Graham Beck wines have just released new vintages of two benchmark wines which were formerly called The Gamekeeper, a fabulous Chenin Blanc and a real stunner of a Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Game Reserve Chenin Blanc 2009 really shows its pedigree as the fruit comes from old vines – some 40 to 50 years old, which is old for a South African Vineyard. Essentially the older the vines, the better quality the wine.

So here we have a Chenin Blanc which has tropical fruit, sappy ripe green melon, ripe white fleshed peaches and the stamp of Chenin – honey. It’s got a brilliant mouthfeel, juicy stuff and a long long aftertaste, making it a great food wine.

Given away at about 50 bucks a pop.

The Game Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 draw its grapes from low yielding vineyards on the Graham Beck Estate in Robertson. Planted on the rich red soils of the Karoo, the grapes after pressing have the juice pumped over the cap of fruit and skins to extract maximum colour and flavour and to soften the tannins. Ten months of French Oak maturation follow, resulting in all the classical Cabernet Sauvignon boxes being ticked. Blackcurrant, cassis, dark chocolate and lovely spicy minerality. Classy stuff offering sappy first tastes, elegance on the palate and again a great aftertaste. Definitely a meat wine, roast, grill, braai or braise, venison, beef or lamb.

Very reasonable and great value price of around R80.00.