Alcohol gift ideas for Christmas

The Grande Matriarch 2015 Method Cap Classique

The Grande Matriarch is Nitida’s first attempt at making a 100% Pinot Noir, a serious style Method Cap Classique.  It’s exuberant, pretty and generous. A delightful fine effervescence accentuates ripe raspberry and cherry within rosewater, with just a hint of marmalade which culminates in a memorable tautness.

Cost: R195 per bottle (RSP) and available at all major liquor stores over the festive period.

Roku gin

Roku Gin, the latest Japanese gin to hit South African shores, attributes their subtle, yet complex flavour profile to the seasons and harvesting their botanicals at the precise timing in which they blossom and bloom.  In light of the season of giving, Roku wishes to further their age-old tradition of sharing with the launch of their limited edition festive gift packs – a flawless gift for both the gin newbie and experienced veteran.

This celebratory gift comes complete with a beautiful bottle of Roku – a signature of Japanese craftsmanship, from the embossed bottle to the traditional label – accompanied by two ceramic cups, each etched with the Roku logo. Enthusiasts will find these spoils delicately packaged in a blush case, wrapped with a cherry blossom print that will hold its own under the tree.

Cost: R299 per bottle (RSP) and available at all major retailers nationwide.

JAN Wines

With wine having played a profound role in the culinary journey which lead to his becoming South Africa’s first Michelin-starred chef, Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen has launched his first wines under his own label. Both white and red wines, named after his award-winning restaurant JAN which is based in Nice, France, are blended from grape varieties grown on one of South Africa’s leading organic wine farms, Org de Rac in the Swartland region.

Only 600 bottles of each made.

Cost: R302 per bottle (RSP) and available at wine.co.za.

Sugarbird 12 Mini Gins Festive Gift Box

This exciting gift box contains a selection of 12 excellent South African craft gins in adorable mini 40ml bottles. It’s the perfect gift for someone who loves a G & T or a treat for yourself if you like trying new gin to find your favourites. If you’re getting into the festive spirits, you can even use it as a countdown calendar and enjoy one mini gin each day until Christmas as each gin is accessed through a perforated door just like a traditional advent calendar.

Cost: R399 and available at yuppiechef.com

Holly & Ivy Copper Republic Gin Festive Crackers, Pack of 6

Surprise your guests with these Copper Republic Gin Festive Crackers at your table. Each is filled with a bottle of mini Copper Republic African Dry Gin or Copper Republic Rooibos Grapefruit Infused Gin along with a hat and a cocktail recipe. These crackers are stylish enough to use as part of the decor for your tabletop and add an element of fun. South African family-owned brand Holly & Ivy pride themselves in manufacturing top quality, handmade crackers with love and attention invested in each one.

Cost: R389 and available at Yuppiechef.com

Yuppiechef Gift Boxes Man Of The Moment Gift Box

We’ve all met someone who has it all. The house, the car, the outdoor braai. Yes, the outdoor braai is huge in a country brought together amid a pall of boerewors smoke. So if you’ve got one of those friends, this is the gift. A selection of sauces, snacks, spices and drinks designed to make the one with everything feel like his glass is overflowing with goodness.

Cost: R499 and available at Yuppiechef.com

Graham Beck Brut Rosé 750ml

With its charming silver-pink blush and exuberant character this is a Méthode Cap Classique for those who appreciate a fizz with flair. Flirtatious and fun with pin-prick tiny bubbles that burst gently and exhilaratingly on your tongue. Aromas of raspberries, cherries and a few secondary whiffs of minerality. A lively mousse, but fine in the mouth, with subtle red berry flavours enlivened by bright acidity. Brisk, yet delicate on the palate, bursting with flavours of freshly crushed berries and hints of oyster shell. Flirtatious and fun, yet elegant and structured, it’s perfect for all seasons and settings.

Cost: R179.99 and available at Woolworths.co.za

Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon 750ml

This wine shows a dark, almost opaque colour while the nose is complex, showing black currants, spice and ripe plums. The palate is full with soft ripe tannins and excellent wood intergration. 

Cost: R309.99 and available at Woolworths.co.za

White Oak Shin single malt Japanese whisky

Distilled, matured and bottled in Japan, this single malt is from the Eigashima White Oak distillery. It was exclusively matured for 5 years in a single cask that previously held white wine. Only 500 bottles were produced. Non-chillfiltered, naturally coloured and bottled at 50%.

Cost: R1 950 and available at whiskybrother.com

Inverroche Amber Gin, 750ml

Inverroche Gin is double distilled in small batches of 250 bottles, using a specialised pot still process where alcohol vapour infuses with dried and fresh botanicals, resulting in a complex and intensely flavoured spirit.

The Amber variety is a handcrafted blend of intriguing flavours, combining the fresh floral botanicals of Africa with spices and berries from India and Europe. Well balanced and full bodied, it is smooth on the palate with a dry, warm finish.

Cost: RSP R459 and available at Yuppiechef