Graham Beck Chardonnay/Viognier

Name: Graham Beck
Color: White
Varietal: Blend (Chardonnay/Viognier)
Vintage: 2010
Country/State: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Price: $10
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

This was a nice white blend, mostly Chardonnay but with a nice touch of Viognier, that we enjoyed with dinner (chicken, with a white wine sauce, made with this same wine)...This wine had a nice nose and taste dominated by peaches and pears, with some lime. It was big and rich, but still crisp and fresh. It went well with the dinner and was also very good on its own. Another South African winner!

Indaba Chardonnay

Name: Indaba
Color: White
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2009
Country/State: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Price: $8 (on sale)
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


We had this chardonnay from South Africa tonight with crab and cheese on English muffins and grilled asparagus. The meal and the wine were similar - light, easy, and delicious.

The wine was light to medium bodied, with aromas of pineapples, pears, and honey. The taste was filled with apples, honey, citrus, and a little bit of cream. The finish was fairly long and completely enjoyable. For the price (normally around $10), the Indaba Chardonnay is a fantastic value. We continue to have great luck with wines from South Africa.

Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Excelsior
Color: Red
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: South Africa
Region: Various
Price: $9
Stars: 4 (out of 5)



We had this delicious little South African cab last night with homemade steak sandwiches and pasta. The dinner and the wine were terrific. The aroma is strong...It's full of juicy blackberries and black cherries. The flavor is similar, but also has a hint of dark chocolate on the mid-palate. The finish isn't incredibly long, but is still very satisfying. This wine drank very well on its own, as well. We continue to have good success with wines from South Africa, which we've really focused on lately thanks to the World Cup.

The Excelsior Cabernet is an excellent bang for your buck type wine that will please most anyone.

Dombeya Amalgam

Name: Dombeya Amalgam
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz/Merlot)
Vintage: 2004
Country/State: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Price: $17
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


We enjoyed this red blend last night with BBQ chicken fajitas. It's another South African wine that I bought recently, and it's another winner. This wine is big and juicy, but very smooth and easy drinking. The aroma is mostly red berries. The dominant taste is red and black berries, with a little bit of spice and earth.

Guardian Peak Frontier Red

Name: Guardian Peak Frontier Red
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot)
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Price: $18
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)

We first tasted this South African red blend several months ago at The Grape restaurant/wine store at International Plaza in Tampa. It was one of 3 South African reds that we tasted as part of a flight. We liked all three very much, but haven't seen any of them at our usual wine stores. Since Krista particularly liked these wines, I headed back to the restaurant's retail store to pick up a bottle for Mother's Day. This was the only one of the three that the small shop still stocks, so I bought it and we drank it on Sunday with cheeseburgers that I grilled, along with some fresh vegetables.

The Guardian Peak Frontier Red was excellent. It had a nice nose of dark berries and smoky chocolate. The taste was primarily blackberries, black cherries, coffee, and chocolate. It had a medium-plus feel in the mouth and a long finish. Apparently, this wine is made by a partnership in South Africa that includes golfer Ernie Els.

With the World Cup starting next month in South Africa, Krista and I plan on drinking several South African wines this summer. We've had good luck so far.