Zonnebloem Laureat 2007

With cold nights looming, not a bad idea to get in a bottle or two of the newly launched 2007 vintage of the well known ­ and loved ­ Zonnebloem Laureat.

2007 was Bonny van Niekerk’s first vintage as red wine maker at Zonnebloem and she has produced a stonker!

This bottle is crammed with red and black berries ­ grapes from the Stellenbosch appellation ­ and the mix of French, American and Hungarian oak is evidenced by the lovely spice and vanilla on the nose.  Deep ruby red in colour with garnet flashes around the rim of the wine.  Richly flavoured, quite intense, and good tannins to make this a great food wine.

Duck breast lightly smoked with curry spices, a venison casserole, a good sausage all cry out for this wine.

Maybe with a strip of game biltong while you watch the rugby or the World Cup games on television.

Well priced at about R85 a pop, you wont be disappointed.