Wines for Lamb

This is a big and powerful red wine, 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 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: 14%

Grape: 90% Primitivo, 10% Merlot

Food matching ideas: The bold and jammy characteristics of this wine match well with rich meat dishes such as grilled lamb or beef casseroles. Tomato based pasta dishes also work very well.

A deliciously rich yet supple red that's perfect to enjoy with light snacks or along side hearty, rustic Italian cuisine.

Intense ruby-red colour with a complex bouquet reminiscent of prunes, cherries and redcurrants.  The oak ageing adds a pleasant roasted and spicy aroma. On the palate it is full-bodied, supple and well-balanced with a long finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Veneto

ABV: 13%

Grapes:  70% Corvina, 20% Rhondinella, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Food Match: Great with Antipasto like cured meats and olives, but equally as good with hearty bean and beef stews.

A modern style Rioja Joven with juicy fruit driven characters of black cherry and raspberry combined with subtle sweet vanilla spice. Medium – bodied with a creamy smoothness leading into a fresh finish.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Grapes: Tempranillo

ABV: 13%

A classic Rioja Reserva with beautifully intertwined fruit and oak flavours.

Beautiful blackberry notes with spices, smoky and subtle nuances of vanilla, toffee and tobacco. An excellently balanced wine which offers layers of red berry fruits on the palate, laced with vanilla and hints of mocha.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Grapes: Tempranillo 80%, Garnacha 15%, Graciano 5%

 ABV: 13.5% 

The original home of Malbec - Cahors in France. Argentina is the young upstart trying to take this regions crown! 

Intense berry fruit with plum, blackberry and lots of spice. Vanilla and soft oak as well as violets and a potpourri character add complexity, which is balanced by gentle tannins.

Country: France

Region: Cahors

ABV: 14%

Grapes: 85% Malbec, 15% Merlot

Food Match: Roast Spring lamb with rich red wine gravy

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%

From the true masters of Cape Cabernet - the benchmark Stellenbosch Cab. 2015 was the winner of platter 5* best Cabernet Sauvignon in South Africa.

This is the only red wine produced by Le Riche that is not 100% Cabernet. This is an exceptionally lovely, classically Bordelaise blend. Restrained but appealing on the nose with typical red fruit aromas of plum, cherries and milled pepper are balanced by an aroma of finely ground graphite found in Left Bank Bordeaux. The palate is a masterpiece of blending - hugely appealing with juicy mouth-filling flavours of red berries, plums and smoky hints balanced with a fine, soft tannic structure and rounded finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

ABV: 14.5%

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon 65% , Cinsault 25% , Cabernet Franc 10%

Vegan. Secondary fermentation proceeded in concrete tanks after which the wines were moved to French oak barrels (older225L oak for 12 months), the components are then blended and further matured in 225L barrels, 5000L oak foudres and concrete tanks for a further 8 months Blended after a year of ageing and matured for a further 8 months before bottling unfined with a light filtration

Le Riche Wine

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.

Superb blend of Chenin , white Grenache and Viognier. All three are fermented separately in old oak, amphora and clay vats. This as well as some skin contact gives lovely texture and body to the wine. Slightly saline finish. A Cellar Door team favourite.

Country: South Africa

Region: Wellington

Grapes: Chenin Blanc 79%,
Grenache Blanc 13%,
Viognier 8%

ABV: 13.5%

Blankbottle Wine

Food Match: Poultry or fish dishes with rich, creamy sauce such as mushroom.

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%

Velvety smooth, rich, concentrated and supple. Flavours of cassis, bramble and black cherry with a sheen of vanilla from the oak ageing.

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux, Margaux

ABV:13.5%

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot

Serve 12 to 14 degrees C

Food Match: Red meat dishes such as beef Wellington or roast lamb.

Medium to full bodied with a dark ruby colour and aromas of black cherries and berries, sweet spices and vanilla. The finish is soft and long with hints of black pepper and tobacco.

Country: Bulgaria

Region: Struma Valley

Grapes: Melnik 55

ABV: 14%

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

Wonderfully approachable white Burgundy with lovely tropical, marzipan notes.

Country: France

Region: Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 13.5%]

Jafellin Wine

An intense ruby red wine. Very fresh and full bodied, lovely finish. Perfect with game or aged cheeses.

Country: Italy

Region: Veneto

Grapes: Cabernet Franc

ABV: 12.5%

Aromatic, medium to full bodied and powerful, with good extraction of the sweet flavours of black ripe fruits. Elegant with good texture and firm tannins, giving wine great ageing potential. A touch of mint, with lavender notes. Firm, well balanced oak and long finish with fresh, spicy, integrated mouthfeel.

Country: South Africa

Region: Wellington

ABV: 14%

Grape: Shiraz

Andreas Wine

Andreas only produce this wine - and they are good at it. The wine is aged for 18 months in French and American oak and bottle matured for another year. Winemaker Shaun Meyeridricks' first first vintage was in 2018, since joining Andreas from Boekenhoutskloof where he was previously making exemplary Shiraz.

Cinsault (50%), Grenache (35%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%). Bright ruby colour with red fruit, plum, sloe berry and cherries on the aromas and flavours.

Country: Lebanon

Region: Bekaa Valley

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault,  Grenache

ABV: 13.5%

Aroma begins with a concise array of fragrances that encapsulate the essence of the Japanese term Akemi. Showcasing an elegant profile adorned with delightful floral accents. A velvety smooth texture, and lingering mineral nuances that gracefully persist through its extended and delicate finish.

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Grape: Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Graciano

ABV: 14%

This Rioja winery, Ontañón, has called the wine "Kaori" (meaning "aroma" in Japanese) and is known for its Viura and Tempranillo blends, which are well-suited to Japanese cuisine, especially sushi and sashimi.

A beautiful fresh nose of medium intensity with aromas of nectarine, lime, acacia and apricot. This is complemented by toasted bread notes & delicate creaminess on the palate.

Country: France

Region: Champagne

Grapes: Pinot Meunier 85% , Pinot Noir 15%

ABV: 12.5%

Food pairing: canapés, mushroom based starters, cheese and all manner of poultry dishes. Although, simply sipping it as an aperitif works very well too.

Fresh and complex with notes of white peach, almonds and a hint ripe papaya. Expressive on the palate with a lingering finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: Chardonnay, Chenin, and Viognier 

ABV: 13.5%

Food Match: Seafood Paella

Supple and sumptuous, ripe and ridiculously moreish. It's ready to drink Barolo baby!

Awesome aromas of orange skin, ripe plums, and tobacco leaves. Vibrant tannin and acidity. Lovely!

Country: Italy

Region: Piemonte

14% ABV

Grape: Nebbiolo

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

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, 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.