SOUTH AFRICAN WINES

Ginny Povall Aboretum Red 2017, Botanica Wines, South Africa, £18.88, Lay & Wheeler

Robbie Toothill, buyer for Lay & Wheeler, says this is one of the finest Bordeaux blends (cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot) they’ve come across in the Cape. Think lovely juicy dark fruit, just a hint of spice plus herbal notes.

“Over the last few years, we’ve seen huge excitement and growth in demand for the wines of South Africa. Understandably so; it’s a region with dynamic, talented winemakers, crafting expressive, age-worthy wines, many of which are produced in miniscule quantities,” says Toothill.

The Society’s Chenin Blanc 2020, Stellenbosch, South Africa, £7.50, The Wine Society

With mouthwatering acidity, this chenin blanc is overflowing with apple, bright citrus and ripe stone fruits and tastes beautifully fresh.

M&S Classics Workhorse Chenin 2020, Stellenbosch, South Africa, £8, Marks & Spencer stores

Marks & Spencer’s Classics wine range is rapidly gaining recognition – coaxing all that’s best from the world’s greatest wine regions, at the most accessible prices – and here, South Africa’s hero white grape is just as stimulating, with apricot, pear and vanilla flavours.

Houdamond Pinotage 2016, Stellenbosch, South Africa, £13.50, Marks & Spencer stores

Sue Daniels, M&S Winemaker highly recommends their Houdamond, which she notes is “intense and full-bodied – from Bellevue Estate, our partners of 15 years and growers of the first commercial pinotage”.