with it. I am actually glad.
If you have a problem with this I suggest you buy a South African car and next time you travel to Joburg, fly a South African aircraft which you will have booked from a South African PC.

.... this stupid ANC-run Govt (am I allowed to say this on this site). Shilowa? Why get his comment, rather try Tokyo who really knows something about the winelands, or are you just name-chucking Neil?
These foreigners at least add value to the land - check out what the government has done with farms given to their lackys, freaking disaster!!

I obviously misunderstood the article. I thought that it was criticising the the illogical and hypocritical stance of anti inward investment into the SA wine industry. No wonder I never scored well in my english comprehension exams.

Dear Neil,
as my humble foreign opinion, I think the major limitation of implementing a fair and market related industry transformation is the land act of 1973, still active and enforced... This act limits the division of farms. The result is the price of the land is based on the limited offer, and only big farms. Many agricultural reforms around the world, including in France after the 1789 revolution, have been allowing farmers to grow with limited capital, but making them empowered. If the land act prevents this implementation, our industry will remain a game for big players.
May be looking at foreign ways to transform the industry should be considered by politicians... unless they want to keep the farms big, for themselves...

Uhm... the 2008 is NOT De Morgenzon's maiden Chenin vintage... Please check your facts...

How much of the Swartland Granite Renosterveld was destroyed by planting vineyards?

Prospecting is not mining and can be done in an environmentally sympathetic way. Let's see what there is (if anything) first before we get our wee in a froth.

Surely it is a bit late to seek special applications at this stage or have licensees been aware of these regulations previously. How will the authorities deal with the collection of these extraordinary levies one wonders and whose coffers will they ultimately land in ?