Silky Reds

A lovely dark plum red colour, the ripe concentrated fruit aromas have a mineral touch, spice and notes of forest fruit preserve wrapped in tones of butterscotch. Concentrated and buttery, well-balanced with fine tannins and well balanced acidity. A long and expressive finish leaving a clear impression of the mineral character of the terroir.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Grapes: Tempranillo, Graciano, Viura

ABV: 14.5%

Food match: red meat (particularly lamb) and hard cheeses

Rich, concentrated and ripe with aromas of black berries with a hint of tobacco, full-bodied with a wonderfully rich finish of ripe red fruits, vanilla and chocolate. A super Super Tuscan made with 100% Malbec.

Country: Italy

Region: Tuscany

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Malbec

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.

Bracing aromas of red currants, blue berries and violets to start, further opening with time to reveal tones of cassis and wet slate. The palate enters focused and seamless, laced with tensile black and blue fruit tannin and extreme poise and persistence.

Country: Australia

Region: Margaret River, Western Australia

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon

Food Match: Rump steak

An extra degree of alcohol compared to it's younger sibling, and a bit richer too. Complex and ripe with a hint of carefully judged touch of new oak. Mineral soaked, thoroughly delicious and a properly serious red wine.

Country: Italy

Region: Valtellina, Lombardia

Grape: Nebbiolo

ABV: 13.5%

The nose is powerful, concentrated and aromatic. The palate has notes of ripe black fruit, sweet spice and mocha which lengthen over silky tannins.

“Aromas of vanilla, grilled plums, violets and crème de cassis soar from the glass, while the palate is full-bodied, concentrated and chewy and loaded with vibrant purple fruit flavor. The tannins mellow on the lingering finish, making it approachable now but suggesting up to a decade (or more?) of prime-time drinking.”

Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate

Country: France

Region: Languedoc, Terrasses du Larzac

Grapes: Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre

ABV: 14%

Food match: Roast Duck or rich stews

Classic Merlot nose of ripe dark plum and leafy notes, following through on the palate with rich, fleshy fruit, earthy notes and dark spice.

Country: Chile

Region: Wine of Chile

Grapes: Merlot

ABV:14%

Ripe, intense black cherry, this wine has a pleasant juiciness that keeps it balanced in the glass. A firmness of acidity supports the well-integrated tannins and lithe fruit, while the finish brings a hint of cinnamon and vanilla.

Country: Chile

Region: Valle del Limari

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Food Match: Beef Wellington with all of the trimmings

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.

Dark ruby/garnet in colour. Red berries with some mint, cedar and coffee aromas and flavours. A full-bodied, elegant barrel matured red wine with silky, ripe tannins. Recommended drinking up to 20 years from vintage. 

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon 45% Pinotage 31% Shiraz 16% Merlot 7% Mourvèdre 1%

ABV: 14.5%

Food Matches: Enjoy with  yellow fin tuna ravioli, balsamic and pan seared chicken livers, grilled kabeljou (white fish) or slow-roasted lamb shanks.

Selected from prime Helderberg and Simonsberg vineyards in Stellenbosch. The southerly summer sea-breezes that blow over the cool waters of False Bay contribute greatly to the quality of the grapes from these vineyards – especially those in the Helderberg.

Handcrafted. Traditional. Unhurried. These three words epitomise Jeremy Walker’s
winemaking, with one notable omission - Delicious. By ‘Unhurried’, Jeremy is alluding to
the fact that he doesn’t release a wine until he believes it is ready to be enjoyed, which is
evident in the current vintages being 2008, 2009 and 2011!
Jeremy Walker founded Grangehurst in 1992, when he converted his fathers’ squash
court into a makeshift wine production cellar. He used the ‘squash court cellar’ to make
his first 6 vintages, only moving out after the 1998 vintage.
Jeremy was invited to join the prestigious Cape Winemakers Guild in 1996 and was one
of the longest standing members when, in order to let a young winemaker take his
place in the sun, he elected to step down in 2021.

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’).

Deliciously layered aromas of black cherry and raspberry lift out of the glass, followed by exotic spice notes and a dark, rich loamy quality. This wine is like satin in the mouth—so supple. It toes the line between ethereal and ponderous in the most delightful way.

Country: USA

Region: Chehalem Mountains, Oregon

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 13%

Juicy, bitter cherry and ripe blackberry explosion from the Spanish Montsant region which surrounds Priorat. From very old bush vines which gives the wine great concentration and complexity.

“Cabrida 2018 is a beauty. I love it! A seductive red fruited cocktail combined with attractive floral and herby notes, simply put your nose in the glass and smell it! It’s like an essence.

This wine surprises and convinces by its finesse, complexity and elegance.

Here you find the perfect balance of structure and power, pure refined, understatement.  Precise, subtle and defined. First you get ripe tannins, then crisp and lively acidity which lifts up the 100% Garnacha fruit from 85-110 years old vines. There are blockbusters on one side and wines like Cabrida on the other”. Winemaker Jürgen Wagner

Country: Spain

Region: Montsant

Grapes:Garnacha

ABV: 14.5%

Nestled in the rugged hills of the Catalan countryside, in the tiny village bearing its name, is the well-respected Celler de Capçanes. It was this wild Montsant landscape which first captivated Jürgen Wagner back in the early 90s, but the huge potential he recognised in this unique village co-operative that determined what followed. Pouring all his efforts into working with the growers to nurture the best from their vineyards and the most honest expressions of their terroir, Celler de Capçanes has established itself as one of the most engaging wineries in the area.

Earthy, meaty nose with hints of black berry and forest berries. Morello Cherry, juicy, structured, but soft tannins, very long, elegant finish.

Country: Portugal

Region: Lisboa

Grapes: Castelao

ABV: 13.5%

COZs is a partnership between two Portuguese wine grape growers, Tiago Teles (Gilda, RAIZ) and António Marques-da-Cruz (Quinta da Serradinha), that started in 2015, in a 60-year-old vineyard of the Baga variety. In 2017, acquired the historic Vinha da Pena in Serra de Montejunto – a limestone formation from the Jurassic period, located 15 km from the Atlantic Ocean, in the Lisbon region. Pioneers in the introduction of organic agriculture as well as new concepts of pruning and soil fertilization in the Serra de Montejunto, we initiated an important transformation of practices and mentalities in mountain viticulture.

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

Forest fruits such as raspberry and blackcurrant, followed by spice, pepper, wild herbs, and tobacco. An elegant, well-integrated wine, which is complex, harmonious, and persistent.

Drinking window 2023 - 2030

Country: Italy

Region: Tuscany

Grapes: Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Merlot

ABV: 13.5%

Food match: Meat stews, pasta alla ragù and aged cheeses

One of Tuscany’s leading, most historically important estates, Castello di Ama is responsible for some of the regions key innovations and has an extensive reputation for the production of premium quality wine. Located in Gaiole, in the sub region of Chianti Classico, the estate consists of 76 hectares under vine. Today it is run and owned by Lorenza Sebasti, descendant of one of the original four families and Marco Pallanti, one of Italy’s top winemakers. Together they have reinvested in the property, replanting old vineyards and built a state-of-the-art winery.

A fruit-driven full-bodied 3rd Growth wine (blackberry, blackcurrant, cherry and red berried fruit). This is what we call classic Margaux.

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon 61%, Merlot 39%

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Sub region: Margaux Cru Classé

ABV: 13.5%

We've got date night in covered for you! Starting with Champers and finishing with a sticky sweet.

The notes of gentle spice, raspberry and cherry fruit. It offers fresh black cherries, pink musk
sweets and black pepper.

Country: South Africa

Region: Western Cape - Darling / Stellenbosch / Bot River

Grapes: 92% Cinsault, 8% Grenache

ABV: 12%

The nose is quite forward with some big black cherry and milk chocolate notes, you expect the palate to follow and yet it doesn’t. Instead you get super bright, silky raspberry notes with some properly exciting acidity – we’re rocking along at 15.5% abv but you’d never know – the thread which starts here and runs through the entire range is one of unadulterated purity and drinkability.

Country: Spain

Region: Priorat

Grapes: Grenache

ABV: 15.5%

Double the fun with 1.5 litres of this silky red from Bordeaux! Concentrated cassis with a hint of liquorice. Bright and elegant Bordeaux red.

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux, Haut Medoc

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot

ABV: 12.5%

The nose is fragrant and full of ripe black fruit along with hints of cocoa, leather and liquorice. On the palate it is generous and full bodied, smooth yet firm tannin and a very long finish seasoned with sweet spice and toasty oak. This Cabernet expresses the distinct regional profile of Margaret River. 

Country: Australia

Region: Margaret River, Western Australia

ABV: 13.5%

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon

Food Match: Rump steak

Wonderfully rich and full bodied with hints of vanilla, tobacco leaf and cigar box. Very special to drink Georgian wine with some age.

Country: Georgia

Region: Mukhrani

Grapes: Saperavi

ABV: 12.5%

Food matches: red meat or game grilled or in rich stews go very well with this wine.

Located between the Trialeti Mountains and the Caucasus, the beautiful Château Mukhrani is just 35km from Georgia's capital, Tbilisi. Definitely worth a visit if you are travelling to this historic winemaking country.

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

Gorgeous, silky red made from native Portuguese grapes. Leathery, leafy nose, bramble berry fruit, with a long, rich finish.

Country: Portugal

Region: Setubal

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Castelao and Touriga Nacional

ABV: 12%

Fertilize with seaweed

Fermented in large clay tanks

Bright ruby red in colour. The nose is brimming with cranberry and raspberry fruit character, along with hints of game meat and smokiness. On the palate it is balanced, elegant and savoury with a mineral finish. 

Country: Australia

Region: Tarrawarra, Yarra Valley

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 13.5%

Food Match: Perfect with roast duck