South African wine has an extensive wine history dating back to 1655, when the first vines were planted in Cape Town by Dutch Settlers. The country's climate is varied and diverse and, interestingly, boasts the world's longest wine route too! Browse our award-winning selection of South African wines including whites from the breathtaking Constantia or Hemel-en-Aarde Valleys to reds from the rugged Cederberg or historical Stellenbosch mountains. We can assure you that no matter which wine you select, the flavour will leave a long-lasting impression on your taste buds, beckoning you to indulge in yet another glass.
5 products
2020 Painted Wolf Black Tip Mourvédre
Regular price £22.99
Background
The Vineyards
The grapes are from Kasteelsig vineyard, owned by Billy (Guillermo) Hughes, and are organically certified. Soil is red Glenrosa with some Oakleaf – shale-rich duplex soils. The vineyards are not irrigated.
Winemaking
The grapes were fermented with natural yeast in open tanks and a small, manually-rotating steel tank (20% whole-bunches). Malolactic conversion and maturation took place in small French and American oak barrels (20% new) for 8 months. Total production 2,800 bottles.
Painted Wolf Wines supports the conservation of the highly endangered painted wolf (African wild dog) and the protection of the diminishing wild spaces of Africa, through its donations to the EWT – www.ewt.org.za and Tusk – www.tusk.org.
Awards
- 2020 Painted Wolf wins trophy for Most Successful Producer Overall at 2019 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show
- Bronze at the 2023 IWC
- Double Silver at the NWC
- 4.5 starts Platters Guide
Specifications
| Year | 2020 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | Mourvèdre 85%, Syrah 15% |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
14% alc vol
|
| Units of alcohol per bottle | 10.5 units |
| Type | Red Wine |
| Cellaring Potential |
This wine is delicious now but will continue to develop over ten years from vintage. |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Food Matches |
Try with braised beef shanks, sweet and sour pork, wild mushroom risotto or Mexican-style ostrich in mole, melted cheese toastie or salt-baked Gruyere |
| Appellation | W.O. Swartland |
2023 Waterkloof 'Circumstance Cape Coral Mouvèdre Rosé'
Regular price £14.59Mourvedre is perfect for Waterkloof, with its head in the sun and feet in the sea. So, not one to follow fashion, Paul Boutinot has made it the most planted red grape on this biodynamic farm. Cape Coral Rosé has vindicated that decision, promptly proving itself to be one of the finest rosés in The Southern Hemisphere, if not The World. Pale in colour and discreet of fragrance, yet with a palate weight and texture that makes it a decidedly gastronomic rosé.
Tasting Notes
Colour
Pale salmon colour
Nose
Delicate aromas of peach, spice and herbs are prominent on the nose.
Palate
A fresh, yet broadly textured mouthfeel with a long, savoury and deeply satisfying finish. This rather grown-up wine makes a wonderful partner to almost any dish you care to prepare.
'Rooibos! Distinct terroir character here – whether it’s fynbos or tea or whatever, it certainly seems to reflect its home. Excellent softness and complexity. As valid a fine wine as many reds or whites – really shows what great rosé can do. Finishes with a long, mealy length.' – Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17/20
'A delightfully pale coloured Rosé. Delicate red berry aromas combined with a flinty note are prominent on the nose. The palate is soft with a lingering fresh acidity on the aftertaste. Traditionally the wine is served chilled on its own, but also marries well with spicy, tuna-based sushi.' – Nadia Barnard
Awards
The Wine Merchant Top 100 2016 - 2015 Vintage
Production
Living soils and a natural approach to winemaking means that each of the single-varietal wines in the Circumstance range is truly defined by the circumstances influencing the chosen varietal and vineyard blocks, including soil, aspect, altitude and vintage. The Mourvedre vines are dry-farmed, windswept and low-yielding. Production is a minuscule (for rosé) 5 tons per hectare. Grapes were hand-harvested followed by a gentle whole-bunch pressing in a horizontal basket press, to extract only the finest juice. No further maceration of the juice with the skins was allowed. The juice was run down via gravity into tank and left to settle naturally for 12 hours. From there the clean juice was racked off to wooden fermenters to start the natural fermentation spontaneously, relying on wild yeasts that occur naturally in the vineyard. The reason why Waterkloof ferment in older wooden fermenters is to ensure a slow ingress of oxygen throughout the process and therefore a longer fermentation without picking-up any oak aromas. The wine was then left on the primary lees to add further complexity before bottling. The wine then spent a minimum of six months on lees. No fining, just a light filtration. The only addition was a small amount of sulphur before bottling.
Producer
Founded by Paul Boutinot in 2004, Waterkloof is a family-owned, organic, biodynamic and WWF Biodiversity Champion farm perched high up on the windswept Schapenberg, overlooking False Bay and The Atlantic Ocean. Living soils, naturally low yields and a long growing season help provide talented young Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard with naturally balanced grapes that are imbued with a truly defining sense of origin. Those grapes are then transformed into wine with a minimum of intervention. The resulting wines are fine, inimitable and best enjoyed with food.
Sustainability
As well as being ECOCERT certified as organic, and working biodynamically, Waterkloof goes much further than many in its efforts to be a highly sustainable winery. To learn more please visit their website.
Specifications
| Year | 2023 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Mourvèdre |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
13.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.2 units |
| Type | Rosé |
| Cellaring Potential | Awaiting info |
| Features | Vegetarian, Vegan, Sustainable, Natural |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | Anything goes, whether it be sushi, spice or even steak! |
| Origin | Stellenbosch |
| Appellation | WO Stellenbosch |
2023 False Bay Whole Bunch Cinsault Mourvèdre Rosé
Regular price £9.99This 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
| Year | 2023 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 85% Cinsault, 15% Mourvedre |
| Country | South Africa |
|
Alcohol content
|
12,5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.8 units |
| Type | Rose Wine |
| Dietary Information | Vegan and Vegetarian |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Food Matches | Perfect with Mediterranean dishes especially juicy pan-fried garlic prawns... or drink chilled on its own. |
| Origin | WO Coastal Region |
