There's more to South African wine than pinotage
telegraph.co.ukLay & Wheeler’s South Africa buyer.The benefits of buying SA wine do not only extend to the drinker. Elizabeth Kelly MW, who moved from M&S to Majestic, where she has been expanding the South African range, says one of the joys of working with Cape producers is that so many have a strong environmental focus and/or are working to support their local communities.
For example, a percentage of the profit from sales of Majestic’s Pringle Bay sauvignon blanc go towards supporting a community school.Two places with particularly strong South African lists are Lay & Wheeler (look out for Botanica Wines, AA Badenhorst, Klein Constantia) and Swig (Tesselaarsdal, Alphabetical, Lourens Family and more).
The non-specialists have fab wines too; a perennial favourite is Kanonkop Kadette Cape Blend 2019 (Tesco, £11).Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge (12.5%; Swig, £29.50)A glory of a chardonnay that glows with the smell of white peaches, oatmeal and lemon curd.(13%; Banks Brothers, 3 x 250ml cans for £21)A gorgeous, juicy pinot noir, made by Ginny Povall of Botanica.
Think red and black cherries and thyme.(14.5%; Tesco, £10)This is a bordeaux blend but it’s bolder and more fruity than any comparably priced claret.
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