South Africa 2021

It's hard to explain just how easy this is to drink. A blend of Shiraz, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Mourvedre and Grenache, it's juicy, supple, and fresh with ease and joyfulness in the glass.

54% Chenin Blanc, 14% Semillon, 13% Roussanne, 9% Viognier, 6% Grenache Blanc and 4% Palomino. This is just so good. Floral on the nose, there’s notes of marzipan and sea spray, and then stem ginger and plenty of grippy texture on the palate. Our favourite SA white blend, surely.

The 2020 Raaigras is a beautiful Grenache, coming from just twelve long rows of the vineyard in front of the estate, planted in 1952, making it the oldest Grenache in the Cape. It’s delicate and floral on the nose, with a power and intensity that builds over the palate. There’s stunning freshness here, and a long and mineral finish. Beautifully done.

In the early 20th century, Caperitif was mentioned in many of the greatest bartending books, and now Adi is bringing this Vermouth-like aperitif back to life. 46 different ingredients are infused into a wine base, which is fortified with grape spirit. It's utterly delicious, and transports you to the cape immediately. We love it with tonic and ice, but check our Adi's website for more cocktail ideas.

A unique wine in our South Africa offer, this is mainly Roussanne, with a drop of Chardonnay. It's all about texture and bright fruit. Roussanne can be a little heavy, but there's none of that here: it's savoury and fresh, with just a hint of herbal lift.

The Full Moon White is a field blend from a single vineyard on the Swartland’s Uitkyk farm, a farm where plenty of others source grapes. Just a handful of bottles are made of this blend of Chenin, Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Chardonnay, from a 45 year old vineyard. Lovely weight on the palate, and plenty of energy. Delicious.

A Cabernet Franc led blend, this is one of the best bargains on our list. Loads of ripe, juicy fruit, fine-grained tannins, and a mouth-watering freshness, having a bottle to hand is a must.

A cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon, with very refined tannins, a little clove spice and lifted lavender notes, and a lovely core of dark fruit. Pieter is so talented when it comes to this grape variety.

The 2020 Little William Syrah is a stunning, cool-climate Syrah from one of South Africa’s most dynamic producers. It’s cool, fresh and perfumed, with lots of floral lift and a really mineral finish. This is so delicious now, but will age well, too.

From a vineyard that only really started being productive at the age of 65, this is so lifted and pure. It's one of the best examples of Cinsault we know of in South Africa. Just so delicious.

While the Epilogue Syrah gets all the plaudits, the Sons of Sugarland is arguably just as good, if not even better. It sees no oak, and is a peppery, suave, floral expression of the grape. With bottlings like this, it's no wonder that Reenen is regarded as one of the Cape's Syrah masters.

The 2019 Epilogue underlines its credentials as one of South Africa's best Syrahs, and one of the best wines here in general. It's almost Hermitage like in intensity, with dried herbs and a hint of iron oxide on the finish. Reenen's wines get better and better. Don't miss this.

From young wines on Chris’ own farm, from Oudam and Arbeitsend farms on the Skurfberg, and from Piekenierskloof. All dry farmed Chenin, this is so complex and fragrant, with plenty of up front fruit and a long and fine finish. Brilliant: a fine debut.

All the fruit for this comes from upper part of the vineyard, and is the result of three separate picks. This is lower in alcohol than usual, and has loads of yellow and greengage fruit, and lots of saline tension. Just so alluring: brilliant.

Chris comments that the 2020 Magnetic North had the most perfect grapes he’d ever seen. It’s from a 550m high vineyard, 30km from the coast, on red soils, with just 1.3 tons picked this year. This is stunning, and totally unique. It’s so savoury and herbal, with incredible focus and a finish that lasts for minutes. Stunning.

The vineyard takes its name from from the final use for the land before vineyards were planted: to shoot a film about Napoleon. Here, clay and iron rich soils with schist, just 6km from the ocean give plenty of structure: this is an intense Pinot Noir. Notes of pomegranate and a hint of citrus complete the picture on this brilliant wine.

The latest addition to the range is the Plat’bos, and this is just the third vintage released. This is a 1981 planted vineyard on decomposed granite, right nextdoor to Skaliekop. North facing, it’s the warmest site, and produces a spicy, ageworthy Chenin Blanc. The 2020 has remarkable yellow fruit, and a long, savoury, delicious finish. Bravo.

The Hoë Steen, literally high Chenin Blanc, comes from tall bush vines (hence the name) planted in 1968 on iron rich soils some 40km to the west. South facing it ripens late, and there’s a bed of limestone, virtually unheard of in the Swartland, that brings nervy acidity alongside the wine’s creamy texture. There’s a lovely peachy core here, and a long and saline finish. Brilliant.

The first single vineyard they made was the Skaliekop, from a vineyard planted in 1985 on the Paardebosch farm. This vineyard is an anomaly: an island of schist on the normally granite Paardeberg. Indeed, the name means hill of Shale, and this gives a mineral, reserved character to the wine. This has notes of fennel and lime blossom, and the potential here is outstanding.

38% Grenache Noir, 36% Syrah, 10% Pinotage, 9% Carignan and 7% Cinsaut. Minty, floral, and incredibly expressive on the nose, it’s the texture that’s particularly good here. Long, savoury, and very moreish, this is excellent.

49% Chenin Blanc, 10% Roussanne, 9% Semillon, 8% Marsanne, 7% Clairette Blanche, 6% Viognier, 5% Verdelho, 4% Grenache Blanc and, for the first time, 2% Colombard . This is a stunning blend, with lovely weight, floral lift, and a mouthwatering finish. Very nice indeed.

Just the second vintage, and produced in miniscule quantities, this is floral and lifted, with lovely purity of fruit, and a juicy, fine-boned finish. Serve this at cellar temperature for a totally delicious Syrah.

From vines that are reaching a good level of maturity, this is a really impressive Syrah from Peter-Allan. Lavender and liquorice, and blackberry fruit mark out a wine that balances the warmth of the site and delicate winemaking. Outstanding.

The country’s benchmark Pinotage delivers again in 2019. Notes of rose petal and a whiff of smoke on the nose, the palate is vibrant and full, with lovely minerality on the finish.