South Africa: New releases

The Ramnasgras Cinsault is as pure and complex an expression as you’ll find of Cinsault, also known as Hermitage in South Africa, and the country’s workhorse red grape. It comes from a vineyard planted in 1966, and is ageworthy, mineral, and stunningly long. There's loads of pomegranate fruit, salinity, and iron oxide in 2019. So complex.

Just twelve long rows make up the Raaigras Grenache vineyard. Planted in 1952, it’s the oldest Grenache vineyard in the Cape, and faces south east, allowing the longest ripening time possible. Adi jokes that its name rhymes with Rayas, but this is a serious, delicious, ageworthy Grenache in its own right.

The Family red is predominantly Shiraz, with Grenache, Tinta Barocca, and Cinsault alongside. It’s a wine for Braais and rich stews, with an impressive tannic backbone and tons of depth. So pure and floral, so much texture and fragrance. This gets better and better, with more freshness and precision

And who says Cinsault can't age? A cellar release of a special, old Cinsault vineyard on Adi's farm.

A cellar release of a special wine, from the oldest Grenache vineyard in the Cape.

And who says Cinsault can't age? A cellar release of a special, old Cinsault vineyard on Adi's farm.

A cellar release of a special wine, from the oldest Grenache vineyard in the Cape.

Working out of Glenelly’s cellar in Stellenbosch since 2016, and with the help of the winemaker there, Luke, it’s now a Cabernet Franc-led blend, with the fruit mainly from the Glenelly farm itself, and it’s consistently delicious.

From Darling David Cope makes a couple of barrels of foot-pressed Full Moon Grenache. This is definitely on the elegant side of this grape variety, at between 12.5% and 13% alcohol, and with a beautiful floral, delicate character. It’s a brilliant Cape Grenache.

BIG is Pieter’s ode to South African Cabernet Sauvignon. It comes from eleven different vineyards, with 8 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2 Cabernet franc and 1 Petit Verdot, all from different altitudes. There's so much vivacity and life here: forget about the jammy Cabernets of South Africa's past

Little William is a Syrah from the high-altitude Ceres plateau. It’s as pure and fragrant a Syrah as you’ll find in the Cape: think top-notch St-Joseph, or there’s even a little Cote Rotie about it.

Prausis biodynamically farmed Voor Paardeberg Shiraz, with a little Pinotage from Darling in the blend. It’s juicy and just so drinkable.

Little William is a Syrah from the high-altitude Ceres plateau. It’s as pure and fragrant a Syrah as you’ll find in the Cape: think top-notch St-Joseph, or there’s even a little Cote Rotie about it.

A blend of 71% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and just a dash of Viognier, the 2019 Chocolate Block is a wonderfully pure, elegant expression from the heart of the Swartland. Red berry fruit and wild flowers drift from the glass, while the palate shows crystalline purity and a beautifully mineral finish. It punches way above its weight: that they manage to produce this in such quantities is one of the wonders of the wine world.

The first wine that put this estate on the map was the 1997 Syrah, and even today the estate Syrah remains a South African benchmark. Since 2016 it’s been entirely Swartland fruit, benefitting from the minerality of the Porseleinberg, and the rounded fruit from the brown schist of Goldmine. Gottfried has also tweaked the vinification for this, focussing more on larger oak, and a purer expression of Syrah.

The Franschhoek Cabernet Sauvignon comes from four different sites, including some coming on stream from the estate itself. It’s a wonderfully exuberant yet pure expression of Cabernet, that’s one of the Cape’s finest. A little Cabernet Franc makes it into the blend, too, which gives a touch of floral character.

Reenen Borman’s Epilogue Syrah has fast become one of the legendary wines of the Cape, and this 2018 demonstrates why. Notes of rust and wild berries, with wild flowers giving lift and energy. Incredibly pure, focussed, and long, this is more than a match for the greatest wines of the Rhône. It’s not to be missed.

Awarded 97 points by Christian Eeedes, the 2019 Sons of Sugarland from Reenen Borman is a stunning single vineyard Syrah from the Karibib vineyard in the prized Polkedraai area of Stellenbosch. It's reminiscent of great Northern Rhone Syrah, with peppery fruit and tons of texture, and a blood orange element too. This is complex, long, and delicious. Bravo.

The 2019 Mabalel is a delicate, perfumed Pinot Noir from a master of the grape variety in Peter-Allan Finlayson. Notes of pomegranate and grapefruit swirl with wild strawberries and plenty of spice. So elegant and finessed, it’s a real beauty.

The 2019 Peter Max is yet again a wine that simply has to be tried in 2019. Crunchy strawberry fruit and white pepper, and a rosehip quality too. Very finely judged, and so delicious. A go-to Pinot Noir.

The name of this rather gives it away - a 100% Whole Bunch cuvee made in tiny quanities, that's vibrant, silky, and long

The 2019 Cuvée Cinema has a bit more richness than the Malabel. Intense darker fruit and a real juicy intensity combine with slightly grippy tannins, and a very savoury, stony finish. There’s a wonderful interplay between sweet and sour here; a brilliant, complex Pinot Noir.

With virtually no old vine Grenache in the country, David & Nadia’s Grenache is centred on a single Paardeberg vineyard planted in the early 2000s, with further plantations due to come online in the coming years. It’s a pure and vibrant expression of the grape, that comes in at just 13.5% abv. Almost Pinot on the nose. The palate has notes of liquorice and pomegranate, and some real saline grip. This is mouth watering and fresh. Lovely fragrance and purity here.

Red blend Elpidios started as a Syrah driven wine, but has, since 2017, been grenache focussed. Just 5,000 bottles are made of this blend of Grenache (33%), Syrah (31%), Carignan (12%), Cinsault (12%) and Pinotage (12%), that ages absolutely wonderfully. Beautiful perfume, very bright cranberry fruit, with wild strawberries, too. This is incredibly up front and beautiful at this stage, and is hard to resist. But that mineral note, and the quality of the tannins, suggest an impressive aging potential.

Made‌ ‌with‌ ‌40%‌ ‌whole‌ ‌bunch,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Syrah‌ ‌on‌ ‌Sandstone‌ ‌is‌ ‌floral‌ ‌with‌ ‌stunning‌ ‌purity‌ ‌and‌ ‌loads‌ ‌of‌ ‌strawberry‌ ‌and‌ ‌cranberry‌ ‌fruit.‌ ‌So‌ ‌silky‌ ‌and‌ ‌elegant,‌ ‌it‌ ‌smells‌ ‌so‌ ‌gorgeous:‌ ‌of‌ ‌violets‌ ‌and‌ ‌white‌ pepper. This is such a pure expression of Syrah. Brilliant.

For Peter-Allan, the challenge with Cabernet Franc is avoiding any form of greenness in the wine. So picking date is key; so too is managing extraction. But in 2017 he’s really found his feet: this is one of the best examples of the grape we’ve come across in the Cape.

Alongside his love of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Anthony is also a huge believer in South Africa’s Pinotage. And that led to the purchase in 1996 of the Ashbourne estate, just inland from Hamilton Russell’s vineyards. He named the property after his great, great grandfather, who was Lord Chancellor of Ireland in the late 1800s. The first Ashbourne Pinotage was released in 2001, and it’s as serious an expression of this sometimes-maligned grape variety as you’ll find: a wine that impresses with its silky texture and depth of fruit, time in the bottle will allow it to flourish even more.

We were totally blown away by Lucinda’s Cinsaut, when we tasted it for the first time last year. It’s from a 1974-planted vineyard in Darling, on red sandy soils, and she’s making it in a style that’s most reminiscent of top Beaujolais. With 50% Carbonic Maceration, and the rest whole bunch fermentation, this brings out a really floral, elegant side to the Cinsaut grape. It’s a really beautiful red.

In 2015 she started with the Nom Pinot Noir. It comes from Kaaimansgat Vineyard in Elandskloof, the same plot that Peter-Allan Finlayson’s Malabel comes from. Indeed, it was Peter-Allan who originally planted the plot in 2008. The vineyard is at 700m of altitude, but the property, which is mostly planted with apple trees, goes even higher. On the peaks that surround the vineyard, there used to be snow every month of the year other than January. Nom stands for nombulelo (gratitude in “Xhosa”) and Nomkhubulwane (a forgotten African goddess of agriculture), and the stunning label was designed by Isabella Kuijers. This is wonderfully floral and lifted, with incredible energy. Delicious.

The Om Pinot Noir comes from a vineyard planted on the Hemel-en-Aarde ridge in 2006, just 12km from the sea, at 300m of altitude. Here, the soils are granitic with plenty of clay, and the resulting wine is more savoury and earthy than the perfume of the Nom. For Jessica, Om symbolises the concept of universal creation, while the word is also synonymous with peace. Much more depth than the Nom, with darker fruit, and slightly grippier tannins.

Paul Sauer is the calling card of the estate, named after the farm’s most famous owner. It was the first South African wine to be awarded a perfect score by a major international critic, with the 2015 receiving 100 points from Tim Atkin MW. In 2017 it’s a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Merlot, from vines of an average of 29 years old. It is, as always, a contender for South Africa’s finest Bordeaux blend.

For many people, Pinotage is what Kanonkop does best: indeed most winemakers in South Africa view it as the benchmark for this divisive grape variety. The grape variety was first planted on Kanonkop in the 1940s, and this comes from bush vines that are aged between 31 and 65 years old. Fermented in open top concrete tanks, and aged in 80% new barrels, it’s a wine that blossoms with time in bottle, becoming more and more reminiscent of its Pinot Noir roots.

The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon could be thought of as a mini Paul Sauer. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, from vineyards averaging 26 years old, this is a structured, powerful wine in 2015, that will need plenty of time to come around.

From a 0.7ha vineyard on a ridge, planted on red clay with a base of granite, the 2016 Steepside Syrah is a floral, perfumed example of the grape, that wouldn’t look out of place in Côte-Rôtie. There’s real drive on the finish, which lasts an age. This is grown up, and brilliant.

Alex is also passionate about the Cabernet Franc produced on the estate, and is making a single vineyard wine, the Pondokrug Cabernet Franc. From deep clay soils, this is an intense, ripe and powerful wine, but one that benefits from Alex’s delicate winemaking. Really savoury, floral, and very delicate, too. Lovely length here. This is outstanding with plenty of tension. Really Cabernet Franc in character, with clear terroir definition.

If Steepside is Côte-Rôtie, this is Cornas. Remarkable ferrous depth here, with grippy tannins and real concentration to the core of fruit. Planted on Sandstone soils, this is incredibly deep, intense, and powerful. A superb Syrah, from an impressive producer.

Made from three vineyards: Steepside, Topside and sweetwater. Nice nose, intense, floral and plenty of texture. Love the density here, there's lots of iron oxide with good length. Lovely purity and texture. Excellent tannins, very pure.

The Syrah is a blend of 30% Greyton fruit, and the rest from a shale and sandstone vineyard in Elgin. These cool vineyards produce a Syrah that’s all about pepper and rose petal: a joy to behold.

The Reserve Syrah is a spectacular wine. From decomposed shale soils, from one of the coolest areas in South Africa, it’s a stunningly elegant, defined, perfumed expression of the grape: a truly profound wine.

Howard John is in honour of Franco’s dad, and is a red blend that comes, from 2019, entirely from the Swartland. Lovely fruit. So much delicate energy, lovely mouthfeel. Plenty of perfume, then grip and a long and pure finish. Very detailed and very long.

In honour of Franco’s newborn daughter, Lua Ilse, he’s made just 777 bottles of Grenache from young vines in Piekenierskloof, a delicate, perfumed expression of the grape.So pretty - Pinot on the nose, so refined and fine, and such beautiful tannins. This is a real stunner.

Breton is the old Loire name for Cabernet Franc, which are some of Lukas’ favourite wines. This comes from the farm on the Polkedraai where Lukas lives, and is, in his words, “a glass of wine you want to smell the tension on”. This is a baby, but has impressive potential. Lots of graphite and wild berries, and blueberries in particular. There’s lovely energy here: it’s very Loire-like. It will require a few years in bottle: with that, it will be a truly glorious glass of red wine.

For Lukas, a good glass of Cinsault should be like jumping into weightlessness, shouting Geronimo. This comes from 40+ year old vines on the Helderberg, and as a one-off some vines from Bot Rivier. It’s a charming red, incredibly delicate in colour, but with the stuffing to last a few years. Notes of wild strawberries and glâcé cherries, with a herbal lift, too. Amazing length and tension: it’s one of the Cape’s best Cinsaults.

Also from the Polkedraai comes Graft, a single vineyard Syrah from the highest vineyard in the area, from which you can see False Bay, that’s shared with Reenen. It’s Hermitage in style and substance, with incredible length. And Lukas’ attention to detail is shown by the fact that he spent three years securing the barrels for this, talking to dozens of Rhône winemakers in the process. In 2019 this is beautiful. There’s a touch of tapenade, but also lots of pure fruit character, and the floral nose that you’d expect from Polkedraai Syrah.It’s a beautifully balanced wine.

Stars in the Dark Syrah comes from Elim, near Cape Agulhas, in the far south of the Cape. In 2019 it comes from two separate vineyards. The first, planted on Koffieklip soils, brings a floral, fragrant element, while the second, on schist, brings much more savouriness and a restrained fruit profile. The interplay between the two makes a refined, impressive Syrah, that is sure to age beautifully.

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.

This Tinta Barocca, meanwhile, is a real labour of love. She loves the grape variety, and this comes from three different, old vine sources: one in Bot Rivier, one in Stellenbosch, and then a parcel on the same farm on the Paardeberg as the other two wines. This is a bottling that benefits from a couple of years in bottle: with that it develops wonderful smoky notes, and hints of blood orange.

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

The Granite Syrah comes from the Paardeberg, from 24 year old vines, and is incredibly elegant and floral in style, with real focus.

There are just 1,800 bottles of the Wellington Old Vines Basson Cinsault, from a plot planted in 1900.

Just 6,000 bottles are produced of the estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon, which seeks to redefine preconceptions about South African Cabernet. 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. It’s silky, savoury, and sure to be ageworthy.

From a 19 year old vineyard on the iron-rich soils around Malmesbury, the Iron Syrah has a breadth on the palate that’s not found on the other wines, and is stunningly aromatic.

The Schist Syrah comes from the couple’s Roundstone property, allowing full control of the farming. These 21 year old vines give a structured, peppery expression of Syrah.

The Syrah is as true an expression of this grape variety in the Swartland’s varied terroirs as you’ll find. In 2017, it’s a blend of four parcels planted in the stony Shale and Schist based soils of the Kasteelberg; two parcels of dry-land, bush vines grown in the decomposed Granite of the Paardeberg; and one on the rolling, iron-rich soils west of Malmesbury. The vines are aged between 22 and 30 years, and while delicious on first release, it’s a wine that will age impressively.

The culmination of the other wines of the estate is the Dry Red, inspired by the South African reds of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. At this time, wines labelled as Cabernet Sauvignon would frequently have a considerable proportion of Cinsault, and this is an equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Cinsault, with grapes from the aforementioned vineyards included in the blend. In its youth, this is structured and intense, but with bottle age it’s sure to flourish.

A single vineyard Pinot Noir, that’s astonishingly good in 2019. Smoky and silky, with amazingly pure red fruit, and a hint of mint on the finish, this wears its 33% new oak beautifully. This is a serious Pinot Noir: produced in tiny quantities, it’s not to be missed.

The 2019 Family Vineyards Pinot Noir is a stunning wine, that’s all about floral aromatics and focussed energy. It comes from four separate parcels on the estate, and shows incredible balance, purity of fruit, and savoury length. A brilliant Pinot Noir: the best value we know?

With softer, slower extraction than previous vintages, Callie Louw has taken what was already a spectacular wine and lifted it to an even higher level. There’s violets and pomegranate on the nose, with an intense and silky palate, and a wonderfully intense and concentrated palate of ripe cherries and a hint of blood orange. The finish is long and savoury, and so complex. Astonishingly good Syrah.

With softer, slower extraction than previous vintages, Callie Louw has taken what was already a spectacular wine and lifted it to an even higher level. There’s violets and pomegranate on the nose, with an intense and silky palate, and a wonderfully intense and concentrated palate of ripe cherries and a hint of blood orange. The finish is long and savoury, and so complex. Astonishingly good Syrah.

The Rall Red is a blend of 70% Syrah 12% Grenache 10% Carignan and 8% Cinsault, with all the fruit coming from the Swartland. A lovely nose, very southern French in style: this is like a cool and sophisticated Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Notes of lavender and baked earth, and also plenty of mulberry and other wild berry fruit. Very well defined, and very long indeed.

Named after Donovan’s young daughter, it comes from schist soils, from a farm just outside Riebeek Kasteel, that Donovan and his team farm themselves. Tiny yields and incredibly hard work account for the higher price point. Incredibly peppery on the palate, there’s notes of violets and core of intense, ripe, yet not overbearing fruit. The texture is stunning here, and the finish seems to last an age. This is really very impressive.

His Cinsault is a blend of fruit from Swartland, shared with David Sadie, and Darling, from the same vineyard as Duncan Savage’s Follow the Line. So pale in colour, with notes of wild cherry and blood orange on the nose, and a beautifully fresh and floral palate. Grippy tannins make the mouth water, and have you reaching for another glass. This is, simply put, delicious.

The Main Road and Dignity Cabernet Sauvignon comes from two vineyards, planted 21 years ago. Just 5km from the ocean, and at 1,200 feet elevation, this is one of the coolest spots in the Cape’s winelands. And that results in an elegant, pure, unique style of South African Cabernet. Here, Craig’s been known to harvest grapes as late as May: that’s the equivalent of November in the Northern Hemisphere. And with baboons and birds seeking out the final grapes on vines in the valley, the yields are pitifully small. But the wine is remarkable: already a Cape cult classic. Lovely energy here, saline and very pure, with grippy tannins and a very long finish.

The latest addition to the range is another Hemel-en-Aarde staple, Le Luc Pinot Noir, named after their son. It’s from a granite and clay site, in the heart of the slope, and is now really finding its feet. It’s a floral, precise expression of Pinot Noir: as you’d expect from tasting the other wines here.

This year there are just 2,500 bottles of a blend of Pinotage and Pinot Noir, that will challenge what you’ve ever thought about South Africa’s enigmatic grape. Smoky but still so pure and vibrant, it dances across the palate. This has to be tried.

The Reserve Red is 100% Syrah, from a south-east facing block on the farm. It’s a peppery, nervy Syrah, with tons of finesse.

A pure and juicy Syrah that offers incredible value for money. Long and pure and so focussed: a really delicious wine.

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is the result of a berry by berry selection, also from a cool, south east facing slope on the farm. This is a truly spectacular Stellenbosch Cabernet: in a decade, this will be a match for Bordeaux’s greatest names.

Pofadder is Eben’s ode to the Cinsault grape, from a 1973-planted vineyard on iron-rich slate soils on the Kasteelberg, in the heart of the Swartland. This is a complex, ageworthy wine: as good as Cinsault gets.

The Soldaat Grenache vineyard is at high altitude in Piekenierskloof, and that allows the grapes to ripe fully, thanks to plenty of sun, but retain freshness, thanks to the 700m plus elevation. The vines are now 55 years old.

For Eben Sadie, Tinta Barocca might be the best suited red variety for reflecting the Swartland’s terroir. And this, the Treinspoor, from a vineyard planted in iron rich soils in 1974, is possibly the Cape’s greatest iteration. It takes its name from the trainline that runs alongside the vineyard.

Eben wants his signature wines to be “true inhabitants of the land”, reflecting their Swartland origins. When Columella started in 2000, it was a blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre. But that has now evolved into a blend of six of the seven official grape varieties of the Swartland, adding Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, and Tinta Barocca (the only missing variety is Pinotage - in Eben’s words, “a grape that was made by man”).

Eben wants his signature wines to be “true inhabitants of the land”, reflecting their Swartland origins. When Columella started in 2000, it was a blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre. But that has now evolved into a blend of six of the seven official grape varieties of the Swartland, adding Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, and Tinta Barocca (the only missing variety is Pinotage - in Eben’s words, “a grape that was made by man”).

Eben wants his signature wines to be “true inhabitants of the land”, reflecting their Swartland origins. When Columella started in 2000, it was a blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre. But that has now evolved into a blend of six of the seven official grape varieties of the Swartland, adding Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, and Tinta Barocca (the only missing variety is Pinotage - in Eben’s words, “a grape that was made by man”).

Arguably Duncan’s most sought after wine, predominantly because of the miniscule quantity produced, The Girl Next Door comes from a 0.38ha plot of Syrah vines planted in the housing compound where Duncan lives, that was originally planted purely for decorative purposes. But Duncan has been coaxing it back to life, weaning it off water, and farming it organically. Already impressive, Duncan reckons it’s still a few years from its best. But good luck finding any then!

Follow the Line was the first of Duncan's single bottlings, and is Duncan’s Cinsault, that’s quickly gained an almost cult following. From south-east facing old bushvines that are almost 40 years old, the wind and heat here mean that picking date is key, and a drop of Syrah in the blend adds depth and structure. This will be an impressively ageworthy Cinsault.

The Thief in the Night is, in 2019, around 61% Grenache, with the rest made up of 26% Cinsault and 13% Syrah. Duncan had hoped for it to be closer to 80% Grenache, but the drought seriously reduced yields. It comes from Piekenierskloof, with the Grenache coming from the same vineyard as Eben Sadie’s Soldaat - Eben has 8 rows, and Duncan has 4. Here, at 550m elevation on sandstone soils, the wine maintains stunning energy alongside perfect ripeness.

Arguably the least imaginative of Duncan’s wine names, Are we there yet? comes from Malgas, way distant from the Cape’s heartlands, and from the Sijnn vineyards. The first time Duncan visited David Trafford’s project out here, he was blown away. He asked if he could buy a few grapes, and this is the result: a blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Touriga Nacional from 14 year old bushvines, that reflects the wildness of the place.

The Savage Red started as a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault, with grapes from across the Cape. But now it’s morphed into 100% Syrah, all from the same Stellenbosch vineyard. While historically this vineyard was poorly farmed, it’s now seeing biodynamic treatments, and the work seems to be paying off: the 2018 is quite possibly the best yet.

And for an introduction to the estate, look no further than the Low Profile. Essentially a second wine of the estate, it’s a blend of Shiraz with 51% Touriga Nacional, Tinta Amarella, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre. Here, the tannins are a little softer, and it’s a little more approachable than its bigger brother. But don’t dismiss it: it’s absolutely delicious.

The Sijnn Red is a field blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira, and is a wine that shows it’s warm origins, without any sense of jamminess or heaviness. There’s a stunning baked earth character, a finish that lasts an age. This is brilliant Mediterranean red blend, that’s a match for anything being made in the Swartland.

Comes from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, at 150m elevation and just 1.4km from the sea, and a north facing site. This is the warmest site Hannes works. Rather more fruit forward, and there’s a floral note to this, alongside incredibly depth on the palate. Rose petal and wild strawberries, and beautiful tannic structure. This is playful yet sophisticated Pinot.

Ignis Pinot Noir is from the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, and is 2km further inland, and 100m higher in elevation. Here the soil is totally different, with plenty of quartz, decomposed granite, and just enough clay to give a textured element. It’s the most perfumed, fragrant of Hannes’ wines. Blood orange on the nose, with dark cherries, and pomegranate seeds. There’s an intensity to the palate: this is very bright and energetic, but with richness to the core of fruit. The finish is chiselled, and there’s a breadth to the tannins. Very long and ferrous.

The Ridge vineyard is the youngest vineyard Hannes works with, from the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge ward. Here there are the same soils as in Vrede, but with an east-facing slope, and at 330m above sea level, the wine is much cooler and more savoury, with the harvest undertaken some 25 days later. Plenty of cool berry fruit on the nose here, with a hint of pomegranate, and then a smoky, mineral character on the palate. The tannins are very fine, and the finish is long and floral.

The 2019 Tesselaarsdal Pinot Noir is beautifully done by Berene Sauls. On the nose notes of rose petal, wild strawberries, and a hint of cinnamon spice. The palate is silky and fresh, with wonderful sour cherry fruit, and plenty of minerality. This is a beautifully poised Pinot Noir, from one of the nicest producers in the Cape.

The 2007 Syrah from Chris Williams comes from the Helderberg in Stellenbosch, and the wine is an intensely coloured, pure, expressive Syrah from a real master winemaker. Notes of white pepper and dark chocolate, and an intense core of dark fruit, are all supported by lively acidity and a pure, savoury finish. Brilliant.

From this year we’re offering the Copper Pot Pinot Noir, which comes from five different sources in the Overberg region. In common with John's other wines, it’s a wine that’s all about subtlety and finesse, that’s a joy to drink.

The Wanderers Heart is a blend of 66% Grenache from the Paardeberg in the Swartland, 23% Mourvedre from Bot Rivier, and 11% Syrah from shale in the same location. With 60% whole bunches, it's a juicy, fresh, and fragrant red. While John's whites typically get the plaudits, this is getting better and better. Don't overlook it.