News

You'll be able to taste De Grendel's range of award-winning wines at the Knysna Oyster Festival this weekend.

We'll be there in full force at the following spots:

Well Wine-ter has definitely hit South Africa and with the first snows of the year settling on higher grounds it is time to lit the fires and start to cosy up. We always talk about food and wine pairings but at this time of year there is a new pairing on the block. A glass of De Grendel Merlot next to a roaring fire.

There is something intoxicating and comforting about the smell of the smoke, with tones of aniseed, liquorice and cedar, the crackle and pop of the flames and also that distinct orange glow from the fire reflecting on your glass of merlot. These distinct fireside tones will be picked up softly on the palate while sipping on your De Grendel Merlot.

It is the time of year to get out your blankets, turn on the under floor heating and dig out your favourite pair of winter slippers. After a long and cold day at work there is nothing more relaxing than getting into your slippers and watching a movie or reading a book by the fire. That reassuring velvety softness that you feel when putting on your slippers is the same velvety feel you get in your mouth from the well-rounded tannins and the soft background of soft French oak. The extra warmth from the slightly higher alcohol that you are used to from the lighter summer wines radiates in you and enhances the feeling of being warm and cosy.

We are starting now to produce more hearty meals with roasts and stew the order of the day. The enticing smell of these slowly cooking in your kitchen will enliven the characteristics of the merlot and as such will be the perfect food partner for De Grendel Merlot. We have included a recipe for a coq au vin which we feel is the perfect food partner.

COQ AU VIN Serves 4
Ingredients

Marinade
• 1 bottle De Grendel Merlot
• 1 tbsp Blackcurrent Jelly
• 1 Onion chopped
• 1 stick celery chopped
• 1 Large Carrot chopped
• 4 Cloves of Garlic
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves

Stew
• 4 large chicken joints
• 100g Smoked streaky bacon
• 1 tbsp Plain flour
• 25g butter
• About 20 button onions, peeled
• About 20 button mushrooms
• 3 carrots thickly sliced
• A good handful of chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Place all the dry marinade ingredients into a casserole dish and sautee until soft add the wine and bring to the boil. Allow the volume of liquid to reduce by one-third and strain into a clean, non-reactive bowl and set aside to cool. Place the chicken pieces into the marinade, cover and leave to chill in the fridge for at least 5-6 hours or, preferably, overnight.
2. Warm olive oil in the casserole dish and gently fry the pancetta until golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
3. Remove the chicken joints from the marinade, setting the liquid aside. Season the chicken joints with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the joints in the flour, and then fry until golden-brown in a little olive oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Add the butter to the dish and place the onions, mushrooms and carrots into the casserole and fry gently for 10 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove any excess fat with a spoon and return the chicken and bacon to the pot, turn up the heat and pour over the cognac. Set alight, allow the flames to die down and then add the reserved, reduced wine. Gently simmer for one hour. (Alternatively, cook the casserole in an oven preheated to 170C)

Are you going away for the holidays? Here are De Grendel’s Top Stress Saving Tips for packing this Winter Holiday:

1. Make a list of the De Grendel wines you will need this holiday.

2. Know your destination’s physical address.

3. Plan a delivery schedule according to your preferences. We deliver within 2-5 working days, Monday-Friday.

4. Go to www.degrendel.co.za, add your wines to your Cart, when ready Check Out your order, add your Delivery Address, and pay with Credit Card or Instant EFT via our secure payment gateway, PayFast, to have your wines delivered directly to your holiday house.

5. Turn on your fridge as soon as you arrive so when your De Grendel wines arrive you can start to chill them straight away.

6. Enjoy your holidays and travel safely! 

BUY DE GRENDEL WINES ONLINE NOW

Follow all of these tips for a stress-free holiday and free up more space in your car to pack in those extra toys to keep your children busy while you relax. Safe travels and happy holidays.

Remember, if you run out of wine while on holiday and your local dop shop doesn’t stock our wines, you can always order more via your phone, tablet or computer on www.degrendel.co.za to be delivered at your door within 2-5 working days depending on location.

*T&Cs: Not for sale to persons under the age of 18.

**COMPETITION EXTENDED UNTIL 31 AUGUST 2015**

We launched the new De Grendel online shop in June and to kick off the celebrations, we are giving away a grand prize to the value of R15,000* to one lucky customer who shops with us online over the next months. The prize includes enough De Grendel wine to fill a fridge, lunch at De Grendel restaurant for two and a R5,000 shopping voucher from leading local fashion boutique, Habits.

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN, simply buy 12 bottles or more of De Grendel wine from the new degrendel.co.za online shop by 31 August 2015 (updated), and you will automatically be entered into the random draw.

Additional bonuses - with each order of 12 bottles or more you will automatically receive FREE delivery to major city centres across South Africa, and you will automatically join the De Grendel Loyalty Club, qualifying you for great future benefits.

START SHOPPING NOW >> 

(*T&Cs apply. Not for sale to persons under the age of 18)

With the first rains of the season afoot the leaves are turning and falling. The forest floors around the Western Cape come alive with a vast array of wild mushrooms. Taking a stroll through one of these forests will enliven the senses. The very distinct and familiar smells of the wet leaves, mushrooms and the lighter woody tones of the wet bark producing hints of vanilla, clove and liquorice will prepare your mind for the lovely soft presence of all of these components in our De Grendel Op die Berg Pinot Noir 2012.

The crisp sunny days of June still give us a glimmer of hope that it is not yet full blown winter. The very berry characteristics that you are presented with on the nose, then the fruit forward characteristics on the palate, playfully trick your senses that it is indeed still summer and that we can hold off lighting those first fires for a few more weeks.

With the mix of the warmer days and cold nights the meals that we prepare and eat also start to change. We are still enjoying the lighter fare during the day and then moving more towards the homely, heartier meals in the evenings. Pinot Noir is known as the king of pairing and it is as comfortable sitting alongside the lighter fare and the hearty home cooked meals. This is one of the only wines that has the flexibility to do this.  

It is no wonder that one of the perfect food partners for the De Grendel Op die Berg Pinot Noir 2012 is a decadent Wild Mushroom Risotto. 

“Although it’s early days, the 2015 vintage may just turn out to be on par with 2007, the best vintage I’ve ever been part of, ” says Cellarmaster Charles Hopkins of De Grendel's 2015 harvest.

Sunday, 12 April will see some of the best South African Pinot Noir producers take to the sprawling lawns of the Vineyard Hotel to celebrate the virtues of this humble grape.

Join us for an evening to experience De Grendel’s award winning wines at Café del Sol in Johannesburg.

Sir David Graaff passed away at home on the De Grendel family farm on Saturday, 24 January 2015, after a short illness.