The top South African wine specialist in the United Kingdom.

Read our latest story on @koenroose.spioenkop on site.
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Spioenkop was a “conical, sun-drenched, and waterless hill in distant Natal.” It was the site of a nasty defeat for the British during the Anglo-Boer War, now also a winery in South Africa’s cooler Elgin wine region. Named First Growth by Tim Atkin in his 2020 South Africa Report (though the concept of an African First Growth remains a touchy subject among purists). The description of Spioenkop in Natal matches the conditions of Spioenkop in Elgin. The tactical battlefield advantages of the terrain also lend themselves beautifully to grape growing and winemaking, a wholly more desirable endeavour we’d say. And considering the quality of the wine, we believe you’d agree. (Also, given that the British lost that fateful day, let’s not dwell on the past.)

Read the rest on-site and shop the WINE!
#DrinkSA #winelover #SAWine #Riesling #Pinotage #CheninBlanc #Elgin #CoolClimate #PinotNoir #KeepCalmAndShopSA #TopRated #SASecret ...

The @deuxfrereswines (Two Brothers) are Retief and Stephan du Toit, who, as the name suggests, are making distinctly French-inspired wines on the Westerly slope of Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. Simonsberg named for Simon van der Stel, the first Governor of the Cape Colony. The mountain is said to be in the shape of an inebriated man lying down, Mr. Simon.

Though a dubious honour to be sure, a mountain, no matter the name, is a grand thing in winemaking, offering various slopes, aspects, soils, and micro-climates from which to make unique, terroir-specific wines. Making for a very distinct sub-section of Stellenbosch wines.

As Stellenbosch’s smallest wine farm, with only 4.5ha of 9480 hand-planted vines, one is assured BOUTIQUE wines. Brother Stephan has made wine at French estates in St. Estephe and Pomerol AND South African estates L’Avenir and Marianne, bringing to bear his extensive experience on his own little slice of paradise.

We invite you to sample this distinctly French take on quintessential Stellenbosch terroir at 20% off. The perfect accompaniment this weekend!
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#DrinkSA #Winelover #SAWinelover #DeuxFreres #Simonsberg #wine #finewine #FrenchWine #BoutiqueWine #OnPromotion #WeekendWine #StellensboschWine ...

South Africa is a country well-versed in the terminology of disaster.
Though in OUR experience, the ability to survive has always been one of our greatest strengths. Survival made possible by the impossibility of giving up and VERY good wine at VERY competitive prices.

As such, with another heat wave looming in the UK, water limitations, and the promise of an economic downturn - take it from us, you’ll be needing a few bottles of wine. South Africans deal with rolling black-outs, a government that virtually sold state-owned entities for personal gain. Had the first major city in the world (Cape Town) to almost run out of water (literally), endured inexplicable alcohol bans during COVID, and many, many more daily difficulties. We’re just saying things could be WORSE.

As such, in an effort to assist in the business of survival, we thought we’d suggest you shop SA to assuage the rising cost of living. Shopping SA won't mean a decrease in quality. In fact, you might find something similar or even superior to your preferred Old World wine at an incomparable price. We invite you to explore and shop our ever-growing portfolio of top-rated, innovative, beautifully captivating South African wines. We’ll be telling you the stories of the kanniedood (never say die) winemakers, making world-renowned wines against all the odds. And we hope you draw some inspiration from these hardbitten folk with their impeccable taste in wine.

Featuring @aabadenhorst, @andreaswinesa, @anthonijrupertwyne, @aristeawines, @ataraxiawines, @beeslaar_wines, @bevintners, @blankbottlewinery, @reenenborman, @brookdale_estate, @colmant_cap_classique, @detorenprivatecellar, @deuxfrereswines, @harryhartmanwinecompany, @nattevalleij, @uvamiravineyard, @vilafonte, @koenroose.spioenkop, @swerwer_wines, and many more.

#DrinkSA #wine #african #southafricanwine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #instawine #winecountry #keepcalmshopsa ...

"Alex Milner has done more than anyone to resurrect the reputation of Cinsault in South Africa, making a series of single site wines.” - Tim Atkin South Africa Report 2021.

Alex Milner is a slight man, though not lacking in energy. An avid cyclist, he recently cycled to Prieska for the weekend (Google says that’s 791km). When I ask him WHY he answers bluntly: “Mid-life crisis.” Though at 40 years old, I doubt that constitutes MID-LIFE, given the man’s obvious vigour. Alex and his family, meaning his wife and two boys, his parents, brother and HIS family, and a troupe of dogs, all live on the historic @nattevalleij at the foot of Simonsberg in Stellenbosch. And it IS historic, having been granted to an ex-soldier, Jurgiaan Hanekom, from Germany in 1715. The Milner family purchased it in 1969 and first bred South Africa’s finest race horses here until Alex started making wine in 2005.

Alex has been discovering single vineyard parcels of old vine, and not-so-old vine Cinsault throughout the Western Cape, demonstrating this grape’s affinity for its adopted homeland. Cinsault has a rich history in South Africa as one of the parents of their native Pinotage (Pinot Noir being the other). Traditionally Cinsault was mostly blended with Rhône-style varieties in historic SA red blends like Château Libertas. Only recently has its quality as a single variety become apparent, and the winemakers all agree."Cinsault is by far the grape that is best suited to the Cape. It has a great affinity and just loves the soil here."- says Eben Sadie.

Natte Valleij makes a series of single-vineyard Cinsault from Darling, Swartland, Stellenbosch, and Simonsberg - each expressing a different element of this light red grape made in his hands-off style. Both vintages of the Darling and Stellenbosch Cinsault on offer here were rated 94 points by Tim Atkin MW. As Duncan Savage says: "Give top South African Cinsault to a few Burgundy lovers blind, and you will surprise a lot of people!"

Given the fuss - we suggest you TRY.
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#SALightReds ...