Help South African Wineries

South African wineries need our help. With a series of catastrophic lockdown periods during which sales of alcohol have been banned for domestic purchase, many wineries face a very difficult future. We hope you will hold them in your thoughts and order this mixed case of 6 delicious wines from some excellent producers we work with. Contents may cahnge but the offer is always excellent. Currently we offer: Leaping Hound Chenin Blanc/Viognier 2020 Iona Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Elgin Highlands Vondeling Barrel Selection Chardonnay 2020 Voor-Pardeberg AA Badenhorst Secateurs Cinsault Grenache Shiraz 2019 Lanzerac Pinotage 2018, Stellenbosch Lanzerac Cabernet Sauvignon, Jonkershoek Valley 2017 Stellenbosch

Shiraz is a variety chosen for its property of expressing a sense of place, and in this instance, vineyards surrounding Waterford in Stellenbosch. No new wood is used in the making of this wine, using 225L Old French oak barrels, 4th fill and older. Whole berry fermentation and soft extraction methods (pumpovers only) have brought out the purity in the wine. Concentrated red and dark fruit with warm earthy aromatics can be found in this Stellenbosch Shiraz, accompanied by plum fruit and leather spice undertones. The 2016 vintage produced a lovely soft and velvety textured Shiraz, with the slight addition of Mourvèdre (12%) to build in a little tension in the finish of the wine.

Instantly recognisable as South African Cab. on the nose. Herbaceous, blackcurrant leaf characters. Multi-dimensional. Charming, polished, square tannins. Enjoyable. Warming finish on a wave of fruit. Oak helps the structure, but isn’t overt or obvious at all. Hang on to this one. Oz Clarke loved it at a recent Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon webinar: 95 points "..the style is gloriously easy-going yet quite serious enough to be inspiring. The wine flows across your palate, full of red plum and cherry fruit and savoury seasoning of herbs, black olives and salted liquorice. It's led by acid rather than tannin and even hints at a little spice and violet scent."