Reds

Exceptional value right-bank Bordeaux from the village of St Emilion.

Rich plummy fruit throughout, this is a medium-bodied, food-friendly Bordeaux with an earthy, cocoa-dusted finish.

Country: France

Region: St Emilion

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: 100% Merlot

Pretty and poised Pinot.

Classic cranberry and red current aromas giving us a wine with enough bite and texture to be foody but with enough generosity of fruit to be a delicious glass on its own. A touch of oak in the wine making lends a little soothing creaminess to the finish.

Country: New Zealand

Region: Marlborough

ABV: 13% 

Grape: Pinot Noir 100%

Rich, intense and packed with dark red fruits. With Morello cherry and a touch of sweet spice on the nose, ripe berry, liquorice, chocolate, summer pudding and a hint of cinnamon spice on the palate, this wine is full flavoured and smooth with supple tannins. Brilliant! Perfect for Chateauneuf lovers.

Country: France

Region: Rhone Valley

Grapes: Grenache Noir, Syrah, Carignan

ABV: 14%

This wine has a natural affinity with herby lamb dishes, but would be superb with most grilled meats and roasted vegetables.

Very few places are capable of making high quality Pinot Noir. This one is exceptional.

Bitter dark cherry and ripe mulberry on the nose. Juicy red fruit and red plum skin flavours on the palate, super soft tannins. Light and easy drinking, perfect summer red for sipping on the verandah. 

Country: Austria

Region: Ried Windleutehn, Niederosterreich

ABV: 12%

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Food Match: Will match well with just about anything because of soft tannins and fruitiness, even slightly spicy dishes.

Mittelbach Gottfried

Ripe, rich and complex red. Intense ruby-red, with a bouquet reminiscent of cherry, dried fruit, chocolate and prune; the palate is full-bodied, soft and round, with a  toasted spice and lingering finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Puglia

Grapes: Primitivo

ABV: 14.5%

Argentina's famous Malbec, blended with the lesser known Bonarda grape variety, giving this wine a delightful twist of individuality compared to other Malbec wines.

Dark, damson and savoury overtones on the palate with a smoothly rounded finish – a delightful expression of a huge, brambly Malbec

Country: Argentina

Region: Mendoza

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: 60% Malbec 40% Bonarda

Malbec needs no introduction, and has become as closely associated with Argentinian wine as Pepperoni is to Pizza! - well in my mind (and stomach) it is……! Bonarda on the other hand is a lesser known ‘ingredient’ of Argentina’s wines. More often thought of as a grape variety originating in the Piemonte region of Italy, however arguments abound about whether this grape variety in Argentina is actually the same as the Italian one. Who cares, unless you are studying for a doctorate in Ampelography (the study of grape vine identification). All we care about is that it makes delicious wines and when combined with Malbec it offers a uniquely Argentine experience.

Gorgeous, dark garnet colour with a bright ruby edge. Aromas of black cherry, plum and peppery notes with a subtle hint of liquorice. The palate shows dark fruit and sweet spice supported by fine, supple tannins and a fresh finish. 

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

ABV: 14.5%

Neil Ellis Wine

A deep dense blockbuster from 40+ year old vines. 

This Malbec is possibly even juicier, fresher and tastier still!. Bright on the nose with ripe blackberry plum fruit and sweet spice. The palate is silky and warming with more black fruit and cherries. The wine is vibrant with an alluring blend of fruit along with clove, pepper and cinnamon spice finished off with well-structured integrated tannins. A great wine with structure balance and elegance.

Country: Argentina

Region: Mendoza

ABV: 14%

Grapes: Malbec

A superb, modern style Pinotage with an abundance of blackcurrants and plums, and hints of fruit cake and cloves on the nose. Intense concentration on the palate shows sweet fruit and well-integrated oak. The silky-smooth tannins contribute to the wine’s juicy, round and seamless finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: Pinotage

ABV: 14.5%

KWV The Mentors Wine

Food match: Great with braaied red meat and boerewors, but also amazing for just sipping in front of the fireplace on a cold wintery evening.

Deep ruby in colour, this Chilean Merlot encompasses aromas of rich black cherry and plum, displaying further complexity on the palate with hints of cedar and dark chocolate.

Country: Chile 

Region: Central Valley

ABV: 11%

Grapes:  Merlot

A vibrant red wine with aromas of tobacco, 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.

Food match: Moroccan lamb tagine

Saperavi is tipped to be the 'new Malbec' by a few well known wine critics. This ripe, Georgian red is full of red cherry and mulberry aromas and flavours, with layers of vanilla. Wonderful, soft rounded tannins with a long, juicy finish.

Country: Georgia

Region: Kakheti

Grapes: Saperavi

ABV: 13%

Food Matches: Red meat dishes, stews and casseroles, roast lamb or mature hard cheeses.

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

George Margvelashvili is the founder at Tbilvino Wines - where this delicious wine is made. Established 60 years ago, and over this period Tbilvino have become one of Georgia’s pioneering producers. Almost dormant at the end of the Soviet era, the winery was acquired by the Margvelashvili brothers, who set out to restore the facilities, and moved away from quantity to quality production.

A scrumptiously soft, juicy Shiraz simply oozing spicy bramble fruit. Supple and silky on the palate with a bright, red berry finish.

Country : South Africa

Region: Western Cape,  Paarl 

Grape: Shiraz

ABV : 14.50% 

The iconic Aloe Tree image is sure to be familiar to anyone who has travelled widely through the Cape and is an important part of the biodiversity which South Africa is famous for.

The characteristic silhouette provides a backdrop to one of the most spectacular wine regions in the world where wines grow in harmony with the thousands of plant species that make up the Cape Floral Kingdom

This wine represents phenomenally good value for money! Soft, red berry fruit and silky tannins, very moreish.

Country: France

Region: Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 12.5%

Jaffelin Wine

Deliciously rich and fruity with notes of blackberry, plum and black cherry. Malbec grapes come from carefully selected vineyards in Mendoza. Bonarda grapes and stainless steel vinification result in a fruiter and fresher wine. Deep, brooding and dark. Big fruit, big spice, big flavours.

Country: Argentina

Region: Mendoza

Grapes: Malbec and Bonarda

ABV: 13.5%

Luminous red with purple reflections, this elegant and finely textured wine displays aromas of dark fresh plum, cinnamon, exotic spices, black pepper and tobacco. The firm yet gentle tannins add complexity and a long and lingering finish. 

Country: Italy

Region: Puglia

Grape: Nero di Troia

ABV: 13 %

Food matching ideas: This bold red works well with game meat or slow cooked stews.

Intense ruby-red, with a bouquet reminiscent of cherry, dried fruit, chocolate and prune; the palate is full-bodied, soft and round, with a spiciness and lingering finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Veneto

Grapes: Corvina, Merlot

ABV: 14.5%

Food matching ideas: This rich and fruity red works well with meaty pasta dishes such as spaghetti bolognese, beef lasagne or meatballs in a rich tomato sauce.

Classic and classy Californian Zin. 

Smooth and supple with notes of blackberry mingled with gentle spice and soft vanilla. A lovely soft finish. A great wine to partner with charcuterie or cheese platters.

Country: USA

Region: Lodi

ABV: 14%

Grapes: Zinfandel

Complex nose with hints of spice, chocolate and mocha. Good structure with plum and mineral complexity and a lingering finish.

Country: South African wine

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet & Malbec

ABV: 14%

Dense, spiced nose with intense blackberry and blueberry aromatics. The ripe fruit is supported with cocoa and spiced oak notes; intense to the finish.

Grapes: Odesa Black

Country: Ukraine

Region: Odesa

ABV: 13%

Food pairing: Excellent with beef and other red meats, and also grilled vegetables and chicken. Also fabulous with 70% plus dark chocolate after a meal.

Serving temperature: 16-18°C

ABV: 13%

Villa Tinta has been a family estate winery since 1998 when the winery foundation was laid and 500 hectares of family-owned vines were planted. The winery is situated in the Bolgrad district where winemaking was the source of life centuries ago.

A South African Merlot packed full of delicious flavours. 

Fresh and bright with characteristic aromas of cherry and red fruits. Light and juicy on the palate with soft tannins.

Country: South Africa

Region: Western Cape

Grapes:  Merlot

ABV: 13%

The coastal region of South Africa is renowned for its fine and expressive fruit. Produced from only free-­run juice and fermented on skins in stainless steel tanks. The wine is left on the lees for an extended period for greater palate weight and mouthfeel.

This delicious wine has aromas and flavours of jammy red fruits, juicy red cherries, pomegranate juice, summer herbs, and a touch of violet. On the palate it is rich and refreshing.

Country: Italy

Region: Sicily

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Nerello Mascalese

This natural wine is chocca block packed full of bramble fruit notes with raspberry and blackberry dominating the aroma, smooth and juicy with complex notes of blueberry and moderate acidity and smooth tannins on the finish.

Country: Romania

Region: Panciu 

Grapes: Merlot, Pinot Noir 

ABV: 13.5%

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 or Fillet of Beef for a special occasion.

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....

Very intense and incredibly complex, this beautifully crafted wine has an aroma reminiscent of ripe cherry, plum, and blackberry, yet retains a delicate freshness and softness on the palate.

Country: Italy

Region: Puglia

Grapes:  Primitivo 100%

ABV:  13.5%

Food Matching

Hearty and meaty pasta dishes with rich red sauces.