Wines for Lamb

The 2018 vintage has a deep garnet colour in the glass with dried cherries and mature red fruits on the nose. The palate is rich and concentrated with cranberries, raisins, and dates; there is good acidity with fine tannins. It has an enticing smoky, dusty fruit with soft liquorice undertones and at 6 years of age upon release, it is already developed and mature.

Country: Lebanon

Region: Bekaa Valley

Grapes: An equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan

ABV: 14%

Powerful, rich and full bodied with aromas and flavours of blackberries, baked plum and sweet spice. Concentrated, long finish. 

Country: Spain

Region: Castilla a Mancha, Jumilla

ABV: 14.5%

Grapes: Monastrell

Food Match: Barbequed lamb with rosemary

The Gil family have been major wine producers in Jumilla since the early 20th Century. Bodegas Juan Gil is dedicated to producing powerful, yet approachable and modern wines, mainly based on Monastrell (aka Mourvedre) which is grown on about 80% of the vineyard.

The winery has invested heavily in its Organic and Sustainability programmes in recent years.

Ruby red in colour with flecks of garnet. Aromas of sweet spice: cinnamon, black pepper and cloves, supported by a ripe red fruit, black cherry and plum fruit. Complex, concentrated, yet elegant tannins, with a fresh minerality.  

Country: Bulgaria

Region: Struma Valley

Grapes: Early Melnik

ABV: 14%

Food Match: Roasts, game, saddle of venison, intense mature cheeses. 

Inky, dark purple in colour. The nose is pure and concentrated with aromas ripe dark fruit, violets and blackberry. Very well balanced palate with fresh acidity, ripe and supple tannin,  dark stone fruits, juicy yet concentrated with a very long finish. This wine will age well for 5-10 years if you can keep it that long!

Country: Argentina

Region: Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza 

Vegan/Vegetarian

Grapes:   Malbec

ABV: 13.5% 

Patricio Pereyra Pato is the owner and visionary of Bodegas Don Rosendo, Lujan de Cuyo A small estate with organic vineyards in some of the best sub-regions of Mendoza (including La Consulta and Agrelo) and with the superb Gabriela Zavala leading the winemaking, the quality is astonishingly high.

An elegant Grenache from the Piekenierskloof hills showing aromas of raspberry,plumb, white pepper and red berries. The restrained use of oak holds the juicy ripe fruit flavours and powdery tannins together in a gentle and sumptuous glass of wine

Country: South Africa

Region: Piekenierskloof

Grapes: Grenache

ABV: 13.5%

Liquid golden honey in a tiny bottle - a very special, hard to make wine.

Country: Bulgaria

Region: Black Sea Coast

Grapes: Riesling

ABV: 13%

Garnet red in colour. Perfumed notes of sweet spices, undergrowth, game, dried fruit and leather.
Country: Italy

Region: Piedmont

13.5% ABV

Grape: Nebbiolo

Food match: game, red meats, cheeses and cured meats

Service temperature: 18 ° 

This wine has the ability to evolve over 15 + years

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.

Dark, concentrated blackberry and cassis 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

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

Pretty strawberry nose with elegance! Silky and smooth, perfectly balanced Pinot. Very Burgundian in style.

Country: Australia

Region: South Australia

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 13.5%

Rich, and robust with plenty of grip and some nicely mature, savoury, spicy notes on the long finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Piedmonte

Grapes: Nebbiolo

ABV: 13.5%

Perfect with any dish that contains even a hint of truffle, great with braised red meat and porcini. Perfect with Spring Lamb too.

One of two releases of Kortpad Kaaptoe in 2021! One of Pieter's most unusual cuvees, so-named for the Kortpad Kaaptoe, or cut through road close to the vineyard that Pieter took when having to rush back to Cape Town one day. With its bling ACDC style label, this wine is as stand out as its label. Ripe pineapple, tangerine, stem ginger and spice with a pithy, lightly grippy palate and slivers of bitter sweet orange peel, apricot and long stoney finish. Great acidity keeps it all in check. Great example of skin contact wine!

Country: South Africa

Region: Swartland

Grapes: Fernao-Pires

ABV: 13.5%

Food Match: Drink with coronation chicken (trust us), tandoori dishes or a Persian feast of spiced lamb, stuffed aubergine and jewelled tahdig.

Winemakers don't come much more creatively brilliant than the genius that is Pieter Walser. He's the sort of man that's had more fantastic ideas before breakfast than we manage in a whole week and that talent shines through in his wines. Each comes with a story often as captivating as they are mystifying so we've asked him to record a few to give you an insight into the magic behind the vino!

A very lovely expression of Carignan showing hints of spice and smokiness.  Notes of saline water, cassis and bitter cherry with layers of complex minerality. The palate is fresh, and elegant but intense with characters of black plum, dried cranberry notes and a long structured finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Wellington

ABV: 14.5%

Grape: Carignan

Food Match: Rack of roast lamb with all the trimmings

Offering great enjoyment in its youth, especially once decanted for a couple of hours, but BOREAS has a long future ahead and will develop in complexity over the next 10-15+ years.

Complex aromas of redcurrant, plum and red cherry with cedar  and spice notes with a hint of pencil shaving. The predominance of Cabernet Franc gives a wine an elegance with lifted berry fruit and a supple, finely structured mid palate. Firm yet fine tannins frame the spicy, long finish.

Country : South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grape: Cabernet Franc 51%, Merlot 25%, Petit Verdot 14%

ABV: 14%

Food Match: Beef short rib, roast lamb or t-bone steak

Waterkloof Wine

'A serious, refined and age worthy Cabernet Franc-based South African red that is excellent value' - Jancis Robinson Feb 2024

Special Limited parcel wine from talented young South African winemaker Izele Van Blerk. Drinking window 2024- 2035. Only 1000 bottles made!

Full-bodied, masculine and explosive with aromas of strawberries, red cherries and raspberries with hints of tobacco. The palate is focussed and precise with undertones of cloves, dried fig and leather. The grippy tannin structure and zippy acidity is well integrated and delivers an intense, bold, concentrated and long finish. 

Country: South Africa

Region: Wellington

Grapes: Tempranillo

ABV: 14.5%

Food Match: Enjoy on its own or with rack of lamb, barbecue grilled-meats.

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%

Notes of plums, dark chocolate and raspberries. Yum!

Country: South Africa

Region: Paarl

Grapes: Merlot

ABV: 14.5%

 https://backsberg.co.za/

This Barolo is delightfully fresh and elegant. Along with its full and deep bodied centre it shows notes of  violets, menthol, warm spices like cardamom and dried fruits all rounded off with fine tannins and minerality that leave you wanting another glass.

Country: Italy

Region: Barolo, Piedmonte

14% ABV

Grape: Nebbiolo

Food match: cheeses, cured meats, stewed and grilled meats

This wine has the ability to evolve over 15 + years

A fresh and aromatic nose with red and black fruit (blackberries, cherries) and some vanilla notes. A fine tannic structure, elegant, yet bold and concentrated with a long and silky finish.

Country: Spain

Region: Aranda and Ribera Burgalesa, Ribera del Duero

Grapes: Tempranillo 88%, Garnacha 10%, Abillo Mayor 2%

ABV: 14.5%

Food Match: Slow roast leg of lamb with roast potatoes and Mediterranean vegetables. 

The nose is delicate, restrained and elegant with its grapefruit, greengage, chamomile and apple blossom aromas and whiffs of exotic spice. The floral character of the nose follows through onto a richly textured mid-palate, showing yellow peach, poached pear and nectarine against a backdrop of fresh mandarin and green fig flavours with integrated acidity and a full body. The ripe stone fruit character adds to the complexity on the palate and the spicy finish with hints of fenugreek, black cardamom and Cape fynbos complements a very balanced wine.

Country: South Africa

Region: Franschhoek Valley

Grapes: Semillon (97%), Muscat d'Alexandrie (3%)

ABV: 13.5%

Great with Cape Malay dishes such as beef baboti - a well-known South African dish consisting of spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping.

Tim Atkin MW
96 points. Boekenhoutskloof's world-class Semillon uses grapes from three distinct blocks in Franschhoek, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942, combining these with 3% Muscat d'Alexandrie. Showing more acidity and restraint than the stunning 2020, and less of the struck match character, it has notes of lemongrass, custard and beeswax and a core of chiselled acidity. Drinking 2024-32

Wow - This is beautiful, and a masterclass in balance. Rich stone fruit, apples, pears, and quince. Hints of spice, orange zest apple strudel, and a great backbone of acidity make this a very delicious wine indeed. Rabourcé is one of the warmest sites in Rully and lends itself very well to creating fruit forward wines with spice and texture. This wine was not produced in 2021 - so a good vintage to stock up and keep!

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Grapes:  Chardonnay

Food Match: Salmon En Croûte

Juicy and concentrated with red and black fruit. Cocoa powder notes and blackberry on the nose, supple tannins, with a fresh finish.

Country: Georgia

Region: Kakheti

Grapes: Saperavi

ABV: 13.5%

Vegan

Food pairing: lamb, veal, deer, venison, mushrooms, mature and hard cheese

Shilda Winery is located in the Alazani River Valley at the foot of the Caucasus mountains, the heartland of Georgian wine producing region, Kakheti. Its unique soil composition and microclimate provides perfect conditions for vine cultivation, especially for indigenous grape varieties like Saperavi, Kisi and Rkatsiteli. 

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

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.