First up I’m revisiting a brilliant value Method Cap Classique sparkling wine (ie Traditional method like Champagne!). This 2017 vintage sparkler (yes it’s a vintage wine) made from Chardonnay spent 4 years on its lees and offers so much bang for buck that I couldn’t overlook it when I was seeking out good value bubbles to include in the case.

Next we have an intriguing blend of four white grape varieties: Riesling, Viognier, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc – zesty, fresh and very appealing, the “Blanc de Mer” is perfect for summer sipping.  Rounding out the whites we have South Africa’s star white grape: Chenin Blanc. This is a beautifully vibrant wine that showcases how expressive the grape can be – stylistically different from the Chenin Blanc’s of the Loire, this has a notable vibrancy from it’s cool-climate high altitude location in the hills of Cederberg.

For the reds we have a red blend from the Cape’s oldest farm: predominantly Merlot with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, this is aromatic and juicy with plump tannins and lots of bright fruit.  A case of South African wine just has to include South Africa’s signature red grape: Pinotage.  Yes it’s a grape that can be divisive, but for me it always showcases the classic fynbos character so synonymous with wines of the Cape. This example is wholly original, being partially made from dried grapes, raisined on the vine before fermenting. The result is a rich, characterful wine with very obvious chocolatey butterscotch notes (hence the name). Finally, we head into “more serious” territory with a classy Bordeaux blend of almost equal portions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.  Supple and layered with cedar box, spice, bright black fruits, and a touch of violet florals . Very classy indeed!