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.

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Organic and Fairtrade. This wine has a rich dark colour with a smoky and vanilla nose. Dark fruit on the palate gives the wine an all-round juiciness. Oaky tannins impart a spicy finish with good structure.

The Crepuscule Pinot Noir by Idun in Elgin shows a very light ruby colour with bricky tints to the rim. The delightful nose shows Brambles, rose petals, ripe cherries and strawberries. The palate is wonderfully fresh with red fruits and cherries that are delicate and integrated. Idun is a small, boutique winery run by a French-Danish family originating from Mauritius. They produce excellent varietals which are well-balanced, concentrated, and elegant. They produce mightily impressive, French-inspired wines which you would no doubt pay a lot more for if the grapes were from France.

75% Chenin Blanc and 25% Viognier. Grapes are grown on 30+ year old trellised Chenin and 15 year old Viognier from hidden corners of the Cape. Vibrant and aromatic with delicious subtle perfumed aromas with white peach and hints of jasmine on the nose. On the palate it has tight, white, fleshy stone fruit and fresh apricot flavours that balances the sandy texture. Bright acidity and minerality helps to deliver a delicious flavoursome and characteristic wine.

The Cabriole Sauvignon Blanc from the Idun winery is an elegant yet expressive Sauvignon from the cool Bot River region of South Africa. Subtle tropical fruit is beautifully balanced with saline touches and minerality on both the nose and palate, which builds to show an impressive richness whilst never losing freshness and expertly poised acidity. This terroir driven wine nods more to the classic old world Sauvignon Blanc from Europe than it does the modern Kiwi style, but there is enough character to satisfy lovers of both styles – very impressive. Idun is a small, boutique winery run by a French-Danish family originating from Mauritius. They produce excellent varietals which are well-balanced, concentrated, and elegant. They produce mightily impressive, French-inspired wines which you would no doubt pay a lot more for if the grapes were from France.

The nose shows dark, sour cherry. Dark berries, spiciness & herbs linger on the palate. The wine has great purity of fruit with a hint of wet-stone minerality and a velvet soft finish. Great with Game Bird with Red Wine Sauce, Beef Fillet and Pork Loin.

Both Organic and Fairtrade. The Sauvignon brings herbaceous and lime notes, and a zingy citrus acidity. The Chenin Blanc adds a fruity mid palate of stone fruit and guava.

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.

Apple, melon, a drizzle of honey and something floral too. Gorgeously caramelised palate, giving an impression of sweetness. The fruit is really charming, ripe and tropical without any confection. Savoury finish with a long, lightly smoky aftertaste. South Africa at its best.

Refreshing dry rosé from South Africa. Hugely quaffable.

91/100 Parker Dark-fruited and stemmy on the nose, the 2021 Syrah displays meaty and savory notes with dark cherry and black raspberry before aromas of potpourri with pink peppercorn sway from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, this Syrah is fresh and precise and offers seductive flavors of sausage and cranberry compote before dusty flowers and fine-grained tannins appear over the food-friendly finish. Enjoy with food.

Organic and Fairtrade. This wine has a rich dark colour with a smoky and vanilla nose. Dark fruit on the palate gives the wine an all-round juiciness. Oaky tannins impart a spicy finish with good structure.

Duncan Savage matriculated at Rondebosch Boys High School in 1995. In 2016. Savage Wines was set up in the heart of Cape Town in Salt River. Vineyards for his wines are leased and grapes sourced from around the Western Cape, maritime in nature where possible. Granitic soil is the focus. "This blend of 76% Sauvignon Blanc and 24% Sémillon, matured in 20% new oak, offers a complex bouquet with beeswax, wild mint, and fennel. The Sémillon beautifully complements the Sauvignon Blanc, and the palate is well-balanced with acidity and impressive weight. The pretty, floral finish makes this a standout wine from the vintage". 93/100 Vinous Neil Martn

Duncan Savage matriculated at Rondebosch Boys High School in 1995. In 2016. Savage Wines was set up in the heart of Cape Town in Salt River. Vineyards for his wines are leased and grapes sourced from around the Western Cape, maritime in nature where possible. Granitic soil is the focus.

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Kanonkop's Pinotage comes from 63-year-old unirrigated bush vines grown on the estate. Bright ruby-red hues. A textbook Stellenbosch Pinotage with aromatic and spicy aromas of mulberry, raspberry and cinnamon. Muscular, well-integrated tannins add great structure. Flavours of bramble, violets, plums and black berries are balanced by scented new oak. An elegant wine with savoury notes on the lengthy finish, and a lifting underlying freshness.

A delicious blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Cinsault produced from mostly mountain sloped, rain-fed bush vines, grown on a variety of granite soils and naturally low yielding. Perfumed on the nose with pepper, spice and ripe red fruit character. Supple and smooth on the palate with enough grip and freshness to finish dry and refreshing.

Juicy and vibrant Rhône-style blend of Grenache, Syrah, Garnacha Peluda and Mourvèdre, packed with strawberry and bramble fruit, white pepper and gentle spice. Medium-bodied, lightly wooded and wonderfully easy-drinking. All grapes are handpicked during the early morning hours. Natural fermentation takes place in open fermenters. Extraction is obtained by light pump overs twice a day. After fermentation is completed, the wine is left on the skins for another seven days and then pressed to neutral barrels. Malolactic fermentation is completed in the barrel. The wine is then racked from the lees and given a low dose of sulphur. The wine spends a total of 10 months in the barrel before it is bottled. Tim Atkin named the 2024 vintage his South African Best Value Red wine of the year in his 2025 report. "Wonderfully drinkable stuff from the talented Duncan Stuart, this is an eminently drinkable blend of 49% Grenache, 32% Syrah, 14% Garnacha Peluda and 5% Mourvèdre that's bottled with a screwcap for easy access. Juicy, tangy and lightly wooded, it's a Cape Côtes du Rhône, with bramble, strawberry and white pepper flavours and textured tannins." Tim Atkin

Rustenberg is a well-known producer of high quality Chardonnays; the Stellenbosch Chardonnay embodies their house style. Apricot, coconut and orange peel aromas followed by flavours of marzipan, sponge cake and citrus rounded off with carefully-judged oak and balanced, fresh acidity.

Pinot Gris is rare in Stellenbosch. The fruit comes from the Newlands Farm planted on granite and sand with chunks of 'koffieflip'. Grapes are fermented like a red wine to preserve the colour and flavour trapped in the skins. Fully destemmed and fermented in open top fermenters with 6 days on the skins. Watermelon pink in colour with pink rose petals, violets, fennel and hints of pickled ginger, rhubarb and red plums. Tangy red berries and Moroccan spice on the palate. Fresh and crunchy with just the right amount of tannin to clean the palate.

Gorgeouly aromatic and open. Fine and detailed - beautiful SA Cinsault. The Cinsaut grapes come from the Rustenhof Farm in Faure. Vines are dry-farmed bush vines and planted on granite and sand. Grapes are fully destemmed before fermentation to preserve acidity and the wine is matured in 500l neutral oak barrels. Mick and Jeanine Craven started Craven Wines in 2014, sourcing fruit from single vineyard sites in and around Stellenbosch and making 'site-specific, honest wines'. Originally from Australia, Mick met Jeanine whilst working in Sonoma, California, before both moving to South Africa in 2011. All fruit sourced now comes only from vineyards whose farmers are dedicated to working their land organically. Stellenbosch has an array of different sites and terroirs allowing Mick to 'let the grapes do the talking…' Increasingly they work with farmers who understand the importance of cover crops and removing chemical treatments. The winemaking approach keeps things relatively simple; no cultured yeasts, enzymes or fining agents are added. Bottling is with minimal sulphur additions.

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.

Kloovenburg's Village White is a new, good-value Cape white blend of Chenin Blanc, 30% Roussanne and 10% Verdelho from Kloovenburg's own vines. Pear, citrus and greengage fruit flavours are embellished by a bitter twist from partial skin contact. Fresh, focused and unwooded.

Elegant, fresh cherry and red berry nose with undergrowth melange. The palate is pure with lovely texture and sweet cherry fruit dominates with spicy undertones. The wine is fresh and intense with real vibrancy.

On our hunt for decent alcohol-free wines this came out as a winner. Great light salmon pink colour with ripe strawberries and sweet candyfloss on the nose following through to a balanced pallet with a lingering finish. Alcohol Free wines have just natural ingredients but techniques to ensure it is alcohol free vary. This includes removing sugar pre fermentation to more sophisticated techniques of spinning the alcohol out through cones. In the UK drinks that are between 0.05% and 0.5% ABV are classed as non-alcoholic.

One of the most legendary Stellenbosch wines. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels, rather like a fine classed growth Claret. Complex, layered and intense aromas of cassis, plums, spiced oak and cigar boxon the nose. The palate is rich and supple, with seamless fruit / oak integration, delicate tannins and a fine seam of acidity. Layers and layers of plush fruit explodes in the mouth with concentrated flavours of tomato cocktail, black and red fruits, and stewed meat. A wine of immense purity, depth and freshness. A subtle note of mint on the finish completes a wine filled with detail.

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.

Duncan Savage matriculated at Rondebosch Boys High School in 1995. In 2016. Savage Wines was set up in the heart of Cape Town in Salt River. Vineyards for his wines are leased and grapes sourced from around the Western Cape, maritime in nature where possible. Granitic soil is the focus. Sourced from a wind-exposed site in Polkadraai on granitic soils, this blend spends two years aging—first in old 500-liter barrels and then in foudres and conical tanks. The bouquet expresses brambly red fruit and light tertiary scents, while the medium-bodied palate offers a pliant entry, with white pepper and fennel spices lifting the finish. A sophisticated, harmonious wine of wonder. 94/100 Vinous Neil Martin

On our hunt for decent alcohol-free wines this came out as a winner. A light, fruit driven red wine containing less than 0.5% alcohol by volume This wine will pair well with most seafood, and of course drinks well on its own. Alcohol Free wines have just natural ingredients but techniques to ensure it is alcohol free vary. This includes removing sugar pre fermentation to more sophisticated techniques of spinning the alcohol out through cones. In the UK drinks that are between 0.05% and 0.5% ABV are classed as non-alcoholic.

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.

A superb, full-bodied Stellenbosch Cabernet with concentrated blackcurrant, cassis and black plum, layered with tobacco, liquorice, mint and polished French oak. Fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity balance the generous dark fruit, leading to a long, elegant finish. Excellent with roast beef, venison or mature Cheddar.

Made from old Stellenbosch bush vines, this refined Chenin offers white peach, apricot and citrus, with hints of honeysuckle, ginger and subtle oak spice. Textured and concentrated yet beautifully fresh, finishing with flinty minerality and a fine chalky grip. Superb with seafood, roast chicken or creamy cheeses.

The wine has a bright hue with a golden straw colour. It displays a refreshing nose of bright pear and peach blossoms with subtle lemon meringue and notes of freshly rolled oats. A full-bodied wine with great palate tension. Crisp apple and chalky citrus are infused with mild layers of Crème Brulé, spun sugar and floral potpourri. The flavours are vibrant, and the finish refined Vineyard This tiny, tree-lined vineyard is tucked away in the upper valley of the Vondeling farm, protected from harsh sunlight and extreme temperatures, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly. These moderate temperatures help preserve the grape’s natural acidity and fresh citrus aromas. The yields are kept low to eliminate stress in the vine and ensure good, uniform ripeness. The soil is made up entirely of well-weathered granite. Vinification All grapes are picked at optimum ripeness in the early hours of the morning. They are then packed into a cold room to be chilled further for processing the following day. The grapes are whole bunch pressed, which reduces the absorption of coarse phenolics and helps retain more of the grape’s natural vibrancy. The juice is not settled, but sent directly to 400-litre French oak barrels where spontaneous wild yeast fermentation takes place. No sulphur is added and the wine typically undergoes partial malolactic fermentation. The wine is matured on its yeast lees for 7 months after which it is blended to tank, then returned to barrel for a further 4 months. The wine spends 12 months in barrel before being blended to tank for a further 3 months for improved stabilisation before bottling

Steeped in history dating back to 1692, Lanzerac Wine Estate is a historic landmark and Stellenbosch icon. Positioned in the idyllic Jonkershoek Valley on the outskirts of the historical town of Stellenbosch, the Estate boasts views of dramatic mountain ranges, endless rows of lush vineyards and hectares of gardens shaded by giant Oak trees. This crisp and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc boasts generous aromas of green fruits including Granny Smith apples that interplay with white fruits such as Asian pears and white peaches in a perfect fruit-acid balance. A fresh lemongrass mouthfeel with subtle minerality is rounded off by a soft creaminess in the long finish due to extended lees contact.

Elegant, fresh cherry and red berry nose with undergrowth melange. The palate is pure with lovely texture and sweet cherry fruit dominates with spicy undertones. The wine is fresh and intense with real vibrancy.

The 2025 Salt River combines fruit from a 34 year old bushvine vineyard in Stellenbosch and another coastal site in Walker Bay. Named for the trendy area of Cape Town that Savage Wines calls home, it drinks more like a Pouilly Fume than a Marlborough Sauvignon, with a real lushness to the palate, flavours of yellow plums, semi-dried pineapple, moringa flowers, a tiny hint of reduction and this amazing intense tanginess. Think sun-ripened yellow peppers blended up, with grapefruit pith and the faintest hint of blackcurrant. Terrific body and stunningly long in the mouth, it's tasting great now, and we're sure it will age with grace too.

Adi Badenhorst has created three canned versions of his good-value, entry-level Curator wines, of which this is the pick. Aromas of juicy apricots, pineapples, bananas, nectarines and wild strawberry hints too. The palate is rich, intense and flavoursome with ripe stone and some tropical fruit, bound in a creamy mouthfeel, like a mouthful of peach yoghurt. A little jasmine freshness tickles the finish. "Canned wine has gone seriously next-level". Victoria Moore, The Telegraph

Kanonkop's Pinotage comes from 63-year-old unirrigated bush vines grown on the estate. Bright ruby-red hues. A textbook Stellenbosch Pinotage with aromatic and spicy aromas of mulberry, raspberry and cinnamon. Muscular, well-integrated tannins add great structure. Flavours of bramble, violets, plums and black berries are balanced by scented new oak. An elegant wine with savoury notes on the lengthy finish, and a lifting underlying freshness.

Steeped in history dating back to 1692, Lanzerac Wine Estate is a historic landmark and Stellenbosch icon. Positioned in the idyllic Jonkershoek Valley on the outskirts of the historical town of Stellenbosch, the Estate boasts views of dramatic mountain ranges, endless rows of lush vineyards and hectares of gardens shaded by giant Oak trees. 70% of this Estate grown Chardonnay was fermented in barrels and 30% in stainless steel tanks. This delicious Chardonnay showcases prominent primary citrus aromas on the nose followed by flavours of lemon, vanilla and hints of ginger. The palate reveals an excellent balance between fruit, acidity and softness.