Tasting Notes

Nose

Vibrant and aromatic with subtle perfumed aromas, white peach and hints of jasmine on the nose.

Palate

On the palate it has tight, white, fleshy, stonefruit and fresh citrus flavours balanced by bright and lively acidity. A crisp, incisive finish with a touch of minerality helps deliver a delicious, flavoursome and characterful wine.

This wine comes from low-yielding, coastal vineyards, delicately whole-bunch basket pressed for only the purest juice. A fine wine that happens to be pink!

Tasting Notes

A pale, spicy and textural Rosé mostly sourced from bush-vine Cinsault with summer fruits on the palate and a clean, savoury, dry finish. A subtle and delicate style makes this a versatile and food friendly wine.

Production

The grapes for False Bay Whole Bunch Cinsault Mourvedre stem from bush-vine Cinsault (mostly old vines) from Stellenbosch and Swartland, along with a small proportion of Mourvedre from Stellenbosch which adds a savoury depth to the wine. These old vines produce naturally low yields and retain good acidity. Made by Waterkloof's talented young Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard. Balanced grapes are hand harvested, whole-bunch pressed and fermented spontaneously with wild yeast in stainless steel and wooden foudre. The wine is left on lees for a minimum of three months before bottling. No additions other than sulphur as a preservative. Grown, made and bottled in South Africa. Vegan friendly wine. Coastal Vineyards, Sustainably Farmed, Hand Picked, Naturally Crafted, Wild Ferment.

Producer

An independent company, owned by Waterkloof founder Paul Boutinot, False Bay Vineyards aims to make 'real' wine affordable. These are sustainable certified wines bottled in South Africa and naturally crafted from mature and often old vineyards that, crucially, are naturally in balance. This means that, unusually at the price, the grapes from these coastal gems can be transformed into wine with wild yeast and an absolute minimum of intervention.

False Bay Vineyards is proud to be a WWF (World Wildlife Fund) Biodiversity Champion and certified by WIETA (Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trade Association). All of their wines are Vegan friendly.

Specifications

Sourced from a vineyard nestled into the Andes in the Curico region, this Sauvignon Blanc displays the vibrant fruit of Chile's Central Valley but with elegance from its mountain terroir.

Tasting Notes

A fresh and crisp wine with ripe citrus fruit. Packed with lime zest, lemon and kiwi fruit flavours. Think of cool glacial streams and enjoy the refreshing, racy acidity on the finish. 

Producer

Our long-standing working relationships with growers enable us to source premium fruit, with the ultimate aim of making excellent quality Chilean entry-level wines with true style and character.

For the Sauvignon Blanc, we work with two families in two different locations for a blend with huge appeal. The first is the Martin Family who are nestled into the Andes Mountains in a western corner of Curico. Their vineyards sit around 500 metres above sea level (masl), a far higher altitude than the majority of Curico’s main valley which lies around 250masl. The higher altitude and proximity to the mountains means evening temperatures drop significantly, allowing Sauvignon Blanc grapes to retain crucial acidity as they ripen. This altitude also ensures there is minimal intervention in the vineyards ie. no chemical sprays or irrigation - only pure glacial streams.

Their old established vines planted on steep slopes means grapes can only be harvested by hand. Once the grapes are picked then crushed, cool fermentation is used to preserve the freshness and fruit aromas. We blend this wine from Curico with Sauvignon Blanc from the German Family in Cachapoal. Here, in a warmer location, the variety gains great aromatic expression and typically we see great varietal character thanks to the correct clones being used along with early harvesting. Wines from this warmer spot usually have a little more body, making the blend with the Martin Family wines a great combination of aromatics, fresh acidity and weight. Possibly the biggest strength of this blend is our ability to balance out warmer and cooler vintages with these two different profiles. The wine is settled in tank for a short period before being bottled early to preserve the wines youthful vibrancy.

Specifications

 A fresh and appealing style of Pinot Grigio rosé from the Pavia zone of north-west Italy. The addition of early-harvested Pinot Noir grapes and gentle pressing give a delicate salmon pink colour and subtle red berry fruit.

Tasting Notes

Pale coral pink - strawberry and bramble aromas lead onto a delicate, yet juicy palate with red berry characters. Slight creaminess leads to a crisp dry finish.

Production Method

Produced from grapes grown in the Pavia region of northwest Italy. The ripest grapes were selected from mature hillside vineyards and hand-harvested in early September. The extra ripeness allows the dark-skinned Pinot Grigio grapes to develop a pink tinge which is further enhanced by the addition of a small proportion of Barbera and Pinot Noir grapes from the same vineyards. The grapes were harvested at optimum ripeness together, and the skins left in contact with the juice for 12 hours at low temperature before gentle pressing. After a slow, cool fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks the wine was bottled young to preserve freshness and aromas.

Producer

Established in 2003, Adria Vini is a winemaking venture jointly owned by Boutinot and Araldica Castelvero, the leading co-operative in the Monferrato hills of Piemonte. The aim is to produce authentic, well-priced still and sparkling wines from local grape varieties. All aspects of production, from grape selection through to vinification, maturation, blending and bottling are meticulously overseen by Araldica's winemaking team of Claudio Manera and Lella Burdese - assisted by Boutinot's Tony Brown MW. They source from a range of private growers and cooperatives, with whom they have long-term relationships, principally in Veneto, Friuli, Lombardy, Sicily, Puglia, Abruzzo and Sardinia.

Alan's Tasting Notes

"An enticing summer red with lots of upfront strawberry fruit together with more serious red berry notes from the Barbera and Pinot Nero components. Appealing freshness and acidity initially are tempered by a balancing creaminess in the mid and back palate. An altogether well-composed glass of summer rose with perfect balance and poise - enjoy with friends in the garden - perfectly at ease in its own company but will also stand up well with all garden foods." Tasted September 2021

Specifications

Juicy & fresh - a really easy drinking Merlot

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of plums and cherries mixed with peppery spice and a touch of tabacco leaf.

Palate

The palate is juicy and fresh with soft red fruits and a hint of green pepper.

Producer

Our long-standing working relationships with growers enable us to source premium fruit, with the ultimate aim of making excellent quality Chilean entry level wines with true style and character. For Merlot, we work with two families in two different locations for a blend with huge appeal. The first is the Martin Family who are nestled into the Andes Mountains in a western corner of Curico. Their vineyards sit around 500 metres above sea level (masl), a far higher altitude than the majority of Curico’s main valley which lies around 250masl. Vines are between 40 and 60 years old and part of a 45ha estate where peaches and apples are also grown. The vines are unirrigated and the vineyard is cool with a unique rocky mountain soil and glacial streams.

At this elevated height and proximity to the mountains, Merlot enjoys a long growing season with cool evening temperatures. We love the crunchy plummy fruit character which gives us the backbone to this wine. We blend this with grapes from the El Milagro Estate in the centre of the Curico Valley. The warm temperature and fertile soils allows Merlot to flourish here. Grapes are harvested during the coolest part of the day to ensure they reach the winery in prime condition. Temperatures are kept fairly low throughout the winemaking process, to allow the grapes to express their natural fruit characters. No oak is used. The resulting wine is fuller with more body and softer tannins and works really well with the higher altitude component. The biggest strength of this blend is our ability to balance out warmer and cooler vintages with these two different profiles.

Awards

V17 - Silver at the Catavinum 2018

Specifications

A versatile, textured Pinot Grigio sourced from selected vineyards in the Veneto.

Tasting Notes

A fresh dry white with gentle floral and citrus aromas. Crisp and delicate on the palate with orchard fruit and lightly honeyed notes, balanced by lemony acidity and a fresh, dry finish.

Production

Produced from selected Pinot Grigio grapes grown in the Veneto. The grapes were hand-harvested during the first 2 weeks of September. The grapes were crushed and gently pressed and the juice allowed to settle and clarify before cool fermentation at 16 to 18C in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine was bottled young after a period of 3 to 6 months ageing on fine lees in stainless steel tanks.

Producer

Established in 2003, Adria Vini is a winemaking venture jointly owned by Boutinot and Araldica Castelvero, the leading co-operative in the Monferrato hills of Piemonte. Our aim is to produce authentic, well-priced still and sparkling wines from local grape varieties. All aspects of production, from grape selection through to vinification, maturation, blending and bottling are meticulously overseen by Araldica's winemaking team of Claudio Manera and Lella Burdese - assisted by Boutinot's Tony Brown MW. We source from a range of private growers and cooperatives, with whom we have long term relationships, principally in Veneto, Friuli, Lombardy, Sicily, Puglia, Abruzzo and Sardinia.

Alan's Tasting Notes

"Our best-selling wine and easy to see why - dry but not too dry, lovely juicy fruit with good length and refreshing acidity - very moreish and a real crowd-pleaser."

Specifications

The perfect winter warmer to ignite your festive spirit!

Tasting Notes 

Rich aromas of orange, lemon, and red berries, layered with warming spice—nutmeg and cinnamon leading the charge. The palate is punchy yet smooth, with a gentle sweetness and a touch of toasty depth

Winemaking 

Made from imported Airén grape must, which is fermented to create a light, fruity wine base.  Infused with natural flavours including orange, lemon, red berries and spices.  Liquid sugar and citric acid are used to balance sweetness and acidity.

Specifications

0% Alcohol, Vegetarian/Vegan certified.

Made with grapes from a Puglian origin - this alcohol free wine is a juicy, plush alternative to the 'real thing'!

Tasting Notes 

This Primitivo is rich and ripe, with an abundance of dark berry fruit on the nose, and a plush, smooth texture on the well-balanced palate.

Production

Primitivo grapes are transported in small containers and softly destemmed, taking care to keep the skins intact. Temperature controlled fermentation around 22°C with frequent pumping over of the must achieves optimal extraction of colour, a fruity bouquet and soft tannins in the finished wine. Vacuum distillation at around 30°C to preserve primary aromas.

Specifications

0% Alcohol, Vegetarian/Vegan certified.

Made with grapes from a Sicilian origin - this alcohol free wine is a vibrant delicious alternative to the 'real thing'!

Tasting Notes 

Straw yellow in colour, this wine has vibrant tropical and citrus fruit aromas and flavours. On the palate it is refreshing and perfectly balanced, with a clean, crisp finish.

Production

The grapes are destemmed and very gently pressed in a pneumatic press. Prior to fermentation the juice is chilled and racked after settling. Selected yeasts are added to initiate the alcoholic fermentation, which takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 8°C. Vacuum distillation at around 30°C to preserve primary aromas.

Specifications