What are the holidays without a little wine? Whether you’re travelling with family, staying home or partying with friends, there’s not a single occasion where you won’t need some wine to really get you into the festive mood. But you’re not a sommelier so where do you start?
Here are 5 bottles of wine we guarantee will work for you this holiday.
- The Tall Horse Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2017-2018 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is characterized by its rich ruby colour with a dark forest berry aroma. Matured on French oak staves for 3 months, the wine has strong and beautifully concentrated flavours; a ripe blackcurrant at entry integrated with savoury oak spice and a plush succulent finish. The wine should be served slightly chilled with any steak, roast or tomato-based Italian dishes. With an alcoholic content of 13.5%, the red wine should be enjoyed within a year or two, so don’t keep it for too long.
- Franschhoek Cellar Sauvignon Blanc
The 2018 Sauvignon Blanc is characterized by its expressive tropical aromas. The Western Cape white wine opens up a wide array of flavours including Cape gooseberry, grapefruit and pineapple tinged with capsicum and is coated with acidity to give the wine its signature taste – a high but good amount of acidity. The grapes are sourced from vineyards in South Africa and are taken through a reduction process that eliminates the exposure to oxygen thus preserving the inherent grape aromas and flavours. With an alcoholic content of 13%, the wine should be enjoyed within four years. Serve this wine with seafood dishes such as prawns on the braai, teriyaki salmon, creamy mussels or chicken wraps.
- Tall Horse Pinotage
The 2018 100% Tall Horse Pinotage is characterized by its deep red colour with a tinge of purple at the rim. Fermented on skins for 7 days, the wine is unique for its sweet cherry, dark chocolate and roast coffee bean appeal although not lacking savoury oak spice facets to combine and give the wine a boisterous fruity finish. The hand-harvested grapes enjoy a concentrated flavour that should be served at social functions. With an alcoholic content of 13.5%, the wine should be enjoyed within the first two years to maintain its fresh and vibrant appeal. It can be paired with fish and chips, mac and cheese or roast chicken.
- 35 South Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2013, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, is characterized by its ripe, red colour. Fermented at 280C, the wine is intense and fruity, combining fresh notes and touches of savoury oak to make it a concentrated smooth wine with elegant tannins and an almost persistent, permanent finish. Harvested by hand and machine, the wine pairs well with steak or duck. With an alcoholic content of 14.5%, the wine is served best chilled and at a family dinner.
- Tall Horse Sauvignon Blanc
The 2018 100% Tall Horse Sauvignon Blanc is characterized by its tropical fruit aromas. The white wine is delicious with its entry point being fresh pineapple, gooseberry and citrus flavours mixed with a bountifulness of grass and herbs to give the wine vigour. This wine is best for a social occasion (especially for your guests who do not enjoy red wine) and can be paired with fish, cool summer salads or fresh sushi. With an alcoholic content of 12.5%, it is best enjoyed within the first two years to retain the fresh and vibrant notes of the grape.
So, there are your starting point folks and feel free to share the holiday cheer with the rest of your friends and family. Also, let us know how well you like this selection.
Happy Holidays.
If you are new to wine culture, check out these Wine tips for beginners
We are giving away a bottle of each of the wines above. If you would like to win, tell us in the comments section what you are celebrating this year and you could win a bottle.
