Superstars

From the true masters of Cape Cabernet - the benchmark Stellenbosch Cab. 

Red rocks and warm sand. The palate is initially firm but relents to a wine of great purity and subtlety with notes of tomato, cocoa powder, hazelnut chocolate and star anise. Overall, a heady concoction somehow assembled into a seamless red of phenomenal quality.

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

ABV: 14.5%

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon

Le Riche Wine

The backbone of the range, it’s a phenomenal expression of Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon when it’s allowed a maritime influence, and it is this that sets it apart and marks it as truly Bordelaise. With carefully selected fruit from the cool gravelly slopes facing False Bay to the rich red granitic soils around Stellenbosch, the wine gains its complexity by expertly blending fruit from 4 specifically diverse terroirs. 

A very special limited parcel wine from talented young South African winemaker Izele Van Blerk. Drinking window 2023 - 2028. Only 1300 bottles made!

The wine spent 36 months in 2nd and 3rd fill 500L French oak barrels and 24 months in bottle before release. The grapes are from 136 very old vines!

This full-bodied wine explodes with aromas of rose petals, red cherries and raspberries with hints of lavender. The palate is focused with an undertone of cloves, dried fruit and
leather. The grippy tannin structure and zippy acidity is well integrated and delivers an intense, lasting finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: Nebbiolo

ABV: 14.5%

Food match: Beef Tenderloin,
braised duck, wild mushrooms and aged Gouda.

A wonderfully complex and textured barrel fermented white Douro with a long, fresh and minerally finish. Made from four different indigenous grape varieties from very high altitude vineyards.

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro Valley

Grapes: 46% Rabigato, 29% Viosinho, 24% Gouveio,1% Fernão Pires

ABV: 12.5%

Food Matches: Great with seafood or fleshy pan fried white fish dishes.

Jamie Goode in Wine Anorak: 12.5% alcohol. A blend of local white varieties from Pedra Alta’s highest plots. Complex and nicely restrained with taut lemony fruit and some notes of pear and white peach. Lively and precise with good acidity and nice purity, this has the potential to develop with time, and it’s almost Burgundian in style. 94/100 

A very convincing, fresh, expressive bouquet with pure brambly, briary black fruit and freshly tilled earth. The palate is medium- bodied to full with crisp black cherry and blueberry fruit. The tannins are fine and edgy, while the finish is beautifully composed and contains Margaux- like femininity. This is extremely well-crafted Cabernet Franc, with a surfeit of personality.

 Country: Chile

Region: Maipo Valley

Grapes: Cabernet Franc

ABV: 14.5%

Canadian ex-ski coach, Derek Mossmann Knapp, is the enfant terrible of the Chilean wine scene. He set up Garage Wine Co. with his wife Pilar Miranda and Dr. Alvaro Pena in 2001 with the intention of being the polar opposite to the big, established companies that dominate the Chilean market.

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%

One of the most unique and long-lived white wines in the world. A blend of indigenous grapes Obaideh and Merwah, with a deep golden colour and honeyed aromas, full of tropical fruits; pineapple, banana with warm, toasty creamy notes. Pale golden colour with aromas of pear, lemon zest and apple and vanilla on the nose. Hints  of lemon, orange with good body, concentration and mouthfeel , tangy acidity with ripe fruit. 

Country: Lebanon

Region: Bekaa Valley

Grapes: Obaideh and Merwah

ABV:12%

The very scarce 2015 vintage is clean and pure with a lovely vibrant energy. It is a stunning example of the indigenous Merwah grape with its origins in the mountains of Lebanon – it is a rare light skinned grape variety, closely related to Semillon in Bordeaux and gives wines of great ageing potential and elegance.

A Rhône Valley style shows wonderful black fruit perfumes of super-ripe black-cherry with background hints of pretty white-flower jasmine. Fine French oak contributes with gentle vanilla and cinnamon spice. The palate is plush and velvety – the shiraz 95% shows as blackcurrant with dark berry richness and cassis adding a dense yet satiny gloss. Viognier 5% is about opulence with luxuriant polished softness with extra elements of flower and spice. Co-fermenting has gifted an extra degree of lift and length to the palate, combining the flavours for a great young drinking style.

Country: Australia

Region: Hunter Valley, NSW

Grapes: 95% Shiraz and 5% Viognier

ABV: 14.5%

Food Match: Chinese spare ribs, beef stir fry or barbecued fish.

These thoughtful, hand-crafted wines hail from the Hunter Valley with a nod in part to the great Rhône Valley wines of Hermitage and Cote Rôtie. For those who may have tasted any legendary Hunter Shiraz wines of the 40s, 50s and 60s, tasting many of the modern Hunter wines can be a depressing experience but Keith Tulloch is very different, adding to that great legacy with a series of wines that uniquely capture the exotic spice and hedonistic pleasure of dense and rich Shiraz fruit. These are sensuous, subtle wines with the velvety texture of fine burgundy.

Cerasuolo di Vittoria is lifted and floral pure aromas of sweet violets, black cherries and hints of wet stone. It impresses further with silky textures that envelop the palate in bright red and blue fruits, along with a refreshing wave of juicy acidity. Hints of spiced orange and inner florals linger long through the lightly structured finale. This is an equal-parts blend of Nero d'Avola and Frappato that is aimed at immediate satisfaction, but in a nicely balanced style.

Country: Italy

Region: Sicily

Grapes: Frappato di Vittoria: 50%
Nero D’Avola : 50%

ABV: 13.5%

Food match: Tuna Steak

A delicious, concentrated blend of berries and plums,  subtle liquorice aromas a flavours with a hint of cherry tobacco aromas followed by lively and finely structured tannin.

On a picturesque hillside overlooking a dam, where Golden Delicious and Granny Smith
Orchards once stood, 12 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Malbec and Pinot Noir can now be found.

Paul Wallace, who has worked as a viticultural consultant to many of South Africa’s top
estates, finally had his dream come true in 2003 - he purchased his family farm in Elgin
and, alongside his wife Nicky, put his life’s work to the test. Based on his belief that Elgin
would become one of South Africa’s premium cool climate regions, he threw caution
to the wind and pulled out groves of apple and pear trees, replacing them with vines.
As always, his advice proved sage, and Paul Wallace is now producing some incredibly
exciting wines that show exceptional finesse and clarity.

Country: South Africa

Region: Elgin

Grapes: Malbec

ABV: 14%

From the Elgin region, South Africa's coolest and best areas for white wine making. 

Stylish and Burgundian with lime and lemon undertones. Bright citrus, oyster shell minerality, and a hint of almonds and biscuit brioche on the finish. Beautiful floral notes and bright fresh acidity persist. 

Country: South Africa

Region: Elgin

ABV: 13%

Grapes: Chardonnay

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.

Silky and elegant Rhone red. Drinking beautifully now.

Country: France

Region: Rhone Valley

Grapes: Syrah

ABV: 14% 

Gorgeous, ripe white peach and lime with subtle toasted hazelnut characters. The palate is rich, textural and layered with a long, mineral finish. 

Country: Australia

Region: Tasmania

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 13.5%

Scrumptious, complex white wine. Distinct aromas of ripe pineapple, passionfruit and a hint of toasted sesame. In the mouth, it is full-bodied, yet fresh and zesty.  This wine will evolve nicely over a few years, although it's so delicious now, it will be hard to resist drinking immediately.

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Grapes: Sauvignon, Semillon

ABV: 13.5%

We love this wine made from ancient vines grown eroded volcanic soils on the island of Tenerife. Meaty and ripe, yet elegant, with rustic notes of biltong, green capsicum, green leaves, white pepper and juicy red wild berries and a long finish.

Country: Spain

Region: Tenerife

Grapes: Listán Negro

ABV: 13.5%

Food Match: Game, roast, stewed and braised meat, aged cheese

Practicing organic, but not certified.

Concentrated aromas of red berries, sweet liquorice, red berries, tobacco, forest floor 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

Blue and black fruits, with meaty, spice notes and smoky oak complexity. Intense, savoury wine, with a dense ferrous palate, and sustained finish. Drink now or keep for up to 20 years.

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro Valley

Grapes: Touriga Franca (99%)
Tinta Roriz (1%)

ABV: 14.5%

Quinta da Pedra Alta 'Rio' Tinto is an intense, savoury Douro red, made from parcels from the Quinta's lowest elevations close to the river (Rio).

Made only from a selection of the best grapes from organic vineyards. A rich and complex Rioja with a true sense of place; a serious and sophisticated wine that ages fantastically.

Country: Spain 

Region: Rioja Alavesa

Grapes: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Maturana, Graciano andMerlot

ABV: 14%

Rich, citrus, lime and almond nose. The ripe and fleshy palate. Creamy mouthfeel with the lime acidity and a super-long, elegant finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 13.5%

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.

Gorgeous, natural, silky red made from native Portuguese grapes, the nose could be mistaken for Pinot Noir with it's elegant floral perfumed notes with hints of herbs and ripe crushed strawberry.

Country: Portugal

Region: Bairrada

Grapes: Baga

ABV: 12%

A stunning, elegant red from the volcanic Canary Island of Tenerife. Made from a field blend of red and white indigenous grape varieties, some from very ancient vines up to 150 years old. This complex red has aromas and flavours of wild berries, tomato leaves, black olive, white pepper and has a very long, silky finish. If you love Nebbiolo from the Coste della Sessia or Valetellina, this is the wine for you.

Country: Spain

Region: Valle del Orotova, Tenerife

Grapes: Listán Negro, Bijariego Negro, Castellana, Listan Blanco, Abillo Criollo

ABV: 12.5%

Food Match: Game, roast, stewed and braised meat, aged cheese. Perfect with Christmas Turkey too!

The long maceration brings balance to the natural intensity of Loureiro grape, amplifying it's salty profile.

Country: Portugal

Region: Minho

Grapes: Loureiro

ABV: 12.5%

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%

One of the most delicious wines in the shop! Bold aromas of white peach and lemon zest with subtle spice and honeycomb notes. Absolutely wonderful.

Country: Germany

Region: Baden

Grapes: Pinot Gris

ABV: 13%

The perfect match with Turkish chicken shish, taboulet and warm crushed potatoes with spring onions.

Located between the Rhine River and the Black Forest, Burkheim produces lush and mineralic wines that are ideal companions to a wide range of modern cuisine. Bercher
produces Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris). All the wines go through extended lees-aging and have a wonderful aging potential.

Tim Atkin South Africa Special Report 2020
“Made by Gottfried Mocke of Boekenhoutskloof, but sold under its own label, this
stylish Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Chardonnay is made with fruit that used to go into
Sumaridge. Marrying barrel- and concrete-fermented and aged portions, it has
jasmine and hawthorn aromas, pear and citrus fruit and very subtle wood spices.
2020-25” – 93 Points

Country: South Africa

Region: Hemel en Aarde Ridge

Grapes: 100% Chardonnay

ABV: 13.8%

Platter’s South African Wine Guide 2021
“Spontaneously fermented, like sibling, 60% in new oak, rest concrete’eggs’ (vs
Pinot‘s 100% concrete vats). All-wholebunch 2018 is elegant, with pristine orchard
& stonefruit, hint of apple blossom, creamy vanilla. Dry, with, a grapefruit pith finish.
Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge WO.”
– 4.5 Stars & 94 Points