South Africa Wines Tasted

South African wine tasting with Christine Andrews Feb 26th, 2026.

Boschendal Cap Classic NV Brut, 50% Chard, 40% PN, 12 months on lees. Sustainable. A super lovely bouquet of fresh white peach and apple, quite leesy and very fresh. Some mineral and chalk qualities. Crisp and dry, lots of finesse and texture. Balanced and ready, medium length, lots of style and complexity. 10grams RS. 93 Points - Excellent

Boschendal Rose 68% PN, 27 % Chardonnay, 5% Pinotage. 8 grams RS. Quite a pale wine, not a traditional rose colour, some golden hues. Lots of style on the palate with apricots and apples, some leesy slightly oxidative layers. Very specific style, quite soft and fluffy. Non-traditional rose flavours for the NZ market. Is it nice - you bet! Balanced and well made. Firm-ish mousse. 90 Points - Premium.

Fryer's Cove, Cape West Coast Chenin Blanc 2024. Smallest Ward in SA. Vines 500 m from the sea shore. 15% 2nd and 3rd fill barrels. Lovely aromatics, acidity strikes quickly, then a return to the fruit with flavours of lees and old spice, dried spice and mineral soil rocky qualities. . High acidity, a wine will last for another 10-15 years. Taut, crisp and dry, length, youthful and well made. 93 Points - Excellent

.Fryer’s also make SB and PN,

Bellingham The Old Orchards Chenin Blanc 2024. No oak. Traditional, crisp, dry and classic. Flavours of apples and pears framed by some decent acidity, saline and fresh, dry and lengthy. Well made, youthful and quite taut. Nice aperitif style. 90 Points - Premium

Old Road Wines Chenin Blanc 2024. 'Anemos' [the wind] Swartland. Mineral seam in the bouquet, agently saline, lots of mineral and fresh white fleshed fruits on the palate. As the wine relaxes in glass the idea of salinity increases a little with some leesy chalky reductive notes. 9 months French barrel ageing, 8 months lees ageing, 5% new French 10% 2nd 3rd fill. Delicious, and get better as it gets warmer. 94 Points- Excellent.

Fryer's Grenache Cinsault 60/40 No oak. Great colour, chilled red style, plums and red cherries, some earthy floral layers, dry, crisp, fresh, tense, youthful. Some texture from the winemaker inputs, fruit tannins are needle point, a fresh and exuberant expression. Balanced, well made and ready. 90 Points - Premium.