Ataraxia Pinot Noir
Ataraxia was founded by Kevin and Hanli Grant in 2004 near the coastal village of Hermanus in the Hemel-en Arde region.Hemel-en-Aarde is Afrikaans for “heaven and earth” and the claim is justified. The estate sits on a particularly heavenly stretch of land beneath a lofty peak of the Babylon’s Tower mountain range. In addition to its unrelenting beauty, Ataraxia is home to some of the most spectacular terroirs South Africa has to offer.Almost two decades on, they are associated with crafting wines of incredible finesse, balance and depth; wines that proudly hold their own on the international wine stage.This Pinot Noir is my favourite discovery of the year! Perhaps my favourite wine in our range!
The wine has the perfect balance of rich fruit and light structure alongside the most gorgeous perfume.A stunning wine, that pairs perfectly with soft, mould-ripened cheeses such as Baron Bigod.
Botanica Pinot Noir, Botanica Wines
Botanica Wines was founded in 2009 by owner and self-taught winemaker Ginny Povall, an intrepid American who fell in love with the beautiful Cape winelands She purchased Protea Heights Farm in Stellenbosch’s Devon Valley and relocated to the southern tip of Africa. Established in the late 1940s, Protea Heights was the first farm in South Africa to cultivate indigenous protea flowers commercially. Inspired by this horticultural history, it was only natural that Ginny would choose to develop her wine brands and labels with a botanical flair. It was a real joy when Ginny visited us last year, to share her wines with us and our customers at the shop; her warmth and humour really come through in her winemaking, giving them real personality. This small production Pinot Noir is considered one of South Africa’s best; lovely perfume and that perfect balance between fruitiness and elegance.
Southend Chardonnay, Newton Johnson
This family farm was founded in the mid-1990s by Cape Wine Master, Dave Johnson and his wife, Felicity (Née Newton) and within the past twenty years has built a reputation for producing some of the Cape’s best Pinot Noir. Dave’s CWM thesis was on the variety. Right from the outset, Dave and Felicity’s offspring were involved and today it is very much Gordon, partnered by his wife, Nadia, who are responsible for the winemaking, with brother Bevan looking after the commercial side.Southend is a single vineyard that is owned and farmed by Newton Johnson's neighbours, the Pringle
family. It is a notably cooler slope, a stone’s throw across the river from NJ, with less sunshine
and consequently slower ripening. It produces wines with sparkling clarity, high-toned fruit
flavours, compact structure, and vibrant acidity. They preserve these features by fermenting in
larger format casks that often ferment slowly in to the winter.The oak is barely noticeable here, the wine is just fresh and juicy; such an elegant style of Chardonnay by one of the New World's best Chardonnay producers. If you know people who are adamant that they do not like Chardonnay, get them to taste this!
A great all-rounder, suiting simple fish and shellfish dishes as well as salads and grilled vegetables.