South Africa 2021

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.

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.

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.

From a vineyard planted in 1953, the finest site on Kanonkop’s estate in their eyes, just 6,500 bottles are produced of the Black Label Pinotage. It’s powerful and intense, but it’s the quality of the tannins that’s simply remarkable. A unique wine: this needs to be tasted to be believed.

2017 was a spectacular vintage in South Africa, and this Cabernet Sauvignon is a brilliant iteration from Kanonkop: possibly the best we’ve tasted from here. This is fine-boned, crunchy, but with perfect ripeness. Don’t miss this.

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.

Paul Sauer needs no introduction, and the 2018 is another brilliant example. Crunchy black fruit, notes of cigar box and plenty of graphite, too, with brilliantly rendered tannins. This lives up to the hype.

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 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. 

From a plot in Franchhoek planted in 1932, there are just 5,000 bottles of the Franschhoek Old Vines Lötter Cinsault.

From a parcel planted in 1900, this is an incredible Cinsault of depth and power, and remarkable structure. Tiny quantities produced.

From a single parcel high up on the Helderberg, this is cool and fresh, with lots of lemon oil focus. An outstanding Chardonnay.

It comes from cooler sites across Stellenbosch, including a 39 year old parcel close to the sea, and parcels on the Helderberg and in the Polkadraai hills. This is silky and suave, and cool fruited: a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon.

From biodynamically farmed grapes in the Polkedraai, the 2019 Syrah from Reyneke is a stunning red. Floral and expressive, there’s notes of raspberry coulis and pomegranate, as well as incredible lift, and a mineral, textured finish. It’s a brilliant wine, with everything in impeccable balance. It’s a real advert for the holistic approach of Johan Reyneke.

The reserve red is Polkedraai Syrah, and is a stunningly beautiful Syrah from Johan and his team. This has loads of violet lift, crushed rock, and a core of blue fruit on the nose. The tannins are so refined, and the finish lasts an age. Outstanding.

Dubbed one of the "world's greatest Sauvignon Blancs" by Tim Atkin MW, the 2019 Reserve White is a really lovely wine. Fine-boned and suave, with notes of grapefruit and lime cordial, and plenty of spice too. A hint of reduction ensures it remains restrained, as well as hints at future greatness.

From biodynamically farmed grapes from Reyneke's estate, the 2020 Chenin Blanc is the best we've tried from Johan and his team. A hint of bruised apple, wild flowers, and a slight leesy complexity makes a wine that's ridiculously easy to drink

A brilliant Bordeaux blend from Johan Reyneke, at an outstanding price. Magnums are a great way to enjoy this: the perfect sunday lunch wine.

A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot, with 30% new oak, this is a brilliant Stellenbosch Bordeaux blend. Cornerstone refers to the project whereby Johan supports his workers by buying them houses, and this wine lives up to the project. Long, intense, yet still lifted, it's a lovely wine.

The 2020 Viognier from The Foundry is a really lovely expression of this grape variety. It has a little of the peach character you'd expect of Viognier, but it remains brilliantly balanced, with plenty of saline minerality on the finish. Just delicious.

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.