Reds

With the colour of arterial blood, the nose reveals wild berries, rhubarb and custard. The palate is dense, concentrated and brooding opening to a rich mid-palate with cherry-stone fruit and bitter plum and a long finish with a gentle brick-like texture.

Country: Australia

Region: Adelaide Hills

Grape: Barbera

ABV: 14.5%

Food Match: Gamey meats or delicious on its own.

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 Bourginon 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.

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.

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

Our Pinot Noir comes from a small Hacienda in The Andes where the 40-60 years old vines enjoy stony soils, glacial streams and pure mountain air. Grapes are harvested during the coolest part of the day to ensure they reach the winery in prime condition. Temperatures are kept fairly low throughout the wine making process, to allow the grapes to express their natural fruit characters. No oak is used.

Great alternative dessert wine. Raspberry, strawberry and bitter cherry aromas and flavours with 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.

Country: Italy

Region: Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna

Grapes: Barbera and Bonarda

ABV: 12.5%

We love this wine! You can't miss this bottle on the shelf with its distinct tactile, voluptuous shape.  This wine is produced only in the best vintages. A deep pomegranate red; delicate floral and black cherry fruit aromas. Warm, plum and tamarind. Full bodied but soft with silky tannins and a long smooth finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Piedmont

Grapes: Nebbiolo

ABV: 13.5%

Travaglini Tre Vigne is the result of extensive research of the best characteristics of soil, and the blend of three historical vineyards. The Nebbiolo grapes from these vineyards are harvested during the first half of October. The grapes are gently crushed and are macerated for around 15 days in stainless steel. Maturation takes place over a 40 month period; 30 months of which 80% in Slovenian Oak and 20% aged separately for 10 months in French Barrique. The rest of the aging is in bottle before release.

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

Remember what a great warm summer 2022 was in England? Well, the lovely sunshine helped to perfectly ripen Bolney's Pinot Noir crop and the result is just wonderful. A red wine vintage for us to be proud of for sure, this Pinot shows ripe strawberry and crushed raspberry characters and has a long and pure finish.

Country: England

Region: Sussex with grapes from Essex too

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 11.5%

A unique version of a Cote-Rotie blending Shiraz and a small percentage of Chenin.
Floral, with crunchy, fresh red and black fruits on the nose with a rich, but elegant palate of cocoa, blackberries and sweet spice.

Country: South Africa

Region: Voor Paardeberg

Grapes: Shiraz and Chenin Blanc

ABV: 14%

Predominantly Tempranillo, with a dash of Garnacha, aged for 12 months in French and American oak, with velvety cherry, spice, plum and rounded tannins.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Grapes: Tempranillo, Garnacha

ABV: 14%

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.

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

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet, Petit Verdot & Malbec

ABV: 14.5%

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

Fresh red fruits, with a floral note immediately jumps out from the nose. Dark ripe raspberries, spices, lavender, hints of oak and cassis emerge after the initial blast of fruit. Beautifully balanced with nice acidity and ripe tannins.

Country: USA

Region: Oregon

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 13.5%

The Loron Family have been producing great wines from Beaujolais since 1711 and have a peerless reputation! 

Country: France

Region: Beaujolais

Grapes: Gamay

ABV: 13%

No added sulphites

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

A very classy Nebbiolo from Alba with an affordable price tag.

Delicious lifted aromatics of liquorice, redcurrant and ripe red fruit on the nose, mingling with sour cherry, blossom and notes of leather on the palate. A richly flavoured and multi-layered wine combining vibrant acidity, perfectly poised tannins and rich spicy fruit. 

Country: Italy

Region: Piemonte

ABV: 14% 

Grape: Nebbiolo

Food Match: Serve with grilled steak and red meat, or alternatively robust pasta dishes with wild boar or rabbit ragu

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.

Bright purple edge with an intensely dark core. Cherry tobacco and Christmas spice of cloves and cinnamon abound. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine delivers flavours of sour cherry, cocoa, Cedar wood and fresh plums.

Country: South Africa

Region:  Tygerberg 

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Pinotage

Food Match:

Traditional South African fare such as braaivleis (BBQ), wildspotjie (game stew), Cape Malay bobotie (an oven-baked dish of spiced mince and dried apricots topped with an egg-custard), biltong (beef jerky) and samp with beans will be a true delight to enjoy with Pinotage. Non-conformists can try Pinotage with sushi, especially sashimi with pickled ginger and soy sauce to complement the spicy and umami flavours of the wine.

Pinotage in general has an excellent maturation potential of approximately 10 years and the Amandelboord will benefit with bottle aging, ensuring the flavours fully develop and tannins soften and integrate over time.

Ripe red cherries, blue berries, bramble, pencil shavings, tobacco, spice and cedar on the nose and palate. Complex and rich, will age nicely for at least another 5 years. If drinking now, do decant.

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux, Medoc

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot

ABV: 13.5%

Made from 100% Agiorgitiko, a native variety to the Peloponnese. The colour is a bright, deep crimson, and the nose full of aromas of blackberries and ripe strawberries with just a touch of anise and black pepper. The smooth texture is accompanied by ripe, soft tannin and fresh acidity to give structure and elegance. Over a year spent in oak leaves you with notes of sweet vanilla and spices such as clove and cinnamon to accompany the long-lasting and powerful red fruits.

Country: Greece

Region: Peloponnese

ABV: 14%

Grapes: Agiorgitiko

Food match: Pairs well with a range of grilled meats such as chicken souvlaki or fine cuts of lamb.

The Lantides Estate is situated in the Ancient site of Nemea, in the heart of the
Peloponnese, north of Argos and just west of Corinth on the coast of the Aegean. Panikos and his son Simon run 25 hectares of vineyards which are situated around the mountainous valley of Skoteini in altitude between 500 - 650 meters above sea level. This family business was started in 1993 by Panikos Landidis, who had previously studied in Montpellier and Bordeaux in oenology. Today this knowledge is used to make quality wines using local varieties that are native to Greece.

The Peloponnese Peninsula is a large landform on the southern edge of
continental Greece. Covered in mountains, rugged plateaus and valleys, the
area has an abundance of mesoclimates and terroirs suitable for premium
viticulture. Native grape varieties such as Agiorgitiko, Moschofilero and
Mavrodaphne are planted throughout the peninsula. The modern Peloponnese
wine industry began to grow following the end of World War II, and today the
region is one of the most viticulturally productive in Greece.

Light with strawberry and cherry fruit aromas and flavours. Great juicy acidity, subtle savoury notes and a silky tannin structure ending in a lovely, smooth finish.

Country: Australia

Region: Limestone Coast, South Australia

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 14%

A complex bouquet of crushed rose petals, wild jasmine and fresh French herbs. The palate shows beautiful purity with layered red fruits, cranberry, raspberry, silky tannins and a long, savoury finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Walker Bay and Elgin, Western Cape

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 13.5%

70% of the grapes came from Stanford, Walker Bay and 30% from Elgin, both in the cool climate region Cape South Coast. The vines are all Burgundian, clone 115. The Stanford vineyard is close to the southernmost tip of Africa and is located in one of South Africa’s coolest wine producing regions. The maritime vineyard enjoys a long ripening season, because of the strong cooling winds that are prevalent in the summer. This microclimate is ideal for creating a long hang time, concentrating the flavours in the berries, while retaining natural acidity levels. Elgin is situated at 400
metres above sea level and ripens even later then the coastal vineyard. The vines
here, planted in shale and clay soils, produce fleshier fruit, adding weight to the final
blend.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Grapes: Tempranillo 95% Mazuelo 5%

ABV: 13.5%

On the border between Rioja and Navarra, Victor Manzanos carries on the work of the four generations before him.

With over 250ha of owned vineyards at his disposal, including some of the oldest vines in Rioja, Bodegas Manzanos is fortunately placed to put both the sub-region of Rioja Oriental and the name Manzanos firmly on the map as one of the most important areas and producers in Rioja. This range of wines is a modern take on the traditional landscape of Rioja, championing the native grape varieties, Tempranillo, Viura and Garnacha. The team is the youngest in the region, a talented a group of people with the sole purpose of making wines that people will enjoy.

A long maceration of 28 days at a controlled temperature and 24 months ageing in American and French oak casks, half and half, followed by a further twelve months rounding off in the bottle. This has all gone to produce a wine with great body and extract.