October 2023
Red Selection
Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2023
Winery: Allesverloren
Wine Maker: Wilhelm de Vries
Winery Location: Riebeek Kasteel, Swartland
Varietal(s): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon;
Vivino Score: 3.8.0/5.00
Retail Price: R175.00
Notes in the wine:
- A rich and full-bodied wine with a good tannic structure, lots of berry fruit flavours such as blackcurrant and cherries with undertones of dark chocolate and a deep ruby red color.
- The grapes were sourced from vineyards in the Riebeek Berg ward, the vines grew in Malmesbury shale, known for its good water retention capacity. The grapes were harvested by hand at 23° to 24° Balling .
Food pairing: Roast chicken, potatoes, carrots under healthy blanket of gravy.
Groenekloof Syrah
Vintage: 2021
Winery: Lomand
Winemaker: Kobus Gerber
Winery Location: Cape Agulhas
Varietal(s): 100% Syrah
Vivino Score: 3.80/5.00
Retail Price: R185.00
- Abundant aromatic flavours of white pepper with dark fruit and well-structured elegant tannins. Expressive aromas of spice, violets with beautiful blackberry undertones.
- A blend of Syrah grapes from a variety of soil types to create a wine with great complexity.
- The hand-picked and hand-sorted grapes were destemmed, crushed s and inoculated with a selected yeast culture. On completion of fermentation, the wine spent a further three weeks on the skins for optimal extraction of color and flavour.
Food pairing: beef burrito – go heavy on the chipotle
Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2022
Winery: Spookfontein
Winemaker: Nelis Uys
Winery Location: Hemel en Aarde Valley
Varietal(s): Pinot Noir
Vivino Score: 3.8/5.00
Retail Price: R280.00
- Delicacy and strength define this Pinot Noir among its elegant but generous layers with aromas of dark cherry and red berries.
- The careful harmony of this wine is reached with savory undertones and subtle wood spices, complementing a long mineral finish. Aged in French oak for 11 months gives it roundness and distinction.
Food pairing: aromatic lentil curry
Reserve Malbec
Vintage: 2021
Winery: Anuva
Winemaker: Bouma Family
Winery Location: Simondium
Varietal(s): 100% Malbec
Vivino Score: 4.20/5.00
Retail Price: R185.00
Notes on the wine:
- Sweet plums, mulberry and marzipan aromas with a rich mouth feel and a long, smooth finish underlined by liquor ice spice and dried peach tones.
- Fermentation is initiated in a small open-top tank. With the use of a vibration table, hand sorting is done to ensure only the best berries are selected and processed to tank. After a period of cold maceration (48 hours), the tank was inoculated with commercial yeast to begin fermentation.
- Anura aims to produce wines which combine the robust fruit of the New World with the elegance and complexity of Old-World winemaking styles.
Food pairing: cheese board of mature cheddars and aged camembert, served with fig preserve.
Vinhos Rochas
Vintage: 2022
Winery: Baleia
Winemaker: Gunter Scholtz
Winery Location: Cape south coast
Varietal(s): Tempranillo, Shiraz
Vivino Score: 3.80/ 5.00
Retail Price: R135.00
- Vibrant and juicy bursting with minerality, this ‘Wine From Rock’ made from Tempranillo and Syrah, truly reflects the terroir in which it is grown.
- Fruit is respected by making use of amphorae and large wooden foudres in the cellar, which highlights the unique minerality and makes for a tantalizing wine bursting with character.!
Food pairing: Neapolitan pizza with pineapple and chorizo
Big G
Vintage: 2018
Winery: Holden Manz
Winery Location: Franschhoek
Winemaker: Thierry Haberer
Varietal(s): 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot
Vivino Score: 4.20/5.00
Retail Price: R325.00
Notes on Wine:
- The individual varieties were handpicked and sorted allowing only the best berries to be used for this wine. Selected blocks in the vineyard are allocated to be used in making the Big G.
- Ripe dark fruit, graphite, cassis, a subtle herbaceousness, nuances of blueberry and thyme backed with hints of cedarwood and pencil shavings.
- Soft, voluptuous integrated tannins with a rich creamy cassis freshness. Silky smooth mid-palate with a finish which is full of dark fruit and long lingering flavours. Great tension!
Food pairing: Roast leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic
White Selection
Chardonnay
Vintage: 2020
Winery: Baleia
Winemaker: Gunter Schultz
Winery Location: Cape south coast
Varietal(s): 100% Chardonnay
Vivino Score: 3.80/5.00
Retail Price: R165.00
- Grown in pure limestone soil with extremely high mineral content, which results in a lively wine layered with fine structure.
- A crisp Chardonnay with Elder flower and lime blossom aromas, almond biscotti and light oak flavours on the palate.
- Natural salts found in the soils present a delicate sensation of minerality in Baleia’s food-driven wines and prepares the palate beautifully
Food pairing: creamy salmon and caper tagliatelle
Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2022
Winery: Lomond
Winemaker: Kobus Gerber
Winery Location: Cape Agulhas
Varietal(s): 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vivino Score: 3.90/5.0
Retail Price: R190.00
- Aroma of citrus, distinctive minerality, hints of prickly pear and apricot.
- Brilliantly clear with green hue and hints of stone fruit & gooseberries. Flavors of ripe gooseberries, watermelon and hints of blackcurrant.
- Full bodied, lychee, sweet melon and ripe stone fruit.
Food pairing: freshly braaied snoek
Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2021
Winery: The Berrio
Winemaker: Bruce Jack
Winery Location: Cape Agulhas
Varietal(s): 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vivino Score: 3.90/ 5.00
Retail Price: R199.00
- The nose shows pear, lime, fynbos and fennel while the palate shows pure fruit and racy acidity, the finish possessing that slightly salty quality so typical of the area.
- Aromas of green pepper, cut grass, asparagus and fresh green peas. The Grapes are from Francis Pratt’s farm. Hand -picked, processed, crushed, in the press with minimal skin contact.
Food pairing: Basil pesto and pine-nut pasta
Short Story Collection-The Six Flowers
Vintage: 2022
Winery: Neethlingshof
Winemaker: De Wet Viljoen
Winery Location: Stellenbosch
Varietal(s): 30% Chardonnay, 25% Chenin Blanc, 22% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Viognier, 7% Weisser Riesling, 6% Gewurztraminer
Vivino Score: 3.90/5.00
Retail Price: R190.00
Notes on the wine:
- Well-textured and broad with flavours of white peach, unripe pear, asparagus with orange marmalade and vanilla. Flavorsome and textural drinkability with a slight char on the finish due to partial oaking.
- Aroma profile of melon, pear, yellow apple lavender and a hint of toast. The premium white wine blend is made up of six quality cultivars chosen by the winemaker from different vineyards aging between 10-30 years.
Food pairing: Chicken and apricot coconut curry
Chenin Blanc
Vintage: 2022
Winery: Spookfontein
Winemaker: Nelis Uys
Winery Location: Hemel en Aarde Valley
Varietal(s): 100% Chenin Blanc
Vivino Score: 3.70/5.00
Retail Price: R220.00
- Notes of crisp apple and yellow stone fruit are well balanced by minerality on the palate, fresh acidity and a well round finish.
- This Chenin Blanc has been harvested from older vines planted in sandy soils and spontaneously fermented in aged ok barrels.
Food pairing: Pork chops
Chenin Blanc
Vintage: 2021
Winery: Holden Manz
Winemaker: Thierry Haberer
Winery Location: Franschhoek
Varietal(s): 100% Chenin Blanc
Vivino Score: 3.70/5.00
Retail Price: R205.00
- Hand-selected bunches from three excellent vineyards in the Stellenbosch/Paarl border area and from the Paardeberg. 100% from bush vines over 40 years old.
- Berries cooled to 5oC prior to “Champagne” crush cycle. The clarified juice is transferred by gravity to barrels and tanks for fermentation.
Food pairing: charcuterie and goats cheese board