Reds

Red berry fruit, full of spice, white pepper and floral notes. Supple, intense palate with fine tannin matched by plenty of fruit.

Country: South Africa

Region: Elgin

ABV: 14%

Grapes: Syrah

Food match

Braised lamb and blue cheese, pecorino with rosemary and sundried tomato gremolada!

At 420m above sea-level, set high above the picturesque Elgin Valley Andrew Gunn founded Iona. It is here overlooking the Atlantic ocean that he has secured some of the coolest vineyards in the Cape.

Ruby red in colour and surprisingly fresh and fruity on the nose and palate for it's age. Velvety tannins and a long mulberry finish.

Country: Portugal

Region: Dão

Grapes: Jaen, Alfrocheiro

ABV: 13%

Food Match: Lamb tagine

Aromas of red fruits and berries with a hint of vanilla and sweet spice. Velvety and soft on the palate with a natural sweetness on the finish.

Country: Georgia

Region: Racha, Khvanchkara 

Grapes: Aleksandrouli and Mudjuretuli

ABV: 12.5%

Food Match: Cheese board

Giuaani Winery is located in the historic village of Manavi, the heartland of Georgian wine producing region, Kakheti. The Manavi village, cradled by the southern slopes of the minor Caucasus, is a home to one of the 29 PDOs (Protected Denomination of Origin) of Georgia. Its unique soil composition and microclimate provides perfect conditions for vine cultivation, especially for Kakhuri Mtsvane grape variety, and for the production of Manavi PDO white dry wines.

Stylish nose with lovely dark cherries and complex tobacco aromas with hints of savoury notes. Velvety textured tannins and lingering finish.

Grape: Nero di Troia

Country: Italy

Region: Puglia

ABV: 14%

Food pairing: red meats, stews, and aged cheeses.

Aromas of crushed, black fruit, damson, mint, oak and mocha. Rich, almost succulent black fruit which has great purity and exuberance. Impressive concentration and elegance.

 Country: France

Region: Pomerol. Bordeaux

Grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Franc

ABV: 13.5%

A brilliant ruby red colour, the aromas hinting at currants and cassis with notes of herbs and bitter cherry whilst the palate is elegantly structured, with characters of red currant, and ripe cherries. A long, sophisticated finish. This wine is drinking beautifully now, but will evolve nicely over the next 2-5 years. 

Country: Italy
Region: Marsala, Sicily
Grapes: Perricone
ABV: 13.5%

On the west side of Sicily close to Marsala, Caruso Minini have their 4th generation vineyards and winery. 

An elegant Grenache from the Piekenierskloof hills showing aromas of raspberry,plumb, white pepper and red berries. The restrained use of oak holds the juicy ripe fruit flavours and powdery tannins together in a gentle and sumptuous glass of wine

Country: South Africa

Region: Piekenierskloof

Grapes: Grenache

ABV: 13.5%

Expressive nose displaying blueberry, red plum, red and sour cherry. In the mouth, the delightful notes of cacao, plums and caramel, with a hint of vanilla (6 months in oak) make it very elegant. The palate is fleshy, with good entrance, balanced acidity, soft tannins and a lasting finish.

Country: Argentina

Region: Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza 

Vegan/Vegetarian

Grapes:   Malbec

ABV: 13.5% 

Patricio Pereyra Pato is the owner and visionary of Bodegas Don Rosendo, Lujan de Cuyo A small estate with organic vineyards in some of the best sub-regions of Mendoza (including La Consulta and Agrelo) and with the superb Gabriela Zavala leading the winemaking, the quality is astonishingly high.

A silky and juicy red wine. An aroma of red berries with wild thyme that take you to notes of liquorice, raspberry leaf, cherry and herbs. 

Country: Italy

Region: Veneto

Grape Variety: Corvina 30%, Corvinone 30%, Rondinella 30%

ABV: 12.5%

Food Match: BBQ meats and antipasto

Aromas of ripe blackberries and a hint of smokiness. Concentration and depth on the palate with soft bramble fruit combined with notes of spice and vanilla. Redcurrant and brambles with the toasty richness of oak on the finish.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Grapes: Tempranillo

ABV: 13%

Dark, concentrated blackberry and cassis fruit. Cocoa and chocolate notes on the nose, supple tannins, long black berry finish.

Country: Georgia

Region: Kakheti

Grapes: Saperavi

ABV: 13,5%

Vegan

Food pairing: lamb, veal, deer, venison, mushrooms, mature and hard cheese

Read all about Penny's recent trip to the cradle of wine, Georgia in her blog here.

Complex bouquet showing typical rose nuances as well as layers of spice and woodland fruits. The palate is full-bodied, with hints of cherry, dark chocolate and prunes with firm sweet tannins on the finish. The sweet ripe berry fruit makes it approachable now or can be cellared for 10 years.

Region: Piemonte

ABV: 14% 

Grape: Nebbiolo

Food Match: red meats, fowl and hearty casseroles.

Barbaresco Tenuta Roncaglie is made from Nebbiolo grapes cultivated in Poderi Colla's vineyards in the Roncaglie area. As early as 1880, Roncaglie was already recognised as one of the best and most important areas for Barbaresco production, and mentioned in Lorenzo Fantini's important publication on Viticulture and Oenology in the Province of Cuneo. Several years on Daniel Thomasas, in the January 2005 issue of Wine Spectator, wrote: 'Roncaglie is acknowledged to be one of the best crus in the whole of Barbaresco.' The Poderi Colla vineyards have a southerly exposure and is situated at between 240 and 280 metres above sea level. Some of the vines were planted in 1970, some in 1980 and some in 1995. Vine density is around 4,000 to 5,000 plants per hectare and the average yield is 4,000 litres per hectare. Harvesting is usually done between 5th to 15th October. The Nebbiolo grapes (Lampia and Michet subvarieties) are destalked and pressed and the must is macerated on the skins for around 12 to 15 days at 30 degrees Centigrade. This if followed by a malolactic fermentation which is completed before the winter. The wine is transferred to some Slovinian and some French oak casks (partly new) and left to mature for 12 to 14 months. After maturation with wine is racked to stainless steel vats and clarified with egg whites before bottling.

This ruby red wine is juicy, fresh and floral on the palate with delicate cherry aromas.  Forest fruit on nose, blueberry, round tannins, full bodied with a long finish of saltiness
and minerality.

Country: Slovenia

Region: Štajerska

Grapes: 50% Pinot noir,
50% Blaufrankisch

ABV: 13%

Food Match: Charcuterie and hard cheeses.

This cool climate Aussie Pinot punches above its weight.

Surprisingly restrained and elegant for what was a warm ripening season. There are layers of complexity here. Lifted aromatics of tart cherry, fresh tobacco leaves and candied ginger, the palate is supported by a fine acidity, gentle tannins & alluring savoury characteristics of dried red earth, leather and pencil shavings.

Country: Australia

Region: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir

ABV: 13%

Swartskaap (‘black sheep’).

Country: South Africa

Region: Hemel en Aarde

Grapes: Cabernet Franc

ABV: 13.5

You’ve probably 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’).

Tasted blind this could be confused with a top Chateauneuf du Pape - no kidding. This is boutique winemaking at it's best

Country: South Africa

Region: Wellington

Grape: Shiraz

ABV: 14%

Intense Ruby Garnet in colour with an elegant nose expressing nutmeg, crushed black pepper, with subtle aniseed, ripe mulberry and dark chocolate. The palate has subtle smoky flavours, blackberries, plums and dark chocolate blending with dry ripe tannins showing a well balanced wine with silky smooth wood integration. 

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.

Saperavi is often compared to Malbec, Cabernet Franc and even Gamay depending on how it is made. This is dark, juicy and fresh, dee black in colour, rich and full but finishes really freshly with a gentle grip. Delicious.

Country: Georgia

Region: Kakheti

Grapes: Saperavi

ABV: 13%

Food Pairing:  Sausage caserole, a juicy burger and barbecued meats.

Read all about Penny's recent trip to the cradle of wine, Georgia in her blog here.

Pretty strawberry nose with elegance! Silky and smooth, perfectly balanced Pinot. Very Burgundian in style.

Country: Australia

Region: South Australia

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 13.5%

Subtle, lifted, fragrant black pepper, blueberry and rose petal nose with ripe cherry and plum fruit characters. The palate has a beautiful silky texture with fresh red berry fruit and a fine savoury tannin finish. Drinking well now and for the next 10-15 years.

Country: South Africa

Region: Swartland,

ABV: 14%

Grapes: Syrah

The Syrah grapes come mainly from the Porseleinberg vineyard - one of the best sites in the world to grow the variety. Renowned winemaker and viticulturalist Callie Louw farms the land. The 'brutal' soils (according to winemaker Marc Kent) are made up of Mica and Schist. 10% of the grapes are from the Goldmine vineyard which has brown schist soil.

Tim Atkin MW

97 points. Given that 90% of its raw material comes from Porseleinberg - the other 10% comes from Boekenhoutskloof's Roundstone property - it's no surprise that this is such an impressive Syrah. Fermented with 65% whole bunches, it combines fynbos, lavender and Asian spice aromas with a palate of white pepper, barbecued meat, oregano and blackberry framed by sappy, granular tannins. World class. 2025-35.



James Suckling

94 points. Lovely fragrance with thyme, cracked pepper, iron, coriander and black berry fruit. Medium-bodied, peppery and compact, with vibrant acidity and a focused finish. Long and persistent. Drink or hold.



Neal Martin – Vinous.

93+ The 2021 Syrah was picked later than the 2020. It contains more whole bunches than prior vintages (65%) and matured for 18 months, 90% in Stockinger foudre and Stockinger demi-muids. This is quite concentrated on the nose with dark berry fruit, bay leaf and white pepper, perhaps less floral than some of its peers. The aromatics feel tightly coiled at the moment. The palate is smooth and harmonious on the entry, with a fine structure. It is compact at the moment with cracked black and white pepper and garrigues notes flourishing toward the persistent finish. Much more backward than expected. I would cellar this for three to five years before cracking open as it’s a serious Syrah.

Quinta da Pedra Alta 'Alto' Tinto is a perfumed, hedonistic Douro red, made from parcels from our highest (Alto) elevations on the Quinta.

Aromas of red and blue fruits, with lifted bergamot and exotic spice notes. This is a rich, hedonistic wine, with an Indian ink mid-palate, and an Earl Grey finish.

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro Valley

Grapes: Touriga Nacional (92%), Sousão (7%), Fernão Pires (1%)

ABV: 15%

A delicious rich and ripe red made in a Rhone Valley style. Very juicy and full of red and black fruit characters, notes of herbs and some sweet spice with a lengthy finish.

Country: Lebanon

Region: Bekaa Valley

Grapes: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre

ABV: 14.5%

Food match: Roast lamb or lamb tagine with Mediterranean grilled vegetables

The notes of bright red fruit and spice on the nose. On the palate it`s raspberry and pink Sparkles sweets.

Country: South Africa

Region: Western Cape

Grapes: 92% Cinsault, 8% Grenache

ABV: 12%

Food pairing: sourdough margherita pizza, sweet and sticky pork ribs.

Juicy red and black fruits with some drier cedar streaks on the palate. A classy, complex wine with fantastic structure and long-lingering finish.

Country: France

Region: St Emilion

ABV: 14%

Grapes: 100% Merlot

Food Match: Roast beef and lamb, tasty farmhouse cheeses

96 Points from Tim Atkins - this says it all! This landmark South African red by David Trafford is slowly but surely gaining cult status amongst wine collectors.

Concentrated aromas of red berries, sweet liquorice, red berries and minerality. Rich and textured palate full of almond and smoky flavours. Complex, layered with mulberry and savoury, meaty notes with a long, dry finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Malgas, Swellendam, Western Cape

Grapes: Syrah , Touriga Nacional, Mourvédre, Trincadeira and Cabernet Sauvignon

ABV: 14,5%

Sijnn is prounounced 'sen', or 'seine'

Certified IPW sustainable

A bold and full-bodied red with notes of red and black berries - plum, blackcurrant. The secondary notes - vanilla, oak, chocolate. The tertiary notes - leather, earth, pencil.

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Country: South Africa

Region: Simonsberg

ABV: 14,5%

Food pairing: beef, lamb, poultry