£20 to 30

Wild berry and smokey notes are deftly handled at Henry of Pelham, where this variety has become their recognised flagship red wine. A deep ruby colour with hints of dark purple; blackberry and plum aromas with coffee, cedar wood and smoky notes. Dry and full-bodied with pronounced black cherry flavours lingering on a smoky finish.

Country: Canada

Region: Niagara Peninsula

Grapes: Baco Noir

ABV: 13.5%

Food Match: Great with roast lamb and all the trimmings

http://swahilicoastfoodie.com/wine-and-roast-lamb-pairings/

Baco Noir's origins go back to 1894, when French grape creator François Baco crossed Folle Blanche with an unknown member of the American Vitis riparia family.

His intention was to create phylloxera-resistant vines that retained their Old World French character. At one time Baco Noir was grown in Burgundy and the Loire, but it was gradually phased out of the Old World and has since become one of North America's more successful hybrids.

A classic Sancerre with crisp, crunchy grapefruit and lime citrus flavours and a gently herbaceous element adding complexity. There is a mouthwatering, saline minerality to the long finish. Just brilliant.

Country: France

Region: Sancerre

ABV: 12.5%

Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc

Food match: Great with grilled fish, seafood or even as an aperitif. 

Domaine du Pre Semele is located in Maimbray in the town of Sury-en-Vaux 5 km north of Sancerre. The vineyard has been passed on for four generations now and we want to remain a family structure. We are currently 2 brothers on the estate, Julien and Clément Raimbault, where we grow 20 ha on the Sancerre appellation in the greatest respect of our terroirs.

Lemon yellow colour which is clean and bright. A very expressive aroma with citrus and grapefruit, spices and vanilla scents. A fresh and very well balanced wine with balanced acidity and a long citrus finish.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Grapes: Vuira (51%), Chardonnay (49%)

ABV: 13.5%

From a warmer vintage, this shows riper yet still mineral fruit with added depth from a small (around 10%) addition of oak-aged wine into the blend. This is very typical of the Motte style and gives richness and balance to the wine. A deliciously precise expression of classic chalky Chablis terroir.

Country: France

Region: Burgundy, Chablis

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 13%

A classic Chablis from vines grown on the famous Kimmeridgian clay.

One of the top 10 most sought after Tuscan wines.

An intense red - floral and dark fruit notes, well-balanced with a ripe and explosive finish. Stunning. 

Country: Italy

Region: Tuscany

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

The winemaker from Baron Rothschild-Lafite, Christian Le Somme, visits once a month and, by working closely with Alessandro Cellai (from Castellare di Castellina) they are able to maintain the essential Italian character of Tuscany, through the plantings of Sangiovese combined with the power and mid-palate weight of Cabernet and Merlot.

Situated between Gavorrano and Ribolla in the rossetto province in Maremma, the soils have similar characteristics to those of Chianti and Montalcino, but with slightly higher temperatures, so are able to reach maturation earlier compared to those territories further north. The winery was designed by the Shard's architect, Renzo Piano, one of the most admired architects in the world, and named in Time Magazine’s Top 10 most influential people working in the Arts.

It has the biggest barrel room in the world, with only 20% of the winery above ground. The winery runs completely on environmental principles: electricity powered by solar panels and gravity-led production, and the underground barrel cellar allows natural air conditioning and saves energy.

If you're a rich white Burgundy fan - then this is the wine for you. A rich nose of lemon curd and freshly baked butter biscuits. The beautifully fruity core is perfectly balanced by layers of oak spice, vanilla and roasted almonds. Supple with fresh acidity and an underlying minerality, which adds focus and length to the finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Paarl, Western Cape

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 14%

Food Match: The elegance and substance of the wine will
complement mushroom risotto, rich fish dishes and also steak béarnaise.

Ready to be enjoyed within the year of production, but will
mature well for the next four to six years.

A serious rosé with a strong personality.

Beautiful pale salmon colour with an appealing lemon and herb nose followed by flavours of warm southern French herbs with rich, rounded fruit.  Very much a food wine with a powerful character and a delicious dry finish.

Country: France

Region: Provence

Grapes:  65% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 15% Cinsault

ABV: 14%

Organic

Vegan/Vegetarian

Domaine Lafran Veyrolles is an estate with a superb terroir and is widely recognised as one of the top three producers in the appellation. Jean-Marie Castell runs this small, traditional estate with just 10 ha of vines on the famous red clay soil of Bandol.  The estate nestles in and is protected by the hills of the Cadière d'Azur and benefits from a maritime climate. The estate is farmed organically and the yields are kept extremely low. Domaine Lafran Veyrolles reds have made it one of the star performers of the appellation … but don’t overlook the rosé wines as they deserve attention too!

This is very exciting!!! Red wine from Rondo Grapes grown in Chiswell Green, so this is as local as it gets guys! Gorgeous, deep ruby colour. Elegant aromas of Morello cherry, violets and cloves. Juicy, fresh acidity, with flavours of bitter cherry and raspberries on the palate with silky tannins. Only 400 bottles produced, so grab it while you can.

Country: England

Region: St Albans, Hertfordshire

Grapes: Rondo

ABV: 12%

Food Match: Great with hard cheese such as pecorino or parmesan and cured meats.

Estate grown by Wimbushes Vineyard, St Albans

Produced by the winery at Thurston Place, Suffolk

Wimbushes Vineyard St Albans

Andy and Karina Harrison decided to plant an acre of vines on their beautiful Chiswell Green property about 9 years ago, as a hobby. In 2018 they appointed Suffolk winemaker (and ex-surgeon) Michael Rhodes to turn their Solaris and Rondo grapes into wine.  In recent years, due to careful vineyard management by David Savage and the vines maturing healthily, the fruit and their talented winemaker, they have produced some seriously good English wine. These wines are produced in very small quantities, so we do tend to limit the amount of bottles purchased by any one household.

Astonishingly good Riesling from an outstanding New Zealand producer. Concentrated, explosive in the mouth! Dry, flavoursome Riesling with honeysuckle notes, aromatic nectarine, baked peach, apricot, lime and preserved lemon. One glass will not be enough!

Country: New Zealand

Region: North Canterbury

ABV: 15.5%

Grapes: Riesling

Read Wine Advocate Erin Larkin’s wonderful review of Pegasus from latest trip to the South Island

'From there, I went to Pegasus Bay, and it was here that I was so impacted. This is an iconic Riesling producer—Rieslings worth crossing the ocean for. They age slowly and gracefully, employ botrytis as a textural aid and are thundering examples of Riesling from New Zealand. I can’t overstate that. These are collectors’ wines. I have seen older examples in Australia over the years, served blind, that have taken the room by storm. My thanks to Winemaker Matt Donaldson for the afternoon; it took us in directions I think neither of us expected.'

Pegasus Bay Riesling Bel Canto 2022 – 94 points.

The 2022 Bel Canto Dry Riesling leads with loquat, kumquat and orange rind. In the mouth, the wine is floral, detailed and full—it is actually quite wide, spreading to all corners of the mouth, leaving a trail of fine chalky texture in its wake. Really good. Textural. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Erin Larkin Wine Advocate

Hand harvested and completely destemmed, the wine was fermented and aged in the amphoras in contact with skins and lees. The inside of our amphoras is coated with natural tree resin according to the ancient process used by the Romans 2000 years ago. The wine has not been filtered or stabilised.

Rich, ripe and full of mulberry fruit character with a silky round tannic structure. Beautifully made low intervention wine.

Country: Portugal

Region: Lisboa

Grapes: 50% Aragonez and 50% Trincadeira

ABV: 14%

Intense aromatics with flavours of pears, grapefruit, melon, and gooseberry. Brilliant minerality and lemony acidity. Complex and juicy, yet unwaveringly lithe. Lingering finish reminiscent of lemony creams.

Country: Germany

Region: Franken

ABV: 13.5%

Grape: 100% Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc)

Food Match: Beautiful when paired with fresh salads or a diverse range of Asian-inspired dishes. This wine love's seafood! A perfect match is whole crab with lemon butter.

Fun Fact:  Weissburgunder (/vīs-bur-gūn-dur/) is another grape of the pinot family which originated in Burgundy, France. For that reason, the German word “burgunder” is used to mean pinot in the same sense French and English speakers use it. “Weiss,” like “blanc” in French or “bianco” in Italian, is the German word for the color white. So weissburgunder is the German name for pinot blanc/bianco

Winzerhof Stahl is a dynamic young estate from one of Germany’s rising star winemakers, Christian Stahl. Christian has been making waves on the national and international wine scene since he established the estate in 2005, winning multiple accolades across the world in recognition of his talent and contribution to the world of wine.


Based in Franken, in Bavaria, Stahl makes wines in a region with a long and fruitful viticultural history, spanning over 1200 years. The Main River runs through the verdant countryside, where small villages of cobblestone paving and timber-framed houses dot the landscape. Auernhofen, where Winzerhof Stahl is situated, is one of these such villages.

This expressive, barrel-fermented Viognier seduces you with the beautiful perfume of honeysuckle and orange blossom and a textured palate of apricot, kiwi and pineapple.

Country: South Africa

Region: Western Cape

Grapes: Viognier

ABV: 13.5%

Lismore Wine

Aromatic, medium to full bodied and powerful, with good extraction of the sweet flavours of black ripe fruits. Elegant with good texture and firm tannins, giving wine great ageing potential. A touch of mint, with lavender notes. Firm, well balanced oak and long finish with fresh, spicy, integrated mouthfeel.

Country: South Africa

Region: Wellington

ABV: 14%

Grape: Shiraz

Andreas Wine

Andreas only produce this wine - and they are good at it. The wine is aged for 18 months in French and American oak and bottle matured for another year. Winemaker Shaun Meyeridricks' first first vintage was in 2018, since joining Andreas from Boekenhoutskloof where he was previously making exemplary Shiraz.

A rich and textured white wine with great depth and complexity given from being made in clay amphora. Matches beautifully with antipasto and meat dishes, but equally very friendly drunk without food.

Country: Italy

Region: Marche

Grapes: Incrocio Bruni 54

ABV: 13%

Incrocio Bruni 54 is a crossing by pollenation of Sauvignon Blanc and Verdicchio which was done in 1936 by Professor Bruno Bruni while working for the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. It is only found in the Marche region and Tenuta Santi Giacomo e Filippo are championing it as Marche's flagship grape. Rightly so!

Deep, dark purple in colour and gorgeously full bodied and unctuous wine. Raspberries, mulberries and aromatic sweet spice jump out of the glass on the nose. Fine grained, grippy, tannins are in perfect balance with lots of concentrated, ripe black fruit character on the finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: Tinta Barocca

ABV: 14.5%

Dornier is a family owned winery that is situated in the Golden Triangle area of the famous Upper Blaauwklippen Valley in Stellenbosch - their prestigious neighbours are
De Trafford, Keermont and Waterford, so they are in fine company. The property was home to one of the first wineries in Stellenbosch, having been completed in the late 1600s, as well as an historic Sir Herbert Baker home. 

The winemaking philosophy at Dornier is to produce premium quality wines, with minimal intervention in the winery, that are expressive of the unique terroir of the Golden Triangle and showcase the complexity and finesse of the noble grape varietals planted on the farm..

Rich in age, rich in flavour. Toasty, vanilla, raisins and dried plum.

Beautiful brick red colour, with a complex aroma of roasted coffee, spices, vanilla, ripe fruits raisins, caramel, and subtle bottle ageing notes of leather, tobacco. Silky smooth tannins, and velvety finish.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja Alavesa

Grapes: Tempranillo

ABV: 14%

Only made in the best vintages from the best grapes, this Rioja GR has gone through an ageing process of 30 months in new French (75%) & American (25%) oak barriques, followed by a further 3 years before it is released.

https://www.murielwines.com/en/our-brands/rioja-collection/vina-muriel

To learn more about the Rioja region and their different styles of wines read our blog here.

Wonderfully rich and fleshy  from hand harvested bushvine grown grapes in Franschhoek. Wild Yeast fermented. Beautifully poised and elegant. Excellent food wine.

Country: South Africa

Region: Franschhoek

Grapes: 100% Semillon

ABV: 13%

Ideal with white fish dishes, fresh oysters and prawns.

https://www.wildeberg.co.za/

Certified Heritage Vineyards planted in 1905.

Classic, smooth, dry claret with a bit of bottle age. Notes of cassis at the front leading onto subtle hints of leather and tobacco.

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux, Medoc

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot

ABV: 13.5%

Concentrated, complex and rich, oak matured Douro red, made from a blend of selected parcels from the best vineyards on the estate.

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro Valley

Grapes: 74% Touriga Nacional, 13% Sousão, 12% Touriga Franca, 1% Fernão Pires

ABV: 13.5%

An LBV Port from the historical Delaforce Port house.

A Port of deep ruby colour with intense aromas of plums, fresh berries and liquorice revealing immense complexity. Very fruity on the palate, with round tannins in a perfectly balanced structure. 

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro

ABV: 20%

Grapes: Field Blend (ie....they dont know exactly!..but its the typical Port varieties)

Food Match: Great with blue cheese like Gorgonzola, Stilton and creamy dolcelatte.

Late Bottled Vintage Ports unlike Vintages are only bottled 4 years after their ageing period in oak. This process of Late Bottling allows the wine to benefit from oxygenic evolution in large barrels making them soft, round and enjoyable to drink now. The LBV Port has been an alternative for Vintage Port lovers who prefer not to wait for long-term bottle ageing. 

Pure, sublimely crisp and mineral in style, this wine is fresh and elegant with subtle notes of citrus, grapefruit, Golden Delicious apple and white pear. Dry, with a lively palate of crisp, ripe fruits and a charming acidity. A lovely expression of the delicate elegance of the Koshu grapes.

Country: Japan

Region: Yamanashi Province

Grapes: Koshu

ABV: 12%

Sublimely crisp, floral and mineral in style with an almost. Chablis type razor sharp saltiness on the finish.

Grace Winery was established in 1923, in the Katsunuma province, the birthplace of
the Japanese wine industry. Committed to the belief that great wine is made in the
vineyard, they were the first to research and introduce European training and
pruning methods introducing such as using long cordon training and Vertical Shoot
Positioning in 1990. The wines are made in a modern way to retain the delicate
characteristics of this individual and exciting grape variety.

This is a fruity, fresh and approachable Nebbiolo. The nose shows delicate mineral notes with hints of violet, rose and liquorice, while the on the palate the silky tannins and long, smooth finish make this a delightfully well-balanced wine.

Country: Italy

Region: Piedmont

Grapes: Nebbiolo

ABV: 13%

Food Match: perfect with pasta dishes, roast meat (particularly Duck) and cheeses.

"Fresh bright strawberries, violets and liquorice depth. The attack is
balanced, with supple fruit, a peppery character, a tight structure
and a medium to full body. A good, juicy, savoury finish with velvety tannins."
- 92 points, James Suckling

A good dash of Semillon into this Sauvignon Blanc gives additional layers of complexity. 

This traditional French blend has aromas and flavours of citrus fruit, passion-fruit and greengages, cut grass with a hint of dried herbs.  The low crop levels have particularly emphasised the Semillon component in the wine, filling out the palate and giving good concentration as well as structure.  It has a crisp, dry finish and a lingering after-taste on the palate.  

Country: New Zealand

Region: North Canterbury

ABV: 15%

Grapes: 70% Sauvignon, 30% Semillon

Food Match: We love this wine for its complexity of aromatics and concentration of flavours on the palate. White fish with fresh asparagus or Samphire is a great pairing.

Aromatic intensity, with ageing notes (vanilla, roast, spices), very ripe fruit, caramel and subtle hints of leather and fallen leaves, characteristic of a prolonged period in bottle. Long and silky on the palate.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja Alavesa

Grapes: Tempranillo

ABV: 14%

Tempranillo grapes grown in the Elciego area known for its poor clay-loam texture of calcerous soils. Aged for 24months in American and French barrels, then matured for 3 years in bottle

https://www.murielwines.com/en/our-brands/rioja-collection/vina-muriel

Succulent black cherry aroma, bright but delicate and hints of forest floor, with underlying floral and spicy notes. On the palate, the wine is powerful, with silk-textured length.

Country: South Africa

Region: Elgin

ABV: 13%

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Food match

Beef Bourginon with mushroom or braised lamb shanks.

In early 1997, Andrew Gunn, an engineer by training was contemplating his next career move. Having always loved the outdoors, the prospect of farming appealed to him and feeling young and energetic enough to start a new career, left the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg to begin the search for the ‘perfect’ farm.

After months of searching and 40 farm visits later, Andrew and a very tired estate agent stumbled upon a solitary run down apple farm on a mountain top overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The prospect of a suitable farm in Elgin intrigued Andrew and on driving through the valley, he became excited by the beauty of the area. Surrounded by the Kogelberg Biosphere and Forestry the property had no agricultural neighbours. The rolling hills and the drive up the mountain to where the farm was situated, 420 meters above sea level, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was love at first sight.

As he drove in and stopped in front of a rather run down Herbert Baker homestead, he felt, “this is where I would like to live”, and the view from the front of the house overlooking the Elgin Valley below, made up his mind.