Rosé from SA

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.

This is superb value for money rosé, 100% Cabernet Franc rose from the slopes of Stellenbosch's Simonsburg Mountain.

Country: South Africa

Region: Bankhoek, Stellenbosch

Grapes: Cabernet Franc

ABV: 13.5%

Zorgvliet's focus is entirely Bordelaise so a Cab Franc rose is a natural fit and a delightfully different product within our South African portfolio. Pale onion skin colour with bright, crunchy red cherry fruit flavours and a full, textural finish.

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.

Vibrant, fresh and clean with a hint of richness from 12 months of lees contact. 

Country: South Africa

Region: Franschhoek, Western Cape

Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinotage

ABV: 13%

Dry with loads of strawberry and raspberry flavours. 

Country: South Africa

Region: Darling

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 13.5%

Family owned and run, Groote Post makes authentic wines from Darling, South Africa's cool climate region. 

Pale rose gold in colour, with a pronounced bouquet of watermelon, raspberry coulis and passion fruit. The palate is dry with a medium acidity, packed with red berry flavours, floral undertones and a crisp citrus tail.

Country: South Africa

Region:  Durbanville Hills, Tygerberg

ABV: 13%

Grapes: Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon

Food Match: De Grendel Rosé is the ideal partner for lighter summer fare such as spicy prawns, Portuguese sardines and salads made with red fruits such as watermelon, raspberries, strawberries and pomegranate.

De Grendel Wine

This elegant rose uses exclusively the free run juice of Pinotage, which is the first collected must when the grapes are moved into the press, essentially allowing the grapes to be crushed by gravity, ensuring a minimal extraction of colour from skins and also preserve the natural acidity. This style of production is typically very delicate giving fine, soft and very fruity wines. Rose gold in colour with aromas of fresh red fruits and floral notes. The palate is crisp and full of flavours of raspberry, strawberry and grapefruit, finishing with a distinctive savoury minerality.

Country: South Africa

Region: 

ABV: 14%

Grapes: Pinotage 

Food match: pairs well with thai food, salad nicoise and charcuterie.

Black Elephant Vintners call themselves ‘Rebels of the Vine’ and are pushing the boundaries of a traditional industry and having fun with their wines as seen by their labels. Based in the quaint village of Franschhoek, Kevin, Jacques and Raymond came together to combine their diverse skills and creativity to make great wine. They took inspiration from their surnames to become the Black Elephant Vintners - Swart and Ndlovu become `Black Elephant` and Jacques is the Vintner! Their wines are inspired by good tunes and they firmly believe that music and wine make the best pairing - far from traditional and very Rock ‘n’ Roll!

A pale pink colour with a fruit forward nose. Elements of Strawberry and Cherry blossom on the nose with a flinty mineral finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Western Cape

Grapes: Grenache

ABV: 12.5%

Fresh green apple and hints of citrus supported by discreet almond biscotti and brioche typical to classic bottle fermented sparkling wine style. Extended lees contact gives a full and creamy mouthfeel with elegant minerality, good balance and a seamless finish.
Food Matches:
Enjoy chilled at any time of the day with good friends and good quality smoked salmon. Also excellent with a cream cheese and chive breakfast.Country: South Africa

Region: Elgin, South Africa

Grapes:  62% Pinot Noir and 38% Chardonnay

ABV: 12%

Terroir:
Our cool climate sites are hand selected based on the
topographical information for each specific vineyard block. Our
Grand Cuvee is selected from our two most prestigious Elgin
sites, our one block lies at an altitude of 225m and our other
site is at a startling 390m above sea level. The high altitude
from our Elgin sites combined with the less severe fluctuations
between night and day temperatures ensure a cool and slow
ripening of the beautiful bunches - ensuring concentration of
flavour and acid. Shale soils also assist in the development and
encapsulation of the minerality we so deeply appreciate from
our Elgin terroir.
Harvest:
The grapes were harvested early at lower sugar levels to achieve
the bracing freshness required for the making of base wine for a
classic Méthode Cap Classique. Grapes were handpicked in the
cool dawn and placed in small lug boxes to ensure the fruit was
not damaged during transportation to the cellar. Grapes were
then whole-bunch pressed. Only premium cuvée juice was used,
which means that only the first 500 litres per ton were extracted
for this beautiful wine.
Vinification:
The juice was cold settled for 48 hours. The clear juice was
racked from the lees and fermented at 16°C. With fermentation
complete, the tank was filled and left on the primary lees up until
blending. The premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay base wines
were then selected to become part of this harmonious blend. The
final base wine was then stabilised and filtered. The sugar level
of the wine was adjusted by the addition of the liqueur de tirage
- part of the wine blend that contains the yeast - activating the
second fermentation in the bottle and the magic behind the MCC
bubble. This resulted in the very fine mousse that our Méthode
Cap Classique is so well known for. The wine then matured on the
lees for 48 months before being riddled and spent a total of 56
months on lees before being disgorged.