Our top Christmas drinks guide for 2023: wine, bubbly or bourbon for the holidays
As the year draws to a close, there’s no better way to commemorate special moments than with the perfect drink in hand. Whether it’s the elegance of a sparkling bubbly, the allure of a rich red, or the sophistication of a fine brandy, gifting a splendid bottle is a timeless gesture. In this collection, we’ve curated an ensemble of exceptional beverages, each with its own story to tell and its own distinctive notes to savour. From award-winning wines to artisanal brandies and captivating bubblies, explore our handpicked selection designed to elevate your celebrations and make cherished gifts for those you hold dear.
Before & After
R440
It might have started as a blending blunder between a tank of Noble Late Harvest red wine and some brandy spirit in Blaauwklippen’s cellar, but turns out it’s no blunder at all. Known as Christmas in a bottle, the 1682 wine estate’s Before & After – presented in the most eye-catching packaging – is a brandy fortified aperitif featuring sensuous flavours of Christmas spices.
Alvi’s Drift MCC
R120
Alvi’s Drift is known for its fruit-driven wines and it’s no different when it comes to their Cap Classiques. Hailing from ancient shale soils on the slopes of the winery’s cool, south-facing vineyards, their Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays are outstanding. They use Chardonnay grapes for their Sparkling Brut Blanc de Blanc. These grapes are hand-harvested in the early morning hours, preserving the crisp fresh acidity required for a world-class bubbly. For their Sparkling Brut Rosé, they use Chardonnay grapes and Pinot Noir grapes – the latter aiding in bringing forth a beautiful rose gold hue.
Tokara Reserve Collection Syrah
R385
Tokara’s Reserve Collection Syrah recently won the trophy as the best red wine overall at the inaugural Southern Hemisphere tasting of the Intercontinental Wine Challenge 2023. In addition to that, their Director’s Reserve White also struck Gold. Their Reserve Collection Stellenbosch Syrah 2020 is a classically styled, single vineyard wine melding the best of old and new world attributes. It comes with a nose of purple fig, cigar box, salted liquorice and violet perfume and a palate that boasts dark fruit and a chalky finish with a hint of red pepper kernels.
Durbanville Sauvignon Blanc
R120
The second vintage of the Durbanville Sauvignon Blanc was released this year and it’s been a huge success once again. The wine is a collaboration of the wine region’s thirteen producers, with its first iteration of 10 000 bottles selling out last year within a mere six months. If you can get your hands on a bottle of the second vintage, we say: Grab it! It is a wonderfully aromatic wine with a prominent acid structure and balance. It harnesses the season’s early and later-harvested fruit, showing notes of tropical fruit and lingering hints of fresh-cut grass.
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Van Ryn's 12 Year Old Potstill Brandy
R539
Van Ryn’s brandies have received yet another World’s Best Brandy trophy. In the short space of only four months, they’ve been awarded a second trophy – this time for their Van Ryn’s 12 Year Old Potstill Brandy. It was dubbed the World’s Best Brandy Trophy for brandies eleven years and older at the 2023 International Spirits Challenge in London. In May this year, they received the award for the World’s Best Wine Brandy at the 2023 World Brandy Awards, also announced in London. The brandies are crafted in Stellenbosch and, made from wine grapes, double distilled in copper potstills and aged in oak barrels with no flavour preservatives added, they are made exactly according to the French traditional Cognacs.
Muratie Cabernet Sauvignon
R310
While 31 August marked International Cabernet Day, we celebrate Cabernet Day every day, easily. One Cabernet Sauvignon that we truly enjoy is the Muratie Martin Melck Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, which is made from Cabernet grapes that grow on the slopes of the majestic Simonsberg in Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch’s rich combination of ancient soils, sites, skilled winemakers and a Mediterranean climate with maritime influences make for some excellent wines, and it’s the main reason for it being known as the Cape Winelands’ Kingdom of Cabernet. The Muratie Martin Melck Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 has an intense ruby colour in the glass, with captivating aromas of dark fruit and spice. It’s a full-bodied, complex wine with a lingering finish.
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