Favourite Summer Wines

I am a big wine drinker. Hubby and I very often will share a bottle when out for a meal (or in for that matter). I drink wine when I’m stressed, when I’m cooking and on those ‘just because I feel like it’ days. I definitely gravitate towards whites, rosés and sparkling wines during the summer as they’re much lighter. So – I’ve put together a list of the summer wines I’ve been enjoying this season for you!

WHITE WINE

Buitenverwachting Buiten Blanc

We have long enjoyed this white blend, and actively look for it on restaurant menus. It’s a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Semillion, and exceptionally refreshing in the Durban summer heat. You’ll find notes of ripe gooseberries, green peppers, green melon and tropical fruits, and I find this to be very true. It’s a fruity and full bodied white that we’ve paired beautifully with a selection of Greek mezze from Mythos, seafood and salad. The absolute perfect summer wine.

It’s very easy to drink and easy on the pocket too, at around R65 a bottle.

ROSÉ WINES

Highgate Rosé

We had a taster of this rosé when we visited Highgate last year, and let me tell you it’s delicious! It has beautiful berry notes to it, and I’d really love to buy a few bottles to take to a pool party or braai. I can imagine this would be delicious with a salad with fresh berries in (I do a delicious one with baby spinach, feta and either strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or a mix of the three).

It retails for R140 and unfortunately you can’t find it in bottle stores or online, however you can order directly from the estate.

Vrede en Lust Jess Rosé

Probably our favourite rosé of all time, we’ve ordered this by the case on multiple occasions. We first tasted it at one of the wine shows and fell instantly in love, so it helps that we often see them offering tastings. They actually do tastings in the comfort of your own home too (great for parties!).

With notes of watermelon, strawberry and cherries, it is utterly delicious. You can buy it for around R75 a bottle, so decently priced too! This is probably our favourite summer wine.

Van Loveren Perlé De Jean

I was sent this bottle of crisp, dry rosé and challenged to pair it with a prawn dish. I made panko crumbed prawns on a light salad with grilled nectarines, and it was an utterly delicious pairing.

With notes of berries, citrus and melon, this wine has an ever so delicate fizz to it, and I think any prawn dish would be lucky to be served with it. It retails for around R58.

Creation Grenache Noir Viognier

We were introduced to the Creation Wines by my sister and brother in law, who used to run a restaurant in Hermanus. So, when we were in the area for their wedding at the end of 2018, we made a point of stopping to do a quick tasting. We sadly didn’t have time to try the food there (their small plate pairing is very popular), but we did taste a few wines and NONE disappointed us.

We actually really love their Viognier (a delectable white wine with peach and apricot notes that we’ve had several times, but for the life of me I don’t have one photos – retailing for R135), so I think it was going to be a definite that we’d fall in love with their beautiful blush blend.

There are strong berry notes in this light and very refreshing wine, and it’s a flavour you just can’t get enough of. It retails for R125 a bottle. An ideal summer wine!

SPARKLING WINES

Durbanville Hills Cool Climate Sparkling Rosé

I already like sparkling wine, and I love rosé but find that together they can often be too sweet. This is not a sweet bubbly at all, despite the described notes of candy floss, Turkish Delight and strawberries. It’s fresh and fruity and crisp, and so beautifully packaged that it would make an amazing Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day gift.

Paired with fresh berries and anything with a rose flavour will bring out those notes in the wine perfectly. It retails for R99.

Rietvallei Wines John B Brut Chardonnay

The John B wines are seriously under rated in my opinion, as I also enjoy their red. This sparkling wine is served at the Beverly Hills on arrival to hotel guests, as well as at their afternoon tea and their breakfast buffet. It’s also sold by the bottle at the Elements Bar.

I’ve only ever enjoyed the odd glass, but we were recently hosted at the hotel for afternoon tea, and we arrived early to relax at the bar, so we bought a bottle and even Hubs – who isn’t the biggest lover of bubbly overall – really enjoyed it!

Crisp citrus, orange blossom and apple make this super refreshing on the tongue, and it retails for R76.

Pongrácz Noble Nectar

I love sharing a bottle of the Noble Nectar with my mom – we both love how fresh and fruity this sparkling wine is, and the bottle is absolutely gorgeous. It’s purple packaging is so unique, and when placed under UV light, you’ll see it becomes even more beautiful!

Citrus, creamy butter, pears and litchi dance on the palate – while I don’t exactly taste butter per say, it holds a lovely creaminess. Retails for R160. A super festive summer wine.