South Africa: New releases

The story of Retirement @ 65 is now well known: it’s one of our favourite wines from Pieter. It was a Cinsault vineyard which only started to be productive at 65 years of age, thanks to Pieter’s efforts to outsmart the baboons, sheep, and birds that would always come and eat the grapes. An old vineyard Cinsault, from the same farm as Duncan Savage’s Follow the Line, this is so complex and delicious, with an added savouriness and complexity to it. Brilliant in 2021.

This comes from a vineyard in Wellington, planted on a hill overlooking a farm called Twyfeling. Pieter was chatting to his mum, and she mentioned that her ancestors had owned this Wellington farm: it was purely by accident that Pieter was now buying grapes from it, and the neighbouring hillsides. So the label shows the hill overlooking seven generations of the Hauptfleisch family - Pieter’s mum’s maiden name. The resulting wine is textured and very impressive, with lots of leesy complexity, and very saline finish. Delicious.

A small parcel of this, the single vineyard Chenin Blanc from the outstanding 2017 vintage, has been made available to us. It was planted in 1971, and this is in such a lovely place right now. Textured, lifted, and incredibly fine-boned, this is a stunning Chenin Blanc.

The second wine of Anwilka. This is nicely juicy, with real energy and there’s good grip on the palate. An excellent value wine from the team behind Anwilka.

The 2020 Phoenix Chenin Blanc comes from a single old vine, organically-farmed vineyard in Paarl, planted with bush Chenin Blanc vines. 70% was vinified in tank, with 30% in barrel (the barrel component was aged at Radford Dale while Sam’s cellar was rebuilt, and hence the wine isn’t labelled organic - Radford Dale isn’t organic). The wine is brilliant. Focussed and textured, with real vibrant energy and an incredibly long finish, it’s not to be missed. 

This is a real contender for South Africa’s finest Grenache. She calls Grenache “South Africa’s Pinot Noir”, and is always looking to make as elegant and precise an example as possible: this comes in at just 13.5% abv, yet is perfectly ripe. It comes mainly froma farm on the Paardeberg, next to Eben Sadie’s farm, with a drop of Voor Paardeberg and Bot Rivier fruit in 2018, from young vines and carefully selected clones.

2021 is the maiden vintage of Bartàs from exciting young winemakers Pauline Roux and Paul Jourdaan of Paulus Wine Company. Floral, with classic Stellenbosch yellow fruit, the Bartàs is a Chenin brimming with intensity and texture. Fruit is sourced from the Rustenhof farm in Stellenbosch where granite soils and a maritime influence from the nearby False Bay lend the wine salinity and a spectacular mineral character. Bright, long, and utterly delicious, this is one to follow from the very beginning.

A wine with an amazing story, where the proceeds go to helping the workers on Johan Reyneke's farm, this Bordeaux blend is classically styled, with just enough South African energy. It's a total bargain: this with a barbecue (or a Braai!) will be heaven.

A Bordeaux blend with a little Syrah and Sangiovese, this is a really charming, approachable wine from Schalk and his team. Notes of morello cherry, and also plenty of cinnamon and clove spice. Just delicious, and great value.

The 2019 Taaibosch Crescendo is a Cabernet Franc led blend, that's utterly stunning in its second vintage. This has floral lift, plenty of body, and a lovely, saline, long, expressive finish. Delicious: this will age brilliantly, too.

The 2021 Grenache Blanc, sourced from vines grown on the famed granite soils of the Voor Paardeber, is another magnificent effort from winemaker Chris Williams. Displaying pithy citrus fruit and a round, enveloping texture, it's an incredibly well-balanced and fine-boned wine. 2021 was a brilliant white wine vintage across the Cape, and this is consistently one of the best value wines in our range. Not to be missed.

Arguably our favourite Roussanne from the Cape. It comes from the Voor Paardeberg, and is surprisingly deep in colour. Aged half in terracotta and half in older oak, this is all about grip and tension rather than oiliness. Just such a complex, delicious wine.

From a vineyard in Paarl planted in 1956, yields from here are absolutely miniscule. There's pure peach on the nose, with plenty of citrus lift and a beautifully textured palate. A lovely addition to our range.