Discover South African Wines

Fairly simple cherry and redcurrant aromas lead to blackcurrants and plums in the mouth, with refreshing acidity and a line of bitterness on the back palate. The grapes were whole-bunch pressed, which perhaps adds that greeness underneath the ripe fruit. A more structured, tannic wine than initially expected, but with lovely fruit - delicious wine.

A refreshingly crisp and fresh wine, with an aromatic vibrant style and concentrated flavours of gooseberry, passion fruit and zesty citrus. Flavoursome ripe acidity provides a wine of great balance and harmony.

The John X Merriman is a powerful wine that rewards aging. In its youth the wine is worth decanting and expresses cassis, black currant and dark fruits complemented with cigar tobacco and sour cherrynotes. As the wine ages and its fine grained tannins soften a softer more savoury palate develops revealing wonderful drinkability and tertiary complexity.

Berene Sauls has a very unique story. Growing up in a small village in the Overberg, Berene admits that she came from a beer-drinking community, and wine was never really on her radar. Her first exposure was at the age of 19, when she began working for the trailblazing Hamilton Russell family as an au pair. Lasting only a month, her talents at childcare aside, Anthony Hamilton Russell recognised her drive and thought a job working in the winery office would better suit her. Thrown in at the deep end knowing really nothing about wine, she was soon exposed to every side of the business - assisting with exports, bottling and labelling, driving forklifts and picking during harvest too, as well as on the side, "growing and developing a palate that wasn't there!" Her curiosity kept her rising through the ranks, and fifteen years after starting her career, Anthony offered her the opportunity to make her first wine, aided by proficient head winemaker Emul Ross. She leapt at the opportunity, and the rest is history. She named her business Tesselaarsdal for the small village that she grew up in, and if you look closely at the label, you can make out two people walking across the mountain. This is Berene and her grandmother. From unirrigated vineyards on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, and this is just her third release! Crisp acidity and lean minerality underpin notes of melon and tangerine fruit and accents of lime blossom. A triumphant expression of terroir, this medium-bodied, cool climate wine is both silky and fresh and boasts a long, elegant finish.

This baby wine of SA's most famed grand Bordeaux-blend Rubicon is on astonishing form. In fact as no Rubicon was made in 2019 this wine contains all the top barrels that would normally be reserved for it. 50% new Nevers oak, 27% Cab Franc. Dense but taut with cab franc lift, pencil lead, capsicum, the whole spectrum of Cabernet class at a crazy good price.

Barrel fermented. Pale yellow with green hints; bruised apple. Quite fleshy ripe fruit with teasing juicy acidity. Lots of texture and length. Ripe stone fruits and mouth watering long finish. Wine Merchant Top 100

Cool climate freshness and fragrant sweet, ripe cherry and blackberry flavours, with firm, ripe tannins. Blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Mouvedre, Viognier. Drinking well now and suitable for cellaring for at least 10 years.

Neal Martin 91/100 The 2022 Chenin Blanc comes from 8 vineyards in granite soils, plantings from 1968 to 1986, matured 20% in concrete and the remainder in neutral oak. Lemon thyme, orange zest and light waxy scents blossom on the nose - quite intense and well-delineated, almost feisty in style. The palate is taut and fresh, with a linear, slightly more malic finish than usual. Plenty of freshness. Very fine. David & Nadia Sadie are a young husband and wife team whose thoughtful, sensitive approach to viticulture and winemaking has set them out as one of the Swartland’s shining stars. Their quest to nurture and restore low yielding old vineyards is an effort to breathe new life into the region’s enviable stock of old vines and shine a light on the qualities of the beautiful Swartland at large. More than that though, they are also establishing new vineyards, which they have planted to Grenache - their flagship variety along with Chenin Blanc. Once in the winery, the grapes see a cool soak before spontaneous fermentation and aging in a combination of concrete and neutral French oak. Extractions are gentle and aim for light, lifted fruit, freshness and perfume. From humble beginnings, David & Nadia are now recognised as one of the Cape’s very top producers.

Very bright, polished platinum with green, vivacious hue. Complex, appealing nose with quince, citrus and floral notes developing into lemon cream, oatmeal and marzipan richness. On the palate the wine is full bodied and generous, but still balanced by crisp acidity. There is ripe tropical fruit and creaminess balanced by a pure minerality typical of the variety. The wine has a long, very pleasant lingering finish indicating the richness and persistence of the vintage.

Easy to drink, fresh and crisp chardonnay. A good choice for people who prefer lighter and less bodied chardonnays.

Named in honour of the ancient vilafonté soils that make up the estate at 1.5m years old, one of the oldest documented soil types in the world where the vines for this wine have been growing for almost two decades. A Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Just 330 barrels produced of this stunning wine. Layers of fresh plum, black cherry, baking spice and vanilla pod. Lovely mineral notes with a lingering finish. A line of acidity giving real tension to the whole wine.