Welcome to the wine list of Birkenhead House. Having spent much of my working life involved with wine, I have tried to create a wine list that has a true representation from the wines in South Africa and balanced with wines of both New World and the Old World in style, providing wines to suit most tastes and palates.
I am often asked what my favourite wine is and my answer would be that I really do not have one. There are so many great wines made in South Africa that it depends upon the occasion, what I am eating, the time of year but I think most importantly the company I’m in.
I have selected a range of House wines from our surrounding areas to offer a variety of grape types to suit many dishes, which are all available by the glass or bottle.
This wine list is a work in progress and hopefully will never be finished. Please also note that some of the vintages offered are rare and we might not carry large quantities.
If you have the time look through the list there are some fantastic wines from both individual family producers to large winemaking companies. They all have their place on our list and I have tasted them all. If you would like to talk about a particular wine or need some help selecting, please feel free to ask. However I am a great believer in “Drink what you like, when you like.” Wine is all part of the occasion, the more you enjoy what we have to offer at Birkenhead House the better the wine will taste.
Happy imbibing,
Ricardo Roux
WINES AVAILABLE BY THE GLASS
VILLIERA BRUT N/V ALC 12% VOL
Traditional grapes of Chardonnay & Pinot Noir were used but with a South African twist with the addition of Pinotage. Subtle flavours, dry & light.
Stellenbosch
VILLIERA BRUT ROSÉ N/V ALC 12% VOL
Dominantly Pinot Noir with a dash of Chardonnay. Bright red fruit follows through to the palate. Refreshingly dry.
Stellenbosch
ASHBOURNE SAUVIGNON BLANC / CHARDONNAY 2014 ALC 12% VOL
Pale straw. Slightly dank wet wool and earthy aromas, fresh and zesty on the palate, ample weight and length.
Walker Bay
BEAUMONT CHENIN BLANC 2014 ALC 13.5% VOL
Fresh pure unoaked Chenin Blanc, made to express the delicious purity of the grape. A lovely wine to enjoy on its own or even better with a slightly spicy dish.
Bot River
EAGLE’S CLIFF SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 ALC 13.5% VOL
Rich tropical flavours characterise this elegant wine with its slightly grassy character.
Worcester
HARTENBERG WEISSER RIESLING 2012 ALC 12.5% VOL
The spicy richness on the nose gives way to a taut yet floral and fruity mid-palate that has both richness and complexity. The residual sugar is barely noticeable and if anything it contributes extra fullness and richness to the palate.
Stellenbosch
KLEINE ZALZE WOODED CHARDONNAY 2014 ALC 14.5% VOL
A pronounced bouquet of citrus blossom, lime and ripe pear which is followed by layers of white peach and hints of vanilla on the palate. The wine has great length and persistent minerality.
Stellenbosch
TERRA DEL CAPO PINOT GRIGIO 2014 ALC 12% VOL
Crisp, fresh citrus entry onto the palate with light, clean grapefruit and lemon flavours. Deliciously refreshing and unfussy.
Franschhoek
SIMONSIG GEWüRZTRAMINER 2014 ALC 12.5% VOL
Litchis and floral notes. White Turkish delight embraces the palate and makes an exit with a tantalizing lime finish. The rich and complex layers of fruit are well balanced with a fine and delicate acidity and off dry.
Stellenbosch
7 SPRINGS UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2014 ALC 12.5% VOL
An elegant well balanced unoaked Chardonnaywith fresh citrus fruit aromas, subtle notes of white blossom, melon and peaches, together with a fresh and vibrant palate.
Overberg
Birkenhead House uses the Private Preserve wine preservation system rated the best in the world to ensure all our wine served by the glass is served at optimum drinkability and is always protected from oxidation.
WINES AVAILABLE BY THE GLASS
LA RESIDENCE ROSÉ 2013 ALC 12% VOL
A pale pink, delicately fruity wine with nuances of apple and fresh berries with a dry and crisp finish.
Franschhoek
BLAAUWKLIPPEN MALBEC 2011 ALC 14.5% VOL
This intense wine entices with whiffs of dark peppermint chocolate, mocha, rum and red berries. Full bodied with rich, ripe tannins and a complex, deep structure.
Stellenbosch
EENZAAMHEID CUVEE 1693 2013 ALC 14% VOL
Layers of red fruit, black fruit and spice on the nose. Bold structure with fresh acidity and silky tannins.
Paarl
JACKSON'S PINOTAGE 2013 ALC 14.5% VOL
Full bodied with plumy fruit, cinnamon and pipe tobacco. Compact fruit and firm tannins ends in a long lingering finish.
Stanford
NEWTON JOHNSON FELECITÉ PINOT NOIR 2013 ALC 13% VOL
Red berries, brambles and pomegranates on the nose. Poised elegance, smooth on the palate, with a lingering finish. Impressive structure.
Hemel and Aarde Valley
SEVEN SPRINGS PINOT NOIR 2012 ALC 14% VOL
A beautifully balanced, vibrant wine it is garnet in colour, with delicate woodland and truffle undertones. Offering opulent aromas of raspberries, cherries and strawberries, the oak is subtle, supporting the fruit driven profile of this wine.
Overberg
TERRA DEL CAPO SANGIOVESE 2012 ALC 13.5% VOL
Texture is the first impression, a touch chalky but then the tangy blue and black berry fruit and rich red plum spice take over. It is deliciously succulent and juicy in the mouth.
Franschhoek
VERGELEGEN CABERNET SAUVIGNON / MERLOT 2011 ALC 14% VOL
Aromas of black and redcurrant, coffee, tobacco, mocha and oak. A mid-weight wine with noteworthy richness and a firm spine of harmonious acidity and intense berry and spice flavours.
Helderberg
Birkenhead House uses the Private Preserve wine preservation system rated the best in the world to ensure all our wine served by the glass is served at optimum drinkability and is always protected from oxidation.
LIMITED RELEASE WINES
DP Burger, winemaker & viticulturist of Glenwood Wine Estate in Franschhoek hand selected the grapes for these wines at optimal ripeness, to emphasize the fruit characters. The La Residence Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz has been matured in oak for 12 months and only 2700 bottles of each were produced and is exclusively available from The Royal Portfolio. Velvety smooth wines. Both true to their varietal characteristics.
La Residence Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 ALC 13.5% VOL
La Residence Shiraz 2012 ALC 14% VOL
RESERVE WINES
CHAMPAGNE
Champagne is the ultimate drink of celebration and consolation. At moments of happiness and triumph there is nothing quite like it.
BILLECARTE SALMON ROSÉ N/V ALC 12% VOL R 2200
This small family-run Grande Marque house, founded in 1818, is now one of the most innovative in winemaking techniques.
Mareuil-sur-Ay
BOLLINGER 1999 ALC 12% VOL R 4800
Bollinger is one of the greats of champagne, a true Grande Marque with a very proud tradition dating back to the 15th century.
Ay
FOLLET SPECIAL BRUT N/V ALC 12% VOL R 850
Champagne with much character, expressing its own terroir. Its fruitiness and structure are in perfect harmony with its freshness and delicacy, typical of a quality Champagne.
Reims
LOUIS ROEDERER CRISTAL 2006 ALC 12% VOL R 11500
Cristal is a remarkably balanced and refined champagne whose length is inimitable. It has a silky texture and fruity aromas.
Reims
MOËT & CHANDON - DOM PERIGNON 2000 ALC 12.5% VOL R 5500
Moët is probably the best known of all champagne houses and certainly the largest.
Reims
METHODE CAP CLASSIQUE
Methode Cap Classique is the name given to sparkling wines made in South Africa according to the ancient “METHODE CHAMPENOISE”.
colmant brut reserve N/V ALC 12.5% VOL R 320
A true Brut with pin-prick mouse, Granny Smith apple freshness and finesse. Spent two years on the lees and can definitely be felt by the weight on the palate.
Franschhoek
colmant brut ROSÉ N/V ALC 12.5% VOL R 370
This blush coloured MCC shows elegance and sophistication. Beautiful Raspberry fruit and brioche aromas displayed by the Pinot Noir
Franschhoek
G.M. & AHRENDS BRUT 2009 ALC 12.5% VOL R 1200
The 2009 vintage is an exciting wine and shows that the 2008 was not a one-off success. Delightful flavours of citrus, lemon and an intriguing hint of red berry richness, the latter from the Pinot Noir grapes.
Franschhoek
KLEIN CONSTANTIA BRUT 2010 ALC 11.5% VOL R 550
Crisp and fresh minerality and flintiness upfront is followed by orange zest, lime and underlying cherry and vanilla tones.
Constantia
Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right - Mark Twain
BLENDED WHITE WINES
In the old world the majority of wines are blends of two or more grape varieties and wines are bought solely on the quality of the estate or area that they are grown in rather than the grape varieties used. Blends allow an estate to produce a wine that truly reflects the best of what the estate has to offer.
ASHBOURNE SANDSTONE 2009 ALC 12.5% VOL R 550
A clear, pale golden colour. Showing very complex aromatics. Lovely honey, green peas, litchis and petals all emerge on the nose. The palate shows a lovely mouth feel together with a waxy, weighty character. This is a serious, grown-up wine, not unlike a great dry white Bordeaux. 80% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Chardonnay and 5% Sémillon.
Hemel & Aarde Valley
CREATION SAUVIGNON BLANC / SEMILLON 2014 ALC 14% VOL R 250
Light straw-yellow in colour, with glints of green. The invigorating, salty bouquet, reminiscent of the fresh sea breezes caressing our vineyards, is complemented by delightful hints of green fig. All in all a unique, terroir-expressive Bordeaux-style white.
Walker Bay
The Sadie Family Palladius 2007 ALC 14.5% VOL R 1100
The qualities of the 2007 vintage we embrace are those of restraint aromatic profile and some very fine spicy aromas. The palate is more restrained as well with impressive notes of minerality and some very well structured tannin and an acidity that finishes the wine off in a very long aftertaste. A blend of 45% Chenin Blanc, 20% Grenache Blanc, 15% Clairette Blance, 10% Viognier and 10% Chardonnay.
Malmesbury
The Sadie Family Palladius 2010 ALC 14.5% VOL R 1200
The 2010 Palladius is a blend of a spectrum of grape varieties similar in style to the 2008 vintage. It displays characters of tropical fruits, limey notes and slight nuances of almond and hay. The aromatics also have a salty, mineral character that comes through on the mouth feel and finish. The 2010 vintage displays a firmer acidity and freshness, giving structure and length.
Malmesbury
Drink wine, and you will sleep well. Sleep and you will not sin. Avoid sin, and you will be saved. Ergo, drink wine and be saved –
Medieval German saying
CHARDONNAY
Chardonnay has had a checkered history in South Africa with some of the first cuttings so named being eventually identified as the very much less exciting Auxerrois. Naturally this was some time ago and the quality of clones planted has since improved.
Ataraxia 2013 ALC 13.5% VOL R 480 A chiselled, focused wine that effortlessly manages to be both subtle and intense. It has a rich core of fiercely expressive grapefruit, white flowers, pear and grilled hazelnuts aromas and flavours. Creaminess and intriguing complexity define this stylish.
Hemel & Aarde Valley
Bouchard Finlayson Missionvale 2012 ALC 14% VOL R 495
This is an intensely focussed wine of near perfect balance. It is fresh, marginally oaked for six months with an almost white peachy crispness, mixed with a complex yeasty orchestration of flavours. It ends with a tang of richness on the palate.
Hemel & Aarde Valley
Bouchard Finlayson Sans Barrique 2014 ALC 13% VOL R 250
Crafted in a Burgundian Chablis style for wine lovers who like their Chardonnay unhindered by the taste of oak. It projects a strong tropical and citrus fruitiness while not overpowering the dry mineral tones on the mid-palate.
Hemel & Aarde Valley
CRYSTALLUM THE AGNES 2011 ALC 13.5% VOL R 380
The third vintage of The Agnes retains the freshness and life of the 09, but is a more seductive wine. The palate is zesty with strong lemon and lime flavours coating a textured, fleshy core.
Hemel and Aarde Valley
Hamilton Russell 2014 ALC 13% VOL R 655
This Chardonnay is again different to most New World Chardonnays. A prominent core of intense pear fruit aromas and flavours is brought beautifully into focus by a tight line of natural acid and a dry minerality
Hemel & Aarde Valley
Iona 2012 ALC 13.5% VOL R 390
Rich, creamy and nutty with a lemony acidity, strong mineral undertones and a discreet use of French oak. 50% of the wine is wild fermented in French oak of which only 20% is new wood. Careful stirring of the lees gives a rich, concentrated mouth feel.
Elgin
LIEBEN 2012 ALC 14% VOL R 480
The 2014 unfolds a bouquet of fragrant wild flowers, litchi and almond. Between citrus layers of lime and grapefruit an elegant minerality fills the palate and leaves a lingering honeycomb finish laced with the subtle fragrance of new oak.
Coastal
PAUL CLUVER 2011 ALC 13.5% VOL R 420
Tangerine fruit and citrus blossom fragrances are apparent, with hints of vanilla pod and almond flakes. These characteristics follow through onto the palate. The fine, fresh acidity is natural, and adds poise and focus to the wine.
Elgin
SPRINGFIELD METHODE ANCIENNE 2011 ALC 13.5% VOL R 680
This vintage is in the ancient style of Burgundy, rarely is this technique with wild yeast and no fining/filtration used in the new world. Thus, a wine of distinctive and classical character. Tropical fruit nuances layered by lime and cream.
Robertson
SAUVIGNON BLANC
Piercingly aromatic, crisp variety solely responsible for some of the world’s most popular, and most distinctive dry white wines; Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, and a host of Sauvignons and Fumé Blanc from outside France.
Bouchard Finlayson 2014 ALC 13% VOL R 240
The vineyards, located close to the cold Walker Bay Atlantic Ocean enjoy consistent moderate summer temperatures which provide fine floral flavours. These are enhanced by heavy clay soils where the flavour tends to be more tropical than herbaceous. This elevated vintage presents a really fresh generously bodied wine with full zesty aromatic flavours, a long mineral finish and promise to develop with a full palate.