From the Cape to Your Cart: 3 Fresh Wine Releases to Explore

Ever feel like you’re stuck in a wine rut, always reaching for the same old Cab Sav or Chardonnay? Well, it’s time to shake things up a bit!

We have been sipping our way through some of the newly released wines from the Winelands, focusing on lesser-known wines (to us) and often not readily available in (most) supermarkets. Below are just a few of our favourites so far.

Endura Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc: The Sundowner You Didn’t Know You Needed

Let’s talk about the Endura Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc. This wine is like the ultimate sundowner. Picture this: you’re watching the sun dip below the horizon, the sky is painted in shades of gold and orange, and you take a sip of this golden beauty.

This lekker mix of ripe stone fruit, citrus, and lemon dances on your palate.

The wine was naturally fermented in Ceramic Amphora, Diamanté Wine Tanks (both bring out the minerality in the wine during fermentation), and French oak barrels. Aged on the lees for eight months before blending the various components to create the perfect harmony for the sophisticated drinker.

The style vastly differs from the rest of Perdeberg’s Chenin, one of the grape varietals for which The Home of Chenin Blanc™ is renowned. “It’s a special occasion wine,” says Louw. “Everybody used to think Chenin was the industry’s workhorse – cheap and cheerful – but by selecting the best vineyards and being creative, you can create amazing wines.”

Available from the Pederberg Tasting Room at R250 per bottle.

Brookdale Estate Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2021: A High Five in a Bottle

If the 2020 vintage was the opening act, then the 2021 is the headliner. This wine is iconic, complex, and a total showstopper. One quaff, and you’re greeted with ginger spice, sourdough, and a splash of tropical fruit.

With each harvest, Kiara Scott Farmer takes an intuitive approach, responding to the growing and harvest conditions to curate the vine that creates the wine. She says: ‘Wines like these are largely made in the vineyard and polished in the cellar through minimal invention practices.’

Kiara allows the wine to reveal its potential in her winemaking process. No two vintages receive the same treatment – no formulas or recipes.

Kiara prefers to use vintage-specific techniques, which allow the grapes of that particular year to showcase their terroir best.

Available from the Brookdale Tasting Room at R350 per bottle.

Sijnn Red 2017: Bursting with Berries

We met the Sijnn Red 2019 on wet miffy Monday amidst load shedding. Imagine a wine like a Sunday braai with friends—full of flavour, a bit wild, but oh-so-inviting. This wine is a blend of Tinta Amarella, Syrah, and Touriga Nacional grapes, like a party in a bottle.

The nose is a fragrant mix of sage, lavender, thyme, and rosemary—basically, it’s like sniffing a herb garden while sipping on some red. The taste? Think of biting into a blueberry cheesecake while walking on a stony path. It has that fresh, fruity vibe but a rocky edge that sticks around like a good tune.

Sijnn – David Trafford’s pioneering Malgas project – has long been tantalising us with the potential of this rugged, raw terroir. The latest Sijnn Red delivers on that promise. It’s a wine with no reference point but itself.

The 2017 Sijnn Red (96 PG, 96 TA) is a blend of 67% Syrah, 14% Mourvèdre, 11% Touriga Nacional and 8% Trincadeira. It is rich, broad and flavourful, yet fresh with dried herbs, black olives and baking spices. A touch of earth, meaty depth and elegant tannins are all accentuated by its alluring acidity. The wine is seamless, sure-footed, and a vision come true. It is really something special in this vintage.

One of Tim Atkin’s ‘Wines of the Year’, scoring 96 points in his 2020 report, you can drink it now through to 2030 – and possibly longer.

Located along the Breede River, everything they do at Sijnn revolves around its unique location and terroir. They believe in natural farming and winemaking and focus their skills on blending varieties best suited to our climate.

Whether you’re a wine newbie or a sommelier in disguise, these bottles are worth making space in your wine rack. So why not be adventurous and add these gems to your cart?