Thirsty Traveler
Producer stories, tasting reviews and places to explore, from the Winelands to local craft distilleries and breweries.
Award-winning agave spirits, Karoo craftsmanship and easy sipping: discover Rocco Torro’s Graaff-Reinet distillery, tastings and small-batch releases.
Discover seven generations of winemaking heritage, distinctive wines and unforgettable experiences in the heart of South Africa’s Breedekloof Valley. Some places tell a story through their landscapes, while…
Fresh, vibrant and effortlessly versatile, the Neil Ellis Groenekloof Sauvignon Blanc 2025 sets the tone for summer entertaining....
Explore Erongo Mountain Winery near Omaruru, Namibia, from its distinctive wines and Ondjaba whiskey to tastings and a meal at The Jewel restaurant....
A good wine tasting should leave you with something to talk about on the way home. Perhaps it is a wine you had overlooked, a pairing that surprised…
A wine tasting followed by a long lunch is a thoroughly sensible way to investigate a wine estate. At Val du Charron, in Wellington’s Bovlei Valley, there is…
A drink with a good story gives you something to talk about before the ice has begun to melt. For L-Gin, that story starts with three friends, a…
There is a particular pleasure in seeing a wine estate whose wines you have enjoyed receive recognition for its work. I have enjoyed Weltevrede’s wines in the past,…
Compare Stellenview’s Chardonnay 2025, Sauvignon Blanc 2024 and Rosé 2024, with flavour profiles and food-pairing ideas.
The Silver accolade adds an international quality endorsement to one of South Africa’s most well-known whisky brands. South African whisky brand Firstwatch Whisky has earned a Silver medal…
AJABU returns to Cape Town on 14–22 November 2026. Explore the festival, Tasting Tables and combination ticket options.
This September, Neil Ellis Wines is celebrating both Grenache Day on 18 September and South Africa’s Heritage Month with an invitation to slow down, gather around the table and discover…
In an age of instant results, KWV Brandy Master Pieter de Bod works to a very different clock. Some of the decisions he makes today will only reveal…
South African winemaking legends, rising stars and industry stakeholders gathered at Vergelegen Wine Estate in Somerset West on 1 September for Tim Atkin MW’s South Africa 2026 Special Report Wines…
Kruger Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 earns a stellar 96 points, alongside a string of top 2026 accolades There are few wine varieties that command quite the same respect…
All nine KWV entries earned medals, with the producer securing the judging’s only Gold Outstanding and half of all Gold medals awarded to spirits. One hundred years after…
From 21 to 27 August, South African wine lovers will once again celebrate Seven Days of Shiraz, an annual initiative that shines a spotlight on one of the…
Vergelegen Wine Estate’s Reserve Merlot 2022 has received a prestigious South African varietal award, winning the trophy for the best Merlot at the 2026 Fine Wine Awards, sponsored…
Join Neil Ellis Wines in Stellenbosch for a weekend celebrating Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the world’s most iconic grape varieties and a wine that has been at the…
Following a mixology showdown, various innovative challenges, and a signature serves showcase held at Naked Woolf Rosebank, anchored by Diageo’s World Class competition, George Hunter walked away with the coveted grand prize and was…
As South Africans continue to feel the pinch of rising living costs, one thing hasn’t changed: our love of a good glass of brandy. And according to Nuy…
Featuring sought-after Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, Rioja, Ribera del Duero and more. Strauss & Co are proud to offer an exquisite list of wines from three great wine-producing nations…
Thirsty Traveler explores South African wine, craft beer and spirits through producer profiles, tasting stories and places to visit.
Browse our drink categories to discover local makers and their products.
Graeme Lund publishes Thirsty Traveler and shares his interest in wine, craft beer, spirits and the people who make them.
My mother was a Cordon Bleu chef and insisted that we eat with a near Victorian array of cutlery and crockery every night. As a young adult, I learned to appreciate the dedication and art of good cooking and as I came of age, I realised how a glass of wine and even more so, good conversation, could make a meal complete.
As a teenager our family took a holiday to the Winelands and I was in awe of the beauty, heritage and sophistication of South Africa’s wine industry. Although not yet 18 I started to collect wines.
Lagers and pilsners where the beer universe for Generation X South Africans. When I traveled through Europe in the ‘90s I was disgusted by warm English beer, revolted by Irish stouts and Belgian sours where the worst thing that my delicate palate had ever encountered.
However, like Copernicus my view has expanded. I have discovered that the beer universe does not rotate around a cold lager. In fact I have since discovered that the beer universe is literally limitless. My Dark Age view on beer progressed into a Renaissance of awaking and then hyper-drived to an unbridled voyage of discovery.
As a student in the ‘90s I thought I was rather chic because I drank J&B rather than Bells and even sampled Campari. It was not until I visited the Oban Distillery in Scotland that I learned about Single Malt Scotch and I entered a whole new world of discovery.
When I first visited the New World I discovered Bourbon and that it too has a proud heritage. On a visit to Cuba I learned that Rum was not just a compliment to Coke, and that, after 12 years of aging, is as sublime as a Scotch.
Today I remain in awe of the craftsman who, with passion, skill and experience, produce such nuanced flavours and aromas in wine, beer and spirts. This website is about my journey of discovery and also of return visits to old favorites.
Thirsty Traveler covers producer stories, tastings, visits and drinks news. For article queries, corrections, product submissions or commercial enquiries, contact graeme@agencyone.co.za. Prices, products, events and opening times can change after publication; check with the producer or organiser before making plans.
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© 2019–2026 Thirsty Traveler. All rights reserved.
© 2019–2026 Thirsty Traveler. All rights reserved.