It’s the season to eat, drink and be very, very merry!
Rare, limited and massively desirable
This XO Rosso Brandy is all dark fruit, rich spices, chocolate and French oak – so Christmas in a bottle, really. Our ed’s not sure if she’s going to give bottles away as a gift to a best friend, or keep them for herself. Maybe both. It’s one of two potstill XO brandies just released by Johan Venter, one of SA’s most accomplished brandy masters, under his The Inventer label. Limited editions (less than a thousand of each), they each come with a certificate of authenticity, were traditionally made with double distillation in copper pot stills and aged for at least ten years in French oak barrels. Neat, with just a splash of water or an ice block … happy Christmas indeed! R1250 a bottle, only from the inventer.co.za
Can you drink it? Nope. But you can certainly light it and pop it onto your holiday brunch table. Earl Grey Scented Candle – so all bergamot and lemon. R350 from thepiebald.com
Cheese & wine parties back in fashion (yay)!
Let’s talk cheese and wine parties. Massively fashionable in the late sixties and throughout the seventies, they then became totally uncool. But they’re back in (retro) style. And our ed’s thrilled! Glammest cheese serving platter she could find … this oversized, marble dual-colour option. With marble sourced from Rajasthan (the marble mecca of India), hand cut by artisans in Jodhpur, it’s an impressively solid piece, and massive. R999. She also fancies these ivory cups with 24-carat gold petals. Sold as tea cups, but here used instead for Bloody Marys, and to hold breadsticks. R720 for a pair. All from thepiebald.com (order online right now for Christmas deliveries).
Kaapse Vonkel Satin Nectar Rosé … a delicate string of fine bubbles, a gorgeous coral pink hue, decadent aromas of red apples, wild strawberries and cherriesare followed by flavours of sun-ripe peaches and fresh melon. And the packaging is the glorious cherry on the top. Drink this alone or with a decadent dessert, equally lovely with Chinese and Thai dishes, lightly dressed seafood salads, fruit salads with red fruits and berries, Japanese sushi or crayfish thermidor. R190 from simonsig.co.za and at most leading retailers.
Making merry without the hangover. Free Spirit Cocktails by Camille Wilson is a collection of wonderful cocktails – some sparkling, some sophisticated, some with just three ingredients, and some for the hols. Try A Berry Good Time … muddle five blackberries (or berries of your choice) with five or so mint leaves, three lemon wedges, and 22.5ml simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until chilled. Pour into a glass, top with sparkling water and serve. There’s a Gingerbread Martini recipe that we’re planning on making at every opportunity, too. Chronicle Books, R415
Whether you’re throwing a cocktail party, or have been invited to one and need to take a gift, here’s the perfect pair … Blaauwklippen’s Brut Cap Classique and Blush Rosé. Both have soft tones of pale salmon and tick all the balmy summer boxes. The 2020 Brut Cap Classique is a delicate and fresh wine with floral hints and a creamy core, and is the only Cap Classique made 100 per cent from Zinfandel grapes – it’s perfect for toasting (and making) memorable moments, or to set the tone for a romantic dinner. The 2022 Blush Rosé is sophisticated but light, with the crispness of a dry white and the fruity richness of a red – so the best of both worlds. It pairs well with Mediterranean-inspired summer dishes. R200 for the cap classique, R150 for the rosé at your local wine boutique.
