S.Africa
Aloe Tree
Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, 2019. £8.10. Aromatic guava and orange blossom jump from the glass – this Chenin Blanc is dry with hint of sweetness from the ripe apples, peaches and a hint of orange peel on the palate. The elegant crisp finish makes this a fantastic wine for all occasions.
Babylon’s Peak
Babylon’s Peak is nestled on the slopes of the Paardeberg, between Malmesbury and Paarl. The cellar is built on the farm Nooitgedacht, which has belonged to the Basson family for four generations. The name ‘Babylon’s Peak’ is derived from a very high granite peak on the farm, known to the locals as ‘Babylonstoren’.
Syrah Carignan. £9.10. Intense cinnamon, cloves and typical fynbos character with lots of other spice and very dark fruit. This leads to mocha and coffee flavours once the wine is left open for a while. The tannins and acid are well balanced, although there are enough structure that will help maturing the wine for up to ten years. The middle palate is full with good length at the end.
Bonfire Hill Vineyard
Extreme Red. £11.00. Shiraz 36%, Cinsault 32%, Pinotage 32%, An intriguing, inviting blend of red summer fruits, spring fynbos flowers, Indian spice and just a hint of toasty oak on the nose. The palate is surprisingly decadent, rich, with almost creamy tannins. You’ll find raspberries, blackberries, ripe plum and a hint of pepper, spice and leather on the palate. It is balanced, with just the tiniest prod of refreshing, salty acid, like a playful poke of Neptune’s trident.
Extreme White. £11.00. Chenin Blanc 82%, Rousanne 12%, Grenache Blanc 6%, Welcome to complex, ripe aromas of citrus and peach, backed up by the faintest sprinkling of fresh thyme and vanilla. The aromas introduce a palate altogether more complex, with rich, more-ish, juicy stone fruit, wrapped up in crunchy, refreshing, grapey acidity. Mouth-filling, delicious and succulent.
De Grendel – Tygerberg
De Grendel means the latch or the gateway in Dutch, and the estate is named due to it's location on the Tygerberg facing Table Mountain, which was traditionally a stopover for ox wagons on their way to Durbanville, Stellenbsoch and the interior of South Africa. At an average of 250 metre elevation and only 7 kilometres from Table Bay and the Atlantic Ocean's cold currents, this area has one of the coolest climates in the Western Cape, and with misty nights, is ideal for maintaining fresh flavours and acidity in grapes. The Graaff family has owned De Grendel since the late 1800's, however the potential for growing quality wine grapes was identified by the present owner Sir David Graaff. The first wines were planted on the De Grendel estate in 2000 following exhaustive soil surveys to identify the best grape varieties and clones for each site. Today there are 104 hectares of vines from which the fruit for De Grendel wines is sourced, and a new winery built in 2005, which was designed to Feng Shui principles. Charles Hopkins is responsible for winemaking, and is well respected throughout the world wine industry, with spells in California and Bordeaux as as well as nearly two decades of making wine in South Africa.
Shiraz. £11.95. This Shiraz shows coriander, lavender and white pepper, as well as some floral notes on the nose. This full structured wine is well supported by oak undertones and sweet ripe tannins.
Du Plessis
Cabernet/Merlot. £12.95. Sorry sold out
Cabernet Sauvignon. £12.95. A powerful wine with deep, almost opaque colour and a restrained nose of cassis, plums and hints of tobacco and chocolate. Full and powerful, this wine is hugely concentrated with a complexity that belies its age.
Havana Hills – Philadelphia
Shiraz. “Lime Road”. £10.90. Sweet vanilla and berry fruit. Subtly oaked for overall refinement.
Hidden Agenda
Shiraz/Viognier. £7.50. The Hidden Agenda here is that some of the proceeds from this wine go towards social housing for winery workers. What is not so hidden is the lovely spicy, blackberry fruit which mingles with the aromatic notes coming from viognier. Sophisticated yet delicious drinking.
Lands End – Cape Agulhas, Elim
Syrah £14.70. Land's End Estate produces an iconic Syrah from an extreme microclimate
Lutzville Cape Diamond - Olifants River
Lutzville Cape Diamond Vineyards is one of South Africa's most successful wineries. Situated on the North-West coast of South Africa, in rich, alluvial soils alongside the famous Diamond Coast, the area surrounding the vineyards has long been recognised as one of South Africa's most ideal wine-growing areas. The mild climate, dominated by misty mornings, sunny days and a prevailing south-westerly sea breeze, is perfect for growing top quality grapes. Everything seems to conspire naturally to promote the production of wines that are both unique in character and outstanding in quality.
Diamond Shiraz. £7.90. A full, deep maroon wine with a smoky hint of prunes on the nose and overtones of coffee and prunes on the taste-buds. Enjoy with red meat dishes, strong Parmesan cheese dishes and flavoursome pastas.
Raats Winery – Stellenbosch
Cabernet Franc. £22.75. Elegant and profound this shows the heights Cabernet Franc can attain. A core of blackberry, black cherry and plum with notes of liquorice, tobacco, coffee and spice. Silky tannins on the palate, hints of dark chocolate and delicious minerality on the finish.
MR de Compostela. £45.50. Critically acclaimed collaboration between Bruwer Raats and his friend and top Stellenbosch Oenology graduate Mzokhona Mvemve. This is a blend of the 5 grape varieties of Bordeaux, made separately and then tasted blind – whichever ends up best makes up the largest part of the final blend, the second best the second largest part etc. Complex, subtle, elegant and profound it is one of South Africa’s greatest reds.