Wines for Lamb

Country: Spain

Region: Ribera del Duero

Grapes: Tempranillo

ABV: 14%

Food Match: Perfect with barbecued  lamb.

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, Piemonte

14% ABV

Grape: Nebbiolo

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

This wine has the ability to evolve over 15 + years

The nose has layers of citrus and stone fruit aromas, and hints angelica, acacia flower and allspice. Flavours of lemon, yellow apple and nectarine follow through onto an elegant, balanced palate with delicate notes of greengage, papaya, yellow apple and passion fruit. The wine is light to medium bodied, with a fleshy texture and vibrant, integrated acidity. 

Country: South Africa

Region: Western Cape

ABV: 14%

Grapes: Chenin Blanc 53%, Chardonnay 24%, Semillon 19%, Viognier 4%

The blend is composed of signature white varieties from each property: Semillon, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Viognier. Semillon, matured in oak, provides structure and age-worthiness-drawing on Boekenhoutskloof's long-standing reputation for this grape. Old bush vine Chenin Blanc from the Swartland adds depth, texture and opulence, while cool-climate Chardonnay brings lift and precision. Viognier lends a subtle aromatic richness.

Tim Atkin's review: A new addition to the consistently impressive Boekenhoutskloof range, this is a pan-regional blend of Swartland Chenin Blanc complemented by 24% Chardonnay, 19% Semillon and 4% Viognier from elsewhere. Inspired by the whites of the southern Rhône, it's stony, savoury and lightly wooded, with aromas of laurel, thyme and white flowers and a palate of pear, citrus, peach and wet stones. Drink 2026 – 2031

The single vineyard wines from Mount Difficulty are made in limited quantities and are not produced every year. This wine has the distinctive classic Pipeclay cherry and blackberry with a slight spice kick and lovely light violet floral notes. Rich and sensuous mid palate
the wine finishes strongly with a combination of fruit and finely grained structured
tannins.

Country: New Zealand

Region: Bannockburn, Central Otago

ABV: 14%

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Mt Difficulty is Central Otago’s leading artisan winegrower with a pioneering heritage
based in Bannockburn. With their founding vineyards established in 1992, Mt Difficulty owns some of the oldest vines having harnessed this once brutal terrain to produce premium wines that are among the finest in New Zealand. Mount Difficulty is Bannockburn’s highest peak and the backdrop to their vineyards – some of Bannockburn’s oldest. Sustainability is at the heart of everything they do including using recycled glass made locally, a living roof to encourage biodiversity and new waste reduction technology to list just a few things they do.

Special Limited parcel wine from talented South African winemaker Izele Van Blerk. Drinking window 2025 - 2035. Only 1000 bottles made!

Full-bodied, intense and concentrated. Aromas and flavours blackcurrant, black cherry and ripe plum, with notes of tobacco, eucalyptus and subtle capsicum. The palate is rich and full with prominent fruit ripeness. Great tannic structure and a well balanced, lingering finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Stellenbosch

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon

ABV: 14.5%

From the most southerly vineyards in Africa! An aromatic and herbal nose with hints of canned asparagus, cut grass, tomato leaves and buchu. The palate is savoury, saline and has a long, fresh finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Elim, Cape Agulhus

Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 14% 

A fine, expressive style with Barolo's classic combination of mature, lightly floral aromas with richness and structure. Dark plum, leather and delicate violet aromas, plus notes of wood smoke and brown spice. A full, firm and ripe red with rich, powerful flavours. All balanced by ripe tannins, complex savoury notes and a long finish.

Country: Italy

Region: Piemonte

Grapes: Nebbiolo

ABV: 13.5%

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

Deep, intense violet colour with aromas of  plums, raspberries, black fruits, blackberries. Subtle notes of strawberry, floral and violets. In the mouth this wine displays more mineral and earthy tones, balanced with structured, ripe tannins.

Country: South Africa

Region: Wellington

Grapes: Malbec

ABV: 14%

Food matches: Perfect with Sirloin steak

Black cherry, violet and subtle herb and smokey characters on the nose with complex liquorice and earth flavours on the palate. Firm, but ripe tannins, great structure.

Country: New Zealand

Region: Renwick, Marlborough

Grapes: Pinot Noir

ABV: 13%

Food match: Great with lamb tagine or grilled meats with Mediterranean herbs.

Red fruit aromas: red currants and raspberries. Full and fruity on the palate, with great length and minerality. The tannins are silky and ripe.

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir

ABV: 13%

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