Cape Blends are South Africa's answer to Bordeaux, except the lead role goes to Pinotage, the country's own grape, with classic Cabernet varieties stepping in for backbone and polish. Three Cape Ladies is one of the benchmark examples, and it shows exactly why this style deserves more attention from UK wine drinkers.
Pour it and you get a lifted floral note straight away, rose petal, sweet cherry, a hint of plum. The palate is medium-bodied but generous, layered with dark berry compote, blackberry, and a whisper of rhubarb tang. There's mocha richness from well-integrated oak, a brush of warm spice, and fine tannins that give the wine real shape. It's the kind of red that fills the glass without ever feeling heavy.
The blend, Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, is a tribute to the women who have shaped Warwick Estate and South African wine more broadly, starting with Norma Ratcliffe, who taught herself to make wine on this Stellenbosch farm decades ago. That story still runs through every bottle.
Open it with a slow-roasted lamb shoulder, a Sunday rib of beef, or a properly charred sirloin with peppercorn sauce. It also loves aged Cheddar and anything off a charcoal grill. Delivered across the UK, and a thoughtful gift for anyone with a connection to the Cape.
