Cheers! Quaffers & keepers

Some of these beautiful wines are perfect for the richer, stronger flavours of the autumn food we’re eating right now, while others are great – but will be even more spectacular in years to come.

THE QUAFFERS

A full-bodied Chenin is a beautiful thing, especially as the weather starts to cool. Spier’s 21 Gables Chenin Blanc is flavourful and rounded, and pairs fantastically well with richer, stronger flavoured foods. R185

De Wetshof are good at Chardonnay – as they should be, they make five – and their Finesse 2017 is lovely. Citrussy, nutty and fresh, it’s just the thing for a long, languid Mother’s Day lunch. R130

Org de Rac Verdelho 2017 is made from a very small quantity of Verdelho (a Portuguese varietal) grown here. It isn’t complicated or complex, just light and easy to drink right now. R80

Angels Tears Le Chocolat Pinotage 2017 is a mediumbodied wine with hints of chocolate and plum. Fruity without being rich, it’s even better slightly chilled. R55

The Garden Route Sauvignon Blanc 2017 comes from the cool, rainy Outeniqua Mountains and is beautifully crisp and fruity. Previous vintages have all been four-star Platter picks, and this one won Gold at the 2017 Vitis Vinifera Awards. At R70, it’s affordable and delicious.

THE KEEPERS

The Constantia Glen TWO 2017 is gorgeous. For the first time, the wine (or a portion of it) is matured in a clay amphora, giving a whole new dimension to the idea of

terroir: the vines don’t just grow in soil, but mature in it too. It’s a worldwide trend and it really works here. R270

Steenberg Merlot 2015 is rich and smooth with a lovely hint of fynbos and herbs. It’s the vineyard’s biggest seller and is a good buy: delicious right now, it will (like all of us, of course) age beautifully too… Steenberg recommend laying it down for about 15 years. R175.

Tokara Director’s Reserve Red 2013 is a spectacularly balanced blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. If you’ve got the patience, Tokara believe it will reach its peak in 2026, so you’ll have to forget about it for a while, or gift it to someone you love... a lot. R400