10 top wines for Christmas time

Wrapping up at work and preparing to celebrate the upcoming holidays and festive season can become somewhat stressful.

Last-minute shopping for presents and stocking up with food and wine is often draining! So, here’s a little bit of help in the wine department so that you have one less thing to worry about.  I’ve compiled a list of 10 wines, five of which offer incredible value and the other five are for pure decadence. Enjoy!

Five great value wines

These five wines not only offer incredible value but also superb quality.

Miss Molly MCC Brut NV – R 85.50

Miss Molly is the silver-coated, green-eyed, adorable Weimaraner who resides at Môreson Wine Estate outside Franschhoek. The dog is so impossible to resist that they have named a range of wines after her. Miss Molly is a Cap Classique for any occasion. Made from 100 percent Chardonnay, it is rich and creamy with hints of ripe pears and litchis.

Kleine Zalze Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2012 – R 44.50

This must be one of the Cape’s most loved unwooded Chenin Blanc. Not only is it enjoyed by wine imbibers in SA, it also has a huge following overseas. Its popularity lies in its ability to refresh one’s palate yet be enjoyed with delicious summer salads. Discover flavours of tangy citrus and melon with a clean crisp acid bite on the dry finish

Zorgvliet “Silver Myn” Sauvignon Blanc 2012 – R 41.00

This wine is made by Neil Moorhouse, who is in his 10th year as winemaker at this majestic winery in the Banhoek Valley on the outskirts of Stellenbosch. The wine awakens the senses with gorgeous concentrated passion fruit along with capsicum and fig leaf aromas. Easy to drink and is lively and full on the palate.

Arra Blanc de Noir 2012 – R 36.50

There are so many excellent dry rosés being produced in the Cape and about time as this style of wine lends itself so well to our warm climate and Mediterranean style food we see so much of nowadays. The Arra is a dry rosé made  predominantly from Shiraz, it has subtle flavours of strawberries and raspberries with faint  whiffs of warm earth and a crisp dry finish.

Havana Hills Lime Road 1481 Red 2009 – R 30.00

A winery that quietly continues to always perform so well in all styles of wines. Despite being a fair distance from Cape Town in the Philadelphia ward I highly recommend a visit even if you just want the finest view of Table Mountain while tasting their wines! This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and offers blueberry aromas with hints of fruitcake. It shows great balance with well-integrated tannins and a juicy finish.

Five must-have premium wines

You can enjoy this selection as an indulgence for yourself but can be wonderful gifts as well!

Silverthorn “The Jewel Box” MCC 2009 – R 224.00

Silverthorn in Robertson is owned by the enterprising couple, John and Karen Loubser. John is one of the Cape’s most formidable Cap Classique winemakers and the recently launched Jewel Box is sublime!

The name Jewel Box was inspired by the ethos of Afropean Synergy, combining old world heritage and knowledge with contemporary African environment and culture. This synergy ties in with the magnificence of the stars in the Southern hemisphere and in particular the Southern Cross (Crux). The wine is elegantly rich with aromas of baked apples and biscotti leading to a silky palate with hints of citrus on the creamy finish.

Oldenburg Chenin Blanc 2011 – R 116.00

In 2003 Adrian Vanderspuywas, the owner of Oldenburg, aimed to establish his winery as a premium boutique producer and to assist him with his vision he employed viticulturist and winemaker, Simon Thompson. To date, they have done this admirably and their range of wines are highly sought after.

The Chenin Blanc 2011 was aged in French oak and offers subtle aromas of baked apple and lemon pie. The palate is crisp with creamy tropical fruit and delicate hints of vanilla on the long finish.

Nitida “Coronata Intergration” 2011 – R 147.00

Perched on top of the hill overlooking the Durbanville wine valley, Nitida Wine Estate has a reputation for producing quality wine consistently. The Coronata Intergration has been a favourite ever since their first vintage. The name Coronata is derived from the regal, golden coloured Protea Coronata. The colour of the flower reflects the rich honey tones of the blend, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, after spending six months in barrel.

The blend of the two cultivars results in combined balance of both freshness and complexity. The wine has a bright straw-green tinge with fresh aromas of green apples and hints of honey. The palate is rich with succulent honey-lemon flavour and green pepper captivated on the well-rounded finish.

Karen Rosé 2010 – R 120.00

Karen and Mark Eisen of Franchhoek set out to produce a fine quality rosé which will stand up to most foods but also to be enjoyed on its own. With the help of winemaker Johan Viljoen they have achieved a magnificent wine. Pale in colour the wine is made entirely from Merlot and offers a delicious combination of fresh strawberry character with aromatic peach like flavours.

Chamonix Pinot Noir Reserve 2011 – R 259.00

A good Pinot Noir is a treat and I have a few bottles in my cellar of the delightful Chamonix Pinot Noir Reserve 2011 made at Chamonix in Franschhoek by award-winning winemaker Gottfried Mocke.

Served ever-so-slightly chilled, it is a gorgeous medley of ripe strawberry and raspberry fruit complemented by well-integrated oak.

To order, email Wine Concepts