Bubbles, White, and Red for the Kind of Lunch That Becomes Dinner

Introducing your new favourite excuse to accidentally host a 6-hour lunch: the Late Lunch Party for Four mixed case. Whether you’re roasting, toasting, nibbling, grazing, or performing interpretive dance around the cheese board, this trio of crowd-pleasers has got your back (and your glass).

There’s fizz to start, freshness to follow, and a suave red to carry you into golden hour like a tipsy Greek god on a chaise lounge. All you need to bring is sunhats, laughter, and absolutely no agenda.

1. Saronsberg Brut Méthode Cap Classique 2021

Tulbagh, South Africa

Varietals

Chardonnay 100%

Nose

Green apple, lemon zest, and fresh biscuits doing the cha-cha on a spring breeze

Palate

Crisp, dry, and elegant — with fine bubbles that tingle like good gossip. Expect citrus, green pear, and a toasty finish that says, “We’re classy, but we also brought snacks.”

 Ageing Potential

3–5 years if you’re very, very disciplined.

 Food Pairing

Smoked salmon blinis, salty popcorn, or celebratory kisses before dessert.

2. Rickety Bridge Paulina’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Franschhoek, South Africa

Varietal

100% Sauvignon Blanc

 Nose

Zesty lime, passionfruit, and just a hint of tropical holiday envy.

 Palate

Crisp and expressive with a mineral backbone and plenty of citrusy verve. It’s the friend who shows up with a fruit salad and then wins the trivia quiz.

 Ageing Potential

2–3 years, though it’s best enjoyed now, barefoot, near a salad

Food Pairing

Grilled prawns, herbed goat cheese, or anything containing the word “avocado.”

3. Bruwer Vintners Dry Red Blend

Coastal Region, South Africa

Varietals

37% Grenache, 36% Syrah and 27% Pinotage

Nose

Raspberries, wild herbs, and a faint whisper of forest floor — like a forager wearing perfume

Palate

Juicy, bright, and dangerously gluggable. Light on its feet but layered enough to keep things interesting. It’s the red you open for lunch and forget to stop drinking until the stars come out.

 Ageing Potential

3–4 years, or approximately two more “Let’s open just one more bottle” moments.

 Food Pairing

Tapas, roast chicken, mushroom tart, or deep philosophical discussions over crisps.

Why You’ll Love It

This is the official case of no-stress, maximum-fun lunching — a ready-made lineup for four friends (or three and a very thirsty cousin). From bubbles that greet your guests to reds that linger long after the cheese has vanished, Late Lunch Party for Four is the kind of box that turns a meal into a memory. Warning: May cause accidental dancing, exaggerated storytelling, and calendar invites titled “Lunch? Again?”