All Wines

A fine pale-coloured rosé with delicate aromas of pomegranates and raspberry and a distinctive flintiness. There’s finesse and elegance on the palate with flavours of soft red fruits, a gentle silky texture and a lingering fresh acidity on the finish.

If you ask someone what is their favourite wine, most would mention a red or a white. Very few would give a rosé. But, (for us) South Africa has taken the 'common' rosé and turned it into an art form. 

Such a delicate and perfumed rosé. Take a bit of sophisticated Provence rosé, give it a little hint of international dynamic, a little bit of relaxed "take me as I am" S'African personality and the result is this deliciously drinkable rosé from Stellenbosch.

Country: South Africa

Region: Schapenberg, Stellenbosch

Grapes: Mourvedre

ABV: 13%

Biodynamic and Organic

Waterkloof Wines

Winemaker Nadia Barnard:

In October 2022 Penny had the great pleasure of visiting Waterkloof Estate on the slopes of the Schapenberg, Stellenbosch with a few colleagues from the UK wine trade. They spent the good part of two days being driven around this beautiful, sustainably managed piece of land by winemaker, Nadia Barnard. All of the vineyards on the estate are farmed following organic and biological principles. Here at Cellar Door Wines we've always been huge fans of Waterkloof wines. It is always lovely to taste Nadia's wines in Saint Albans, but to be able to do so at Waterkloof, with the woman herself, was extra special. Tasting wine at the place of its birth explains the why and the how of its individuality. The people behind the vineyard and winery are also key components in the equation. The Cape and Waterkloof has such diversity of wine style with a great price quality ratio.

A vibrant red wine with aromas of dark cherry, rich red forest fruits and floral notes of lavender and violet. The palate has hints of white truffle, hazelnut, and warm spices with glimpses of anise and clove, rounded off with herbaceous undertones. The finish is gripping, velvety and lingering.

Country: Lebanon

Region: Mount Lebanon and Bekaa Valley

Grapes: 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache & Mourvèdre

ABV: 13.5%

Produced at the historic Monastery of St Jean, whose building dates back to 1696. 75% of the grapes are from the Monastery’s own vineyards in Khenshara & Ajaltoun at 1000m altitude on the Maritime side of Mount Lebanon. The remaining 25% is Cabernet Sauvignon from the Bekaa Valley.

A serious Rose with a strong personality.

Beautiful pale salmon colour with an appealing lemon & herb nose followed by flavours of warm southern herbs & rich, rounded fruit.  Very much a food wine with a powerful character & 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 works 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!

In the early 1990s, Magpie identified this special site - a single vineyard of Grenache and Mourvèdre. After an olympic blending exercise one night with the wine from here, they name the vineyard 'Clovella'. This wine is a heady embrace of dark spice; it's no coincidence that there’s a distinct clove note in this wine. Bright, fresh, textural in spite of 22 months ageing in older French oak. Soft, moreish and foody.

Country: Australia

Region: Barossa

Grapes: Grenache and Mourvedre

ABV: 14%

Food Match

Slow cooked lamb shanks

The label design inspiration is all about the meeting of mouths, that energy before lips meet, whether meeting a glass of wine or each other. Two varieties blending into one....

The wine is dark and dense on appearance. The brooding nose is intense and shows an abundance of dark fruits. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, baking spices and heady whiffs of violets create complexity. Dark berry fruit, liquorice, notes of sweet tobacco and allspice follow through onto a vibrant mid-palate with bright, svelte tannins and a silky texture. The wine shows exceptional balance with fresh, integrated acidity. Dark plums, black olives and hints of tar and cigar box linger on an earthy finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Swartland

Grapes: Syrah 91%; Mourvèdre 8%; Viognier 1%

ABV: 13.5%

An elegant rendition of this normally unruly varietal. Features raspberry, dark fruit and herbal notes whilst an almost meaty, wild aroma can be detected on the nose. Typical vigour expected from this varietal, with a high concentration of fine tannin and a surprising lightness of touch helped by the lower alcohol.

Country : South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grape: Mourvèdre

ABV: 13.5%

Waterkloof Wine

Living soils and a natural approach to winemaking means that each of the single-varietal wines in the Circumstance range is truly defined by the circumstances influencing the chosen varietal and vineyard blocks, including: soil, aspect, altitude and vintage. The Mourvedre is from a single, windswept, south-facing (less sun exposure) block 250-300m above and a mere 2 miles from The Atlantic. These factors combine to produce low yields, balanced grapes and wines with a true sense of place. Production was a miserly 4 tons per hectare. Mourvedre is one of the few varietals with enough wind-resistance to plant as bush-vine on Waterkloof. Grapes are hand-harvested and brought to the cellar by horses for hand-sorting. Bunches are sorted and whole-bunch fermentation happens spontaneously with wild yeast in large, open-top wooden fermenters. Manual punch-downs or foot-pressing take place 1-2 times per day and the wine is left on skins for 30 days before going through malolactic fermentation in old 600 litre barrels then ageing for 16 months in the same vessels. No fining, just a light filtration. No additons other than sulphur. Vegan friendly, biodynamic wine. 6 barrels made.

In the glass, the wine has a bright ruby colour with a fresh, herby, garrigue nose. A touch of liquorice is followed by full-flavoured and intense, typically southern flavours. Equal measures of Syrah, Carignan and Grenache and a dash of Mouvèdre provide youth, excellent balance and generous and gentle structure.

Country: France

Region: Languedoc-Roussillon, St Chinian

Grapes:  10% Mourvedre SYRAH 30%, CARIGNAN 30%, GRENACHE NOIR 30%

ABV: 13.5%

This is a traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape serious and brooding and benefits from a little time to breath and open up. The palate is complex with herby, tapenade flavours and ripe textured tannins balancing the significant 15% alcohol which is expertly managed and integrated.

Country: France

Region: Chateauneuf-du-Pape

ABV: 15%

Grapes: Grenache 65%, Syrah 20%, Mourvedre 10%

A rich and opulent wine with ripe blackcurrant aromas layered with notes of the herbs and flowers. Full bodied but with a soft texture on the palate; this wine retains the estate's characteristic elegance whilst embracing a modern style of winemaking. Ripe fruits combine with notes of cocoa and cherry and a hint of liquorice on the finish.

Country: France

Region: Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone Valley

Grapes: Grenache 50%, Syrah 25%, Mourvèdre 15%, Cinsault 10%

ABV: 14.5%

Complex nose with hints of dark chocolate, blackberry, lavender and mocha. Good structure with plum, vibrant red berry and mineral complexity and a lingering finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Elim, Cape Agulhus

Grapes: Shiraz Grenache Mouvedre Viognier

ABV: 14% 

Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, baking spices and heady whiffs of violets create complexity. Dark berry fruit, liquorice, notes of sweet tobacco and allspice follow through onto a vibrant mid-palate with bright, svelte tannins and a silky texture. The wine shows exceptional balance with fresh, integrated acidity. Dark plums, black olives and hints of tar and cigar box linger on an earthy finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Swartland

Grapes: Shiraz, Cinsault, Mouvedre, Grenache Noir, Malbec

ABV: 13.5%

Predominantly Shiraz, aromas of violet, cherries, blackberries and redcurrant coulis, and multi-layered floral aromas-roses, lavender, pink peppercorns and fennel.

Country: South Africa

Region: Coastal Region

Grapes: Syrah, Mourvedre, Viognier

ABV: 14.5%

This wine is luxuriously sweet and divinely tempting. Layers of coffee, After-Eight chocolates, black berries and prunes dominate but they are beautifully balanced with a firm structure of acid and fine grained tannins.

Country: USA

Region: Lodi

ABV: 14%

Grapes:  Mourvèdre

 Food Match: It is a wonderful accompaniment to rich chocolatey desserts like chocolate mousse, brie with mango chutney, or salted caramel chocolate squares.

The nose has rich plum and blackcurrant pastille characters, with delicate vanilla, spice and cedars. The palate is ripe, smooth and opulent with layers of pure blackcurrant, juicy blackberry, lush spicy plum and cherry fruit, minerality and complex, fine tannins on the finish.

Country: Spain

Region: Jumilla

ABV: 14.5%

Grapes: Monastrell

Lifted, perfumed, red berry nose with peppery, smoky notes. Ripe and fleshy on the palate with fine, fresh plummy fruit leading to a long, savoury, structured finish.

Country : South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grape: Syrah

ABV: 14%

Waterkloof Wine

Hand-picked and hand-sorted. Whole bunch wild yeast ferment in an old open-top French oak fermenter. Foot-treading and manual punch-downs followed by 24 months ageing in old 600l French oak barrels. No additions other than sulphur.

The third release under the Waterkloof label, an elegant, northern Rhone-ish Syrah with lovely purity of crushed red berry fruit. Supple and plush but built to last.