South African Bellingham The Bernard Series Bush Wine
Red South African Bellingham The Bernard Series Bush Vine Pinotage 2021 wine
Before serving this elegant Pinotage from the Bellingham estate in South Africa, it’s recommended to let it breathe for an hour. Established in 1693 by French-Dutch immigrants, the estate has a rich history and was restored by the Podlashuk couple in 1943. Known for its innovative wines, Bellingham remains a significant player in the country.
This particular Pinotage is crafted from grapes grown on mature vines in granite soils, hand-harvested, and fermented in open-air French oak vats. After aging in French oak barrels for a year, the wine boasts a deep color with plum hues and an intense aroma of red berries, cherries, and raspberry jam with a hint of spice. On the palate, it is full-bodied with wild berry flavors, balanced tannins, and a touch of acidity.
The subtle sweet spice notes from barrel aging linger on the finish. This versatile wine pairs well with South African spicy dishes, polenta with sausages, and grilled Chorizo.
White South African Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023 wine
Bellingham Winery in Franschhoek has a long history dating back to 1693 when the first vines were planted by Gerrit Janz van Vuuren and his wife on the property known as Bellinchamp, which means beautiful fields.
White Spanish Belondrade Quinta Apolonia 2023 wine
Quinta Apolonia is a refreshing white wine that should be served chilled. Made by the same winery as the well-known Belondrade y Lurton, it is considered one of the best Verdejos around. This wine is a blend of carefully selected wines that have been fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged on the lees for 3 months.
This process brings out the flavors of ripe peach and apricot, as well as hints of toast and sweet pastries. The winery, founded by Didier Belondrade, focuses on using Burgundian techniques to create high-quality white wines from the native Verdejo grape in Rueda. Starting as a small project in the 1990s, the winery now sits on the La Seca plateau, 760 meters above sea level.
The vineyards cover about 30 hectares of land with different soil types, allowing Belondrade to showcase the unique qualities of each wine and highlight the characteristics of the vineyards.
Red Spanish Benjamin de Rothschild – Vega Sicilia Macan 2019 wine
To get the most out of this wine, it’s best to pour it into a decanter an hour before serving. Macan Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia was created in 2004 as a collaboration between the Alvarez family’s Tempos Vega Sicilia Group and the Compania Vinicola Baron Edmond de Rothschild. Their aim was to make refined wines in Rioja, and their winery is in Samaniego, a small town 350 km north of Madrid.
After carefully choosing the best land, Macan released its first wines in 2009: Macan Clasico and Macan, which hit the market in 2013. The vineyard spans 92 hectares on the slopes of the Sierra Cantabria north of the Ebro River, which helps keep temperatures moderate. Tempranillo grapes are selected from small plots with clayey-limestone soils.
The Benjamin de Rothschild – Vega Sicilia Macan is a sophisticated red wine with a cherry hue, boasting intense scents of forest fruits, sweet spices, and cocoa. The taste is robust, complex, and rounded. This wine pairs well with Pata Negra, pork tenderloin, meat stews, or roast lamb.