For When Dinner Is Over but You’re Just Getting Started

So, you’ve had the main course. The last bite’s been stolen, the spoons are lounging lazily in the dessert bowls, and someone’s unbuttoning something (hopefully just the top of their jeans). But the night? Oh darling, the night is still young.

Enter: The Post Dinner Session – Part 1 — a three-bottle collection for those magical after-hours moments when the stories stretch, the laughter softens, and the corks keep popping. Consider this your wine-soaked encore. No encore? Then you’re doing dinner wrong.

1. Groote Post Brut NV (Méthode Cap Classique)

Darling, South Africa

Varietals

60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir

 Nose

Lemon peel, green apple, and a whiff of almond biscotti — basically, brunch in a flute

Palate

Lively and refined, with crisp acidity and just the right mousse. Notes of citrus, toast, and that fancy energy that makes you speak with your hands.

Ageing Potential

2–4 years, but we both know it’s not going to make it past tonight

Food Pairing

Soft cheeses, salted nuts, leftover crème brûlée, or one final toast to the good life.

2. Glen Carlou Chardonnay 2022

Paarl, South Africa

Varietal

100% Chardonnay

 Nose

Buttered popcorn, ripe peaches, and vanilla oak flirting shamelessly with a lemon grove.

 Palate

Creamy, textured, and totally swoon-worthy. Think stone fruit wrapped in silk pyjamas, lounging on a chaise with just a hint of citrus zip.

 Ageing Potential

3–5 years, though it pairs beautifully with being slightly overfed and deeply content.

 Food Pairing

Cheese board with ambition, chicken liver pâté, or simply a “kitchen clean-up” glass that becomes two.

3. Carl Everson Cape Blend

Wellington, South Africa

Varietals

Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cinsault

Nose

Plum compote, spice rack chaos, and a comforting note of cedar — like grandma’s kitchen but make it sultry

Palate

Plush, rich, and heartwarming. Dark fruit, savoury spice, and elegant oak waltz together in a wine made for fireside debates and midnight cheese raids

Ageing Potential

6–8 years — though it’s basically already wearing slippers and telling stories.

 Food pairing

Braised meats, chocolate with at least 70% cocoa, or roasted nuts and reminiscing.

Why you’ll Love It

This isn’t just a wine selection — it’s the second act your evening deserves. Whether you’re lounging with friends or laughing at your own jokes, Mixed Case #22 brings sparkle, soul, and Chardonnay-soaked comfort to your table long after the dishes are done. Warning: May lead to surprise confessions, unsolicited poetry, and finishing “just one more bottle.”