Wine Note
2023 Capaia South African Rosé (Majestic £7.99)
In summer we like our rosé wines to be pale pink, subtly flavoured and to have just a touch of sweetness. If they come from the Loire or Provence and so conjure up lazy lunches on sunlit terraces, so much the better.
In autumn, as we move from garden to patio to dining room, we need wines with more flavour and body than these pinks can provide. But where from?
Philadelphia is the answer. But not from the city in Pennsylvania but from the ‘ward’ in the region of Tygerberg in South Africa.
Though it comes from the ‘New World’, it has impeccable European connections; the estate’s owners include Baroness von Essen from Germany and Comte von Neipperg from St. Emilion. It’s made from Shiraz, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc.
The wine’s colour, onion skin rather than pink, suggests its role is accompanying food rather than providing mid-morning Mediterranean refreshment. It’s dry with flavours of red fruits which are balanced by its acidity.
Majestic suggests drinking it with meaty fish. For a true South African experience, try it with biltong or bobotie. Gesondheid!
John Freeland (u3a Wine Tasting Group)