Reds

Dark almost black in colour, with an intense dark berry fruit aroma of blackberries. Powerful, concentrated and full bodied. Structured, but smooth and velvety on the palate, combining well the matured fruit and the oak from 3 months ageing in wood. Moreish, elegant and complex, a long finish.

Country: Portugal

Region: Lisbon

Grapes: Alicante Bouschet

ABV: 14.5%

Food: as an aperitif, with tapas, red meat, risotto, paella, spicy food and dry cheeses.

A deep and generous Pinot Noir showing ripe fruit flavours of raspberries and wild strawberries, balanced with subtle smoky notes and a deliciously lingering finish.

Very pleasurable on its own, this would nevertheless be superb with oriental duck salads, or light middle eastern lamb dishes.

Country: Chile

Region: Central Valley

ABV: 13%

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Vegan, unoaked.

Excellent Bordeaux Blend from Bulgaria. Big and bold in flavour with richness and spice in equal measure but a lovely fine-grained tannic structure with good acidy, keeping it moreish and balanced.

Country: Bulgaria

Region: Bessa Valley

Grapes: 52% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot  plus 8% Cab Sauv

ABV: 14.5%

Food Match: Roast lamb with all the trimmings

Ruby coloured with soft crimson nuances. Intense nose with ripe blackcurrants, plums and cherries. The palate is smooth and harmonious with soft long finish.

Country: Bulgaria

Region: Thracian Valley

Grapes: 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Rubin

ABV: 13%

Food Match: Red meat dishes, charcuterie and hard cheeses.

From the Yamantiev's Winery

Rich, elegant and structured. In addition to the black and red fruit aromas found on the nose there is a complex flavour of baking spice and minerality followed by a silky finish.

Country: France

Region: Languedoc, Terrasses du Larzac

Grapes: Mourvedre (49%); Grenache (18%); Cinsault (15%) Syrah (10%); Carignan (8%)

ABV: 13.5%

Food match: Great with grilled meats and tomato based pasta dishes

Domaine Les Caizergues 

This extraordinary speciality red sparkling wine is based on a cool climate Cabernet-Shiraz blend from vines situated on the Trillians Hills in Clare Valley. It is a deep ruby colour with a lively mousse yet the savoury and plum aromas and subtle tannins give a lasting impression of elegance and well balanced restraint. Can be enjoyed in two ways - a standalone drink with friends or a beautiful accompaniment to a meal.

Country: Australia

Region: Clare Valley

Grapes: Shiraz (86%)
Cabernet Sauvignon (14%)

ABV: 13.%

Food Matches: turkey, veal and duck, pates, barbecued meats and plum pudding. Dark chocolate pudding.

Smooth with a core of red fruit flavours and sweet spices supported by supple tannins giving structure to wine. The finish is long and smooth with the red cherry and raspberry notes lingering on the palate.

Country: Macedonia

Region: North Macedonia

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 12.5%

Food match: Roast chicken with all of the trimmings

Macedonia has a rich winemaking history, with the oldest archeological findings dating back to 13 century b.c. Today, Macedonia has around 24,000 ha of vineyards, the two main varieties grown are Vranec (red) and Smederevka (white).

Bright, textural red from old, unirrigated bush vines in the Coastal region grown on sandy soils over granite bedrock.

Inviting aromas of summer pudding, ripe black cherry, vanilla and even a touch of Framboise. On the palate, more rich black fruits, smoky notes and a suggestion of dark chocolate and star anise. Youthful acidity and ripe balanced tannins give a fresh finish with depth and complexity.

Country: South Africa

Region: Western Cape

Grapes: Shiraz

ABV: 13.5%

Vegan. Naturally fermented in stainless steel tanks, 50% of this blend then undergoes malolactic fermentation in 300 and 600 litre French oak barrels (10% of which are new)

Food Match: Braai (South African BBQ) is the most obvious choice but this is a really versatile wine that works well with most meats, mushrooms dishes or just on its own.

https://www.wildeberg.co.za/

Ruby red velvet with earthy colour notes. Elegant and complex nose with a good concentration of black fruit, thyme and rosemary with secondary aromas of leather and tobacco leaves. Absolutely scrumptious!

Polished and rounded, pleasant and easy to drink. Fleshy with both elegance and power. Touches of black fruit jam and liquorice warm, with a long, delicious and persistent finish.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Grapes: 95% Tempranillo 5% Graciano

ABV:14.5%

Food Match: slow cooked lamb shanks, lamb chops, chorizo and potato stew, or any meat dish.

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%

Deep ruby red in colour with a violet hue. A vibrant nose of plum, cherry, violet, sweet spice and dried herbs. The palate has lots of fresh fruit flavours, including sour cherry and plum with refreshing acidity. The youthful fruit combines with spice and bitter chocolate notes giving a wine of depth and personality with a firm, dry and savoury finish - great served with food, perhaps lightly chilled.

Country: Italy

Region: Langhe, Piemonte

Grapes: Dolcetto

ABV: 12%

Vegan

Food Match: Italian meat based pasta dishes, carpaccio of beef and lightly grilled meats.

The Dolcetto grapes are sourced from Colla's Cascine Drago estate - where the average age of vines is 20 years, planted at around 350m altitude. The grapes are immediately destalked and crushed, and then macerated on the skins for 5-7 days. Malolactic fermentation is completed before winter sets in. The wine stabilises in stainless steel, and then rests for a few months in bottle.

Light, fruity, juicy and ripe red. Full of flavour and vibrant, crunchy red fruit character. Good stuff!

Country: South Africa

Region: Paarl

Grapes: Cinsault

ABV: 13%

Food pairing: pan fried duck breast with a berry sauce or cheese and cured meats with quince jelly.

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

Vibrant notes of ripe black fruits, combine with earthy hints, nut, spice and fine herbal notes that are characteristic of Valle del Maule . Elegant and complex on the palate with supple tannins and a savoury finish.

Country: Chile

Region: Valle del Maule

Grapes: Carmenère

ABV:13.5%

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?!

Bursting with red and blackcurrant fruits, this is a really soft and pure Cabernet with gentle tannins and a hint of green pepper on the finish. Cool herby flavours mingle with red fruits and a nice touch of acidity.

Try with herby roast leg of lamb, char-grilled steak, or stuffed baked red peppers.

Country: Chile

Region: Central Valley

ABV: 13%

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon

Vegan, unoaked

Dark, concentrated black 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

From 35 year old vineyards in Kakehti, this wine is fermented on it's skins for  2 to 3 weeks in Qvevri. Rustavelli was Georgia’s darling poet- famous for poem 'The man in the Panther Skin'.

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

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.

Dark, ruby red colour. Aromas of sweet spice, ripe plum jam and leather on the nose. On the palate: complex and full bodied with velvety tannins on the finish. 

Grapes: Odesa Black

Country: Ukraine

Region: Odesa

Food pairing: Soft cheese and cured meats or grilled pork with potatoes.

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 great example of this uniquely Chilean red grape. Aromatic and floral nose of ripe red berries, juicy strawberries and cherries with subtle notes of earthiness. Medium bodied on the palate, with strawberries, cranberries, and red currants with a hint of sweet spice and minerality. 

Country: Chile

Region: Maule Valley

Grapes: Pais

ABV: 13.5%

Food Match: Versatile and easy drinking - perfect with tapas and savoury snacks

Dark cherry coloured wine. The nose shows fruity aromas, blackberries, cherries and a touch of spice. In the mouth it is fresh, fruity and with a balanced
sweetness.

Country: Spain

Grapes: Monastrell

ABV: 0.%

Food Match: Salads with a light dressing, appetizers, tapas, semi hard cheeses, pastas, mushrooms and charcuterie, roasted white and red meats.

Fermentation takes place over 6-8 days, without exceeding a temperature between 26/28°C. The wine macerates in contact with its skins for a period of 5-10 days. Subsequently, the wine undergoes an innovative dealcoholisation process that allows the
wine's organoleptic properties to be preserved.

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.

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%

6 bottles of organic wine pleasure in a glass - should be a staple in every household!

This is a big and powerful red wine, very dark red in colour. The nose has plenty of dark fruit aromas, plums, black cherries, chocolate, dried fruit and slight herbaceous notes. The palate is full, dense and rich with intense and sweet, ripe fruit. There are more plum and spice flavours on the palate. The finish is has a touch of residual sugar, giving some natural sweetness, and is full, rich and lingering. 

Country: Italy

Region: Puglia

ABV: 13.5%

Grape: 90% Zinfandel, 10% Merlot

This is a young and fresh Rioja  bursting with cherry, redcurrant and brambles and has soft, supple tannins.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja Alavesa

Grapes: Tempranillo

ABV: 14%