Gone are the days of throwing back Jagermeister shots and gulping down two buckets of goodness knows what to let loose and “have a good time.” As I’ve grown older, and shall we say… matured, I’ve started gravitating towards wine, writes Cape {town} Etc’s Lynn Cupido.
However, my newfound taste for the finer things in life hasn’t always aligned with the number reflected in my bank account, and I’m not exactly an expert when it comes to the flavour profiles of that R80 boxed wine. So, I decided to find an expert that walks the walk and talks the talk.
Enter Jamie-Leigh Overmeyer, a young female winemaker that’s making a few waves (and bottles) of her own in the wine industry. I decided to lean on her expertise and asked for a few recommendations on delicious wines that won’t have me eating bread and wine for the rest of the month but would still provide quality and value.
There’s no question that the wine industry has taken a huge knock due to lockdown restrictions and prohibition.
“I tried to stay away from the typical and stereotypical South African wines that everyone seems to know and love and tried focusing on smaller businesses that are family owned and have niche markets of their own,” states Jamie.
These are the businesses that really need our help, says Jamie. So, without further ado, here are her top five picks for wines under R150.
Swanepoel SMG Rosé 2021 @R120/bottle
Looking for some creamy characters that are comparable to strawberry yoghurt? Jamie says this is the one! This one-of-a-kind rosé is made by Oude Compagnies Post, a small family-owned farm in Tulbagh. “This is very different to typical rosés. It’s oaked, so it possesses a creamy finish.” This boutique winery also has a large focus on implementing natural winemaking techniques, so there’s a minimal intervention approach, says Jamie.
Mooi Bly Dry Chenin Rose 2021 @R85/bottle
Nestled in the Paarl’s wine valley, this is an extremely boutique winery that produces incredibly unique wines known as a “unicorn wine,” says Jamie. So, what the heck is a unicorn wine? “It’s a Chenin rosé that uses no red skin contact at all but is rather matured in a red wine barrel to give the wine a slight pink colour.” It’s also playful and adventurous, providing a crisp character from the Chenin that offers a slight red berry character thanks to the stained red wine barrel.
Lovane Malbec 2019 @R85/bottle
Lovane Boutique wine estate is often referred to as a “super boutique,” but is a niche farm that specialises in Bordeaux blends with five varieties (Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec) and is situated on Polkadraai Road, Stellenbosch. “All grapes are hand-picked, and the bunches are sorted for quality in the vineyards, while the actual individual berries are sorted once in the cellar to ensure optimal quality. “A labour of love,” says Jamie. If you’re looking for a beautiful juicy wine that includes berries, plum and soft tannin structure, then this should be on your wine list.
Reyneke Organic Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 @ R97/bottle
According to Jamie, this is one of the leading organic/biodynamic wines in South Africa and is another great winery to check out on Old Polkadraai Road, Stellenbosch. They have a heavy focus on environmental preservation, biodiversity and nature. The best part? Vegans have something to sip on too as this is not only organic but vegan-friendly. It’s “an extremely complex wine with characters of black pepper, plum and a cedar finish.”
Bonus! Jamie’s Grenache 2021 @ R160/bottle
Support an up-and-coming winemaker by indulging in this smooth sipping Grenache. The grapes are from the Tulbagh Wine Valley and take on an incredibly natural approach to winemaking – they were never pumped, have no additives, no filtering and has undergone spontaneous fermentation. “Varietal and terroir expression, human touch and minimal intervention were core objectives throughout this process,” states Jamie. Beautiful structure. Encompassing a red berry and cinnamon spice cocktail takes this wine to the next level. If you’re keen on supporting a freelance winemaker while being one of the first to try out this unique wine, make sure you contact Jamie: [email protected]
Also read:
329-year-old historic Morgenhof Wine Estate sold for R52.25m
Picture: Unsplash
