£20 to 30

A stand-out example of what high quality Bordeaux should taste like.

Plum, some bitter fruit, clove, cinnamon nose. Spicy up front and smooth, rounded fruit. Drinking well now so no need to lay down for any longer - the work has already been done so enjoy while you can!

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux, Montagne St Emilion

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Cabernet Franc, Merlot

Chateau Corbin is one of the oldest estates in St. Emilion, dating all the way back to the 15th century. More recently, bringing Chateau Corbin into the modern era, in 1924, Chateau Corbin was purchased by the Great Grandparents of the current owners, the Cruse family. The beautiful chateau was constructed in the 1800’s. During the late 1990’s, Anabelle Cruse and her sisters purchased the shares of Chateau Corbin from the other family shareholders and took over complete ownership of the estate. 

Anyway, more importantly, what does it taste like and is it worth the money? We always believe that one of the great things about wine is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but we're pretty safe in saying that this is a stand-out example of exactly what Bordeaux is supposed to taste like. Extremely smooth and from what is now known as one of the best vintages ever, this is one for thinking up a special occasion just to open it. 

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!

The super SA fizz is refreshingly dry with abundant strawberry and raspberry flavours. It has a delicate mousse which supports a dry, but rich and toasty palate.

Country: South Africa

Region: Darling

Grapes:70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir

ABV: 12.5%

Family owned and run, Groote Post makes authentic wines from Darling, South Africa's cool climate region. MCC - Method Cap Classique is the Traditional (Champagne Method) of making sparkling wine and at this price and quality level rivals many a French producer.

Delicious, fresh melon aromas and flavours with a hint of creaminess on the finish. Beautifully balanced Chardonnay. A pinch of Salt Chardonnay undergoes amphora, French oak and stainless steel maturation. This makes the wine complex and textured with a lovely, long finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Darling Hills

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 13%

Perfumed and aromatic style of Chardonnay from the Mendoza valley in Argentina.

A clean wine, with plenty of aromatic intensity, fresh and mineral. On the nose it is floral and citrus-like. Notes of white flowers and fruits, lemon blossom and peaches. On the palate, it has a soft start, a good persistence, unctuous with balanced acidity, round with good concentration.

Country: Argentina

Region: Mendoza

ABV: 14.5%

Grapes: Chardonnay

After visiting Argentina in 1989, Californian trail-blazer Paul Hobbs became deeply interested in both the terroir and Argentine culture, noticing the unique potential for Malbec and other varietals in the region. After meeting two kindred spirits, Andrea Marchiori and Luis Barraud, they founded Viña Cobos in 1997 and since then there has been no looking back. Utilising gnarly old vines, careful vineyard selection, very low yields and an unerring empathy for the raw materials, Viña Cobos craft intense yet balanced wines that showcase the elegance and beauty of this region. The wines from Cobos have branched into four different brands – Felino, Bramare appellation, Bramare Single Vineyard and the super premium Cobos. Binding all of the wines from Viña Cobos is the true identity of each variety and the unique terroir of Mendoza, truly world class wines from a world class producer.

Light, straw yellow in colour. Aromas of  ripe, honeydew melon and peach; soft and full on the palate with a well balanced and long finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Alto Adige 

Grapes: Pinot Grigio

ABV: 13.5% 

food Matches: Grilled white fish, lightly truffled dishes, fresh pasta with spinach and garlic.

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%

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.

Kleinboet (‘little brother’) is a Cellar Door all time favourite.  Bright red and purple fruit such as raspberries and blueberries on the nose, savoury notes of dried herbs too. A delicious, rich, bold, earthy, but fruity Bordeaux blend.

Country: South Africa

Region: Sondagskloof, Hemel en Aarde

Grapes: Bordeaux Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec

ABV: 12.5%

You might have heard of the quaint beach town of Hermanus, situated on South Africa’s
famous Whale Coast. Between 1855 and 1902, it was called Hermanuspietersfontein. In
1902, the local postmaster decided to shorten the name of the town to make addressing
letters to the locals easier.

150 years later, the wine farm Hermanuspietersfontein, or HPF for short, craft outstanding wines with a serious sense of place. Their grapes come from Sondagskloof (they produce 90% of WO Sondagskloof wine), which competes with Elgin and the Ceres Plateau for South Africa’s coolest wine growing region. This area is perfectly suited to Bordeaux varietals and, with the exception of Shiraz, is exclusively planted with them.
The Afrikaans wine names might look like a bit of a mouthful, but they are good fun;
Bloos (‘blush’), Kaalvoet Meisie (‘barefoot girl’), Kat Met Die Houtbeen (‘cat with the
wooden leg’), Posmeester (‘postmaster’), Kleinboet (‘little brother’) and Swartskaap
(‘black sheep’).

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

Fairly restrained on the nose, savoury herbs and citrus on the palate. Well balanced with a suggestion of "hot stone" minerality. A light and fruity wine that marries perfectly with oysters and all shellfish

Country: France

Region: Burgundy, Chablis

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 13%

Vineyards are in the Hautes Côtes, at the top of the slopes just above Domaine de la Motte's Chablis classified plots and so achieve good ripeness. The soil is Portlandian, which is less chalky than Kimmeridgian, and typically produces wines which are less mineral and more fruity, well suited to earlier drinking. Having said that, Motte’s wine has real finesse with good fruit character – very much their house style. Cool-fermented in stainless steel, malolactic fermentation is also in stainless steel and the wine is unoaked.

Round and elegant wine with classic, subtle buttery notes balanced by juicy acidity. A top quality white Burgundy with more than 10 year aging potential.

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 12.5%

Superb. NATURAL organic, vegetarian red from Lisbon.

A field blend of old vines mainly Trincadeira red and Fernao Pires White. Tea leaves and violets with crushed white pepper. Spicey capsicum, red berries and

Country: Portugal

Region: Lisboa

Grapes: Trincadeira and Fernao Pires

ABV: 14%

A consistent winner of both national and international wine awards, our Pinot Noir is nourished by the unique ‘terroir’ of the Graaff family farm in the Witzenberg Mountain range in Ceres, better known until recently for high quality apples and pears.

Country: South Africa

Region:  Witzenberg Mountain range in Ceres

ABV: 13%

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Food Match: Mushroom risotto will complement the earthy notes of the wine beautifully. Pinot Noir is light and elegant enough to be enjoyed with poached salmon or even a leek and pecorino tart. Also try it with chicken liver fettuccine.

At an altitude of 960 meters above sea level, with winter snowfalls often covering the vineyards, a truly continental climate facilitates gradual ripening for a concentrated, luscious, elegant, ‘terroir’ driven wine which, as the vines mature, produces increasingly perfumed wines with each successive vintage. Carefully handpicked in Ceres in the early hours of the morning, the grapes are vinified by Cellar Master Charles Hopkins in the safety of the cellar at De Grendel.

De Grendel Wine

Raspberry, strawberry and bitter cherry aromas and flavours with a dry, sour cherry finish. Great with pavlova or strawberries and cream. Don't limit this beverage to just dessert though - it will go well as an aperitif or with soft cheese after dinner or even a main course of roast chicken and potatoes!

Country: Italy

Region: Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna

Grapes: Barbera and Bonarda

ABV: 12.5%

The Italian region of Emilia-Romagna is famous for many household names. Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati are all manufactured here. Parma ham, Parmesan cheese and Balsamic vinegar of Modena originated here too. Did you know that it was the birthplace of Luciano Pavarotti, Guiseppe Verdi and Zucchero?!

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 bourguignon 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.

Pale salmon pink in colour, bright and vibrant. Aromatics of wild raspberry, elderflower and pink grapefruit. Subtle hints of honeysuckle and jasmine. Refreshing, dry and clean finish.

Country: England

Region: Kent and Sussex

Grapes:  Pinot Noir Precoce, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Bacchus, and Ortega

ABV: 12%

The Proposal Hill Cap Classique Brut Rosé is made from 100% Pinot Noir grown on the western slope of the Tygerberg hill on De Grendel, overlooked by the original homestead built by the first baronet Graaff, the vines enjoying the same view that Sir De Villiers and Lady Graaff treasured all those years ago.

Country: South Africa

Region:  Durbanville Hills, Tygerberg

ABV: 12.5%

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Food Match: Oysters, fresh from the sea or antipasti.

De Grendel Wine

De Grendel Brut Rosé has all the hallmarks of a traditional, meticulously constructed Cap Classique, with the added allure of being playful and exciting, Hopkins said. Complex and with a weightier palate than the average sparkling wine, this bone-dry rosé has a fine and persistent mousse introducing hints of oyster shell and fresh lavender on the nose. Intense strawberry coulis and black cherry flavours are well-balanced by firm acidity and linger in the exceptionally long finish.

The sweet wine of Valpolicella - red nectar in a bottle.

Deliciously decadent dessert wine with rich winter red berry flavours, notes of chocolate, spiced prunes and Christmas cake. Delicious.

Country: Italy

Region: Valpolicella

ABV:12.5%

Grapes: Corvina 60%, Corvinone 15%, Rondinella 15%, others 10%.

Food Match: Chocolate based desserts or cakes or just simply with a good chunk of good quality dark chocolate.

This Port has a beautiful red gold appearance in the glass. Expressing aromas of dried cranberry, raisin and rich plum. As well as notes of cedar and Christmas pudding. 

On the palate this wine is lusciously balanced with flavours of candied orange peel and plum. Followed by a lasting, spicy finish.

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro Valley

Grapes: Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca

ABV: 19.5%

Bold, ripe, concentrated and structured red and full of dark berry fruit and plums. Very full bodies, very easy drinking SA red from one of the most beautiful places in the world.  

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch Western Cape

Grapes: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Red, Shiraz,

ABV: 13%

With its pale yellow colour and green reflections, the nose has a ravishing charm: dominated by intense notes of citrus (lemon, grapefruit). It also reveals notes of apple, pear and white flowers. The mouth is beautifully balanced between roundness and a refreshing final vivacity. Delicate spicy, floral and fruity notes persist pleasantly to the finish.

 Country: France

Region: Macon, Burgundy

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 12.5%

Brick red appearance, with a very rich aroma of very ripe fruit (grapes and overripe figs) as well as dried fruits (nuts and almonds),caramel and coffee. On the palate fresh and elegant with good acidity. The long finish is dominated by dried fruits.

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro Valley

Grapes: Tinta Roriz,Touriga Franca,Touriga Nacional,Tinto Cão,Tinta Francisca,Tinta Amarela,Sousão

ABV: 20%