The holiday season raises occasional anxiety around cooking or family issues, but one area you do not have to worry about is wine.
We are here to help you select the best wines that will enhance your meal and keep everyone happy.
Plus, you should not have to go broke offering wine, so we are here to recommend selections at various price levels for you to choose that are appropriate to your budget.
All of these wines will match up nicely with the most delicious meals. They will also work perfectly as simply as sipping wines.
The Clockmaker Old Vine Chenin Blanc
A wine with no ordinary story, its genesis was sparked by an unconventional friendship forged in wartime and which endures to this day.
The Clockmaker is produced from Chenin Blanc vines planted more than 35 years ago and salutes the memory of Cesare Zanardi, an Italian entrepreneur who spent time on Diemersfontein as a prisoner of war in the 1940s.
Only 800 bottles of the Clockmaker single vineyard wine have been produced; its status and story are highlighted by a commemorative carton and label emblazoned with the faded, sepia-toned picture of Cesare himself.
It makes a fine tribute to the bonds of long-time friendship that it celebrates. The Clockmaker Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2021 is available for purchase from the farm, Diemersfontein’s online shop, or via the Diemersfontein Wine app. It is also stocked by select fine wine retailers and sells for R280 a bottle.
Food pairing: It is splendid when served with roast duck, pork, and fish dishes.
J.C. Le Roux Nectar Demi-sec
The festive season is here and there is so much to celebrate.
From the sunny, summer days to friends and family who make us smile – there is so much to be grateful for. J.C. Le Roux’s range of Nectar Demi-Sec boasts delicious fruity flavours and beautiful packaging, making it the perfect bubbly to pop and raise a celebratory glass this festive season.
A diverse and complex flavour profile is credited to a wide selection of grapes – sourced from established vineyards across the Western Cape.
The wine is a sophisticated, off-dry, sparkling wine that comes alive on the palate. It is a vibrant expression of fruity flavours with hints of pears, litchi, and primary fruit.
The J.C. Le Roux Nectar range is available at leading retailers nationwide for only R94.95.
Food pairing: It pairs perfectly fine with a delicious cheese and charcuterie board.
Elethu Skalie Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Elethu Wines was established in 2007 and comprises black-owned land; black-owned and managed vineyards; and black-managed winemaking. In its early days, the farm sold the grapes from its top-performing vineyards.
Now, it has taken the next step by releasing Elethu Skalie Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 - an ultra-premium wine and the standard-bearer for this remarkable initiative. The fruit for Elethu’s first wine was selected from top-performing rows in the Elethu vineyards and harvested by hand, at optimal ripeness.
The wine shows typical varietal complexity with notes of juicy, ripe blackberries and subtle wood spice. The palate is structured and elegant, with silky tannins that carry into the long finish.
Prior to release, the wine was submitted to compete in the prestigious Gilbert and Gaillard International Challenge.
It received a score of 91 points out of 100 and a double gold medal. The wine is currently available to order directly from Elethu, for door-to-door delivery, at R200 a bottle.
Food pairing: Winemaker, Christopher Philander said when it comes to wine and food pairing, the key is to match the flavour intensity of the food with the flavour intensity of the wine, and to balance the weight of the food with the weight of the wine, so that neither overwhelms the other: rich, robust food with rich, robust wine, and this is the case with Elethu Cabernet Sauvignon 2020. Philander said it pairs exceptionally well with bold red-meat dishes prepared as grills, stews, or roasts, as well as with rich tomato-based dishes.
The Pieter Cruythoff Brut Rosé
Swartland's renowned Riebeek Valley Wine Co. has added a delicious bubbly to its award-winning portfolio. Joining the sought-after Pieter Cruythoff Brut is a Brut Rosé, whose arrival also heralds a fresh new label for the range.
The wine is made in a rare style that combines the traditional champagne technique to create flavour and the French “Charmat” method of carbonation, for fizz.
The age-old blend of Chardonnay and Pinot noir that is common in the making of champagne is also used, along with selected champagne yeast, to create a luxurious sparkling wine for everyday enjoyment.
Elegant packaging means that it easily makes a statement when a celebration is in order. Fruit for the new rosé is harvested at optimal ripeness from vineyards on the Kasteelberg Mountain, a landmark of the Riebeek Wine Valley.
As quality wine demands, the grapes are selected from cooler slopes and harvested earlier in the harvest season while the grapes have a little more natural acidity. They were then crushed together.
The Pieter Cruythoff Brut Rosé is exceptional when enjoyed on its own but shines equally when paired with food. A bottle sells for R96 at selected retail stores.
Food pairing: It pairs wonderfully with summer salads, wild mushroom risotto, sushi, seared tuna, and salmon.