With cooler weather slowly creeping in, we’re welcoming the change of season with some of our autumn favourites. Add a special touch to your sourdough with a volcanic olive oil from Terre Nere, or try Lustau’s Vinagre de Jerez Reserva – the darling of chefs and one of the world’s most highly rated vinegars. Sip Chapoutier’s Côte-Rôtie and Ermitage brandies on a cold night, and cosy up with Neal Martin’s Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide – replete with personal anecdotes and Neal’s witty humour. We wrap up our selection with Chinato, the ultimate Italian after-dinner drink and digestif.
Terre Nere Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva (750ml)
R 450 PER BOTTLE
Volcanic olive oil? You betcha. We’ve just received some of our best-loved oils from century-old olive trees growing on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. Marco de Grazia’s team give the same care to their trees as they do their vines. They’re all organically raised and kept, pruned every two years, and the soil around them is hand-tilled. The olives are hand-picked and cold-pressed each evening. Finessed and delicate, this olive oil is a must for any foodie and oenophile’s kitchen.
Emilio Lustau Vinagre de Jerez Reserva NV 1/24 (375ml)
R 195 PER BOTTLE
What could be better with your olive oil and sourdough than bonafide Sherry vinegar – Lustau’s artisanal Vinagre de Jerez Reserva! Aged in ex-Oloroso Sherry Casks following the system of ‘Solera y Criaderas’ for an average of 10 years, we didn’t know so many layers of flavour could exist in a vinegar. Bonus – because of the concentration and complexity, you’ll use far less at a time than with other vinegars.
Chapoutier Eau-de-Vie Brandies
R 1,050 PER BOTTLE
Relax this autumn with a 24-25-year-old brandy from the Northern Rhône. Chapoutier’s Eau-de-Vies from Côte-Rôtie and Ermitage respectively undergo single-batch distillation in their 100-year-old copper column still, to preserve the aromatic authenticity of the different Rhône Valley terroirs. They’re then aged for about two decades in older pièces (228-litre barrels) and demi-muids (600-litre barrels).
Gabriel-Glas 6-Piece Stemless Set
R 850 PER SET
Follow our in-house brandy expert and Operations Manager’s example and drink your brandies from our Gabriel Stemless glasses. Crafted from lead-free, Austrian crystal, the shape of the stemless glasses takes its cue from their famous ‘one for all ’ design. With a slightly broader and sturdier base, these are perfect for casual wine drinking, as well as cocktails and spirits. And they won’t blow away during a windy day in the Cape or a Highveld storm up north.
The Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide: 150 Years from 1870 to 2020
R 840 EACH
Every wine lover should own Neal Martin’s Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide – regardless of whether or not Bordeaux features in your life. More than a mere manual of the past 150 years, every vintage is also represented by a song, a film, and an event. It’s exciting to not only find birth year wines and vintage conditions but also your song, your movie and a global happening!
Pio Cesare and GD Vajra Chinato
FROM R 875 PER BOTTLE
You aren’t alone if you’ve never heard of Chinato. It’s somewhere between vermouth and amaro and is velvety, fruity, and spicy, with a slightly bitter finish. Made from 100% Barolo DOCG classified Nebbiolo grapes and infused with a whimsical mix of herbs and spices, it’s mind-blowingly complex. The drink’s bitterness mainly comes from the bark that produces quinine, cinchona or china (pronounced key-nah). Have it in the Gabriel Stemless, served chilled and neat, or with a bit of soda water and a side of dark chocolate.
