Longridge is an ambitious Cape estate in the premium region of Stellenbosch in the lee of the Helderberg mountains. It has been a farm since the 1840s. The current team, headed by the highly accomplished Jasper Raats, is focusing on environmental stewardship and matching various grapes to the estate’s wide array of soils and microclimates.South Africa’s current crop of innovative, passionate winemakers are working wonders with Chenin Blanc, the country’s signature white, and Longridge has proved its credentials with a Gold medal from the Decanter World Wine awards in London.Made from a single vineyard of 30 year old vines, this wine has crisp apple fruit, lively acidity and impeccable balance. A great wine with seafood and white meats.

Made from perfectly ripened grapes, fermented in new French oak barrels for 9 months, this is a classic, well balanced Chardonnay packed with fresh lemon, vanilla and toasty oak flavours. Full and rounded on the palate, with a fresh finish.

Mouthwatering Sauvignon Blancs plus two ‘taste-alikes’ we guarantee you’ll love. First up is Fonclose, a gooseberry-fresh delight from France’s gastronomic heartland. To the New World next to find Kora, an explosively aromatic star from Marlborough, and to Chile’s Elqui Valley – an astonishing Sauvignon hotspot on the very edge of the Atacama Desert! Venta Vieja proves Spain can craft outstanding Sauvignon and to finish, two citrus-charged delights to charm every single Sauvignon fan: The Gooseberry Bush from South Africa and Gascon treasure Domaine de Gaturlon.

Franschhoek Vineyards Ltd was founded in 1945 by a group of local farmers to vinify their grapes on a co-operative basis. They have long since shed this old co-op image and are now operating as a private winery within the premium wine stable of DGB(pty)Ltd. Revitalised management at this 60-year-old winery in the Western Cape’s idyllic Franschhoek Valley has rallied the number of crush-contributors to 50, including historic Huguenot estate La Motte. Besides initiating an uncompromised drive to produce great quality wines, Franschhoek Cellar now offers an outstanding value range of single variety wines such as this one-off bottling of Semillon.

Leading wine writers Hugh Johnson and Robert Joseph agree Robertson stands out in the Cape for quality and value. Bon Courage is firmly at the forefront of its top wineries, coming away from the South African Young Wines Show 2009 with nine Champion Wines and 19 Gold medals. Replanted in the 1960s with Chardonnay and Sauvignon, the estate has 175 hectares of beautifully mature vines producing intense flavours. Grapes are picked at night and early morning to maintain maximum freshness, then the juice of the crushed grapes is left on the skins for 24 hours to extract all those evocative pear and apple aromas. This has lovely balance and loads of easy South African style! Enjoy by the glass anytime or with grilled fish, roast chicken or pork.