The wine lovers of the gardening club gathered together in the middle of September for a tasting of South African wines, guided by the engaging figure of Dr Andrew Wood, who last visited us three years ago.
We were treated to a total of five wines, ranging from a sparkling rosé, then a Chenin Blanc, two lovely deep reds and finally a sweet dessert wine (listed below).
- Graham Beck Cap Classique Rosé (2019) 12% £14 Majestic
- Alvi’s Drift 221 Chenin Blanc (2023) 13.5%£13 https://www.southafricanwines.co.uk
- Remhoogte Cronicle Estate Bordeaux Blend (2020) Magnum 14.5% £32 Majestic
- Kanonkop Kadette Pinotageb (2023) 14% £15 Majestic
- Vergelegen Estate Semillon Straw (2021) 12% £13.50 https://www.southafricanwines.co.uk
A great evening with an interesting background into wines and wine making in this region of the world.
Andrew’s latest book, Noble Nine, is about the nine grapes that define our wine world telling the stories of a whole industry as it grapples with huge changes. It is due to be published on 5 November 2026
Andrew has promised a return session on English wines, so we will hold him to that!