A South African take on the Shiraz/Cab blend – and rather good it is too… Plaisir de Merle Petit Plaisir 2011, Western Cape, South Africa (£8.99 Marks & Spencer) Bounds out of the glass with spicy dark plummy blackcurrant flavours and a note of chocolate. There’s a little bit of […]
South Africa
Blason de Bourgogne Chablis La Réserve 2012, Burgundy, France (£12.99 Sainsbury’s) Typical (decent) Chablis, seems as if it’s going to be quite rich, creamy and nutty, but then the citrus finesse kicks in, along with a touch of brine. B+ Kalfu Kuda Unoaked Chardonnay 2013, Leyda, Chile (£11.99 The Wine […]
Chardonnays from France, Chile, South Africa & California
Not a huge Pinotage fan, but I can imagine quaffing this with pleasure on a chilly evening Neethlingshof Pinotage 2012, Stellenbosch, South Africa (£8.99 Wine Rack) Classic Pinotage characters of spice-infused berries and bananas, along with notes of chocolate. There’s also a savoury tomato note in there too , alongside […]
Neethlingshof Pinotage 2012, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Something unusual and tasty for the weekend… Nuy Red Muskadel NV, South Africa (£9.50 The Wine Society) Intriguing style combining bright barley sugar and heady rose hip syrup flavours with light grapey freshness and perfumed lift, and a touch of the herbal clove and menthol character you find in cough […]
Nuy Red Muskadel NV, South Africa
This isn’t the latest release, but it’s still available and currently looking rather nice. Spier Creative Block 3 2009, Coastal Region, South Africa (£14.99 Hawkshead Wines) Rich, rounded & spicy, with a slightly rustic but rather attractive tomatoey edge to its fleshy plum and dark berry fruit, notes of herbs […]
Spier Creative Block 3 2009, Coastal Region, South Africa
A Cap Classique (aka méthode Champenoise) pink made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Pongrácz Rosé NV, South Africa (£14.99 Morrisons) Young boisterous and frothy style, with sherbet-like aromas alongside the strawberry and raspberry flavours. Has some citrus freshness, but there’s also a yesterday’s-bonfire-like smoky note that slightly spoils the party. B-