I posted some time ago asking if anyone knew of a nice 'sweet' red wine. Well, after many a bottle taking pot luck - half of which have gone straight down the sink, we have found a gorgeous wine - Snappy Gum 'The Reserve' - its a cabernet sauvignon merlot and is divine! Only one problem.....I believe that only Asda stocks the wine and 'the reserve' isn't on sale continually, only comes on sale every now and again in promotions. They have the normal Snappy Gum red on sale all of the time but its nowhere near as nice as the reserve :-(

So.......now I know that we like our red wine full bodied, fruity (blackcurrants and cherries) and having what I would describe as having quite a strong liqourice taste. Can anyone recommend a red that sounds similar??

Thanks!

McGuigans Black Label Merlot...not my cup of tea but fits your description fairly well, I think :-)

Mmmm, think we have the same taste!  I generally like South African Wines, I will get back to you with some of the names of my favourites as I don't know them off the top of my head.  Cape Grace (Pinotage / Merlot) do some reasonably priced wines (berries and cherries flavour) and Kumala and Spier.  All available in supermarkets. I know not a wine but do you like Port?  Your description of what you like reminded me of a Vintage Port.

> Spier

They make fabulous wine, both red & white.  We stayed at their resort in SA back in August & did plenty of wine tasting, I particularly like their shiraz.  It's about £6 a bottle I think, I know they stock it in Tesco & Co-op.  There's a 40% off at threshers voucher doing the rounds, if anyone wants it PM me & I'll e-mail it to you.

How gorgeous is Spier???  Did you eat at Moyo's - what an experience.....

Yeah we did, stayed for 2 days & loved it, especially the horse riding & cheetah outreach centre! Moyos was great fun if not a little chilly in August, I think I had 3 rugs over me at one point! When did you go?

I used to live in South Africa and still have friends / relatives there, so I am lucky enough to go out quite often.  Spier is always on my list of visits.  LOVE IT there, the cheetah outreach was fab. If you ever go again in summer, Moyos is gorgeous in the evening, sitting in the treetops. Loved the rugs they had, could do with one now!!!!!

Sorry guys to go off topic!!!!!!

Porcupine Ridge is also a lovely wine.......

> I used to live in South Africa

You'll have me & Kiger so jealous! We've both been this year (&both got engaged there!) & have totally fallen in love with the place, we've both said we'd love to go back & live there.  Where did you live?

Sorry thread very much hickjacked!

Ooooh, congrats to you and your friend Kiger on your engagements. Very exciting and very romantic.

I also plan to go back one day.  I've lived in Jo'burg and Cape Town (Hout Bay), which is the next Bay past Camps Bay which you might have heard of - full of gorgeous people.

We go back to Hout Bay, love it there.  About 30 min from CT airport, but just enough away from the main touristy bits.  If I went back it would be there or Constantia, slightly inland but surrounded by beautiful vineyards and breathtaking views.

Oh no, I feel myself getting holiday broody!

> Hout Bay

We drove past there on our way to the Cape of Good Hope I think, we stayed for 3 days in Camps Bay & even though the weather was crap (it was August!) we loved it! Also drove through Constantia too I think, as Chapmans Peak was closed. Is Hout Bay where the seals are?

You're so lucky having lived there, I've been to quite a few places on hols but am always quite relieved to be coming home but not from SA, I had tears in my eyes as we were driving to the airport.  Everyone was so friendly & treated us like royalty, we stayed in some fabulous places & ate some amazing food! I get really emotional when I think about how good it was!

Kiger (is on here too!) stayed in PE & Durban area but I've been telling her how amazing CT & the Garden Route were!  If we had had more time I think we would have gone further North to Durban & Jo'berg, although the travel agent didn't recommend Jo'berg for tourists!  What would you recommend doing if we went back?  I'm hoping to convince OH to go back for our honeymoon but maybe go to Botswana & Victoria Falls!

Think this thread needs changing to South Africa!!! I could talk about it for ages & ages...sorry to the OP!

ooo i hear my name being mentioned! :-)

i could go about if for ages too! next year when we go we are flying to CT and staying there for a few days then im going to be working at drakenstein lion park for a few weeks then traveling up the garden route to PE working in another lion park for a few weeks an if we can save up enough money will be going up to durban to visit family.

my OH is from SA,he was born in durban and lived both there and in PE and still has family in both.

>  I get really emotional when I think about how good it was!
>

so do i gemma! i miss it so bad! :-(

> I had tears in my eyes as we were driving to the airport. 

i cryed my eyes out at the airport! even steven did!!
i would go back tomorrow if i could! people over here had told us all these things that we couldnt do because the country just isnt safe! i honestly didnt feel unsafe once,and we went threw some rough areas.we were told not to walk along the beach....we did this every day! i got engaged on the beach! its really not as bad as people make it out to be.

ooo you going to victoria falls gemma! lucky you! im working at the antelope park not too far from there in 2010,if you get a chance go there ive been told by so many people it is amazing!

Hi again,

Yes, Hout Bay is where you catch the boat for the seals.  Last time we did that was in October and we were lucky enough to see a whale with her baby.  So beautiful.  Chapmans Peak runs off of Hout Bay. Constantia is where Groot Constantia is (GREAT WINE OP), the largest vineyard in the Cape.

I agree, most people I have ever met that have been to South Africe totally fall in love with the place.  And the food............  Did you ever go to a really chilled out bar / food place called La Med in Camps Bay and watch the most breathtaking sunsets?

Just read your friend Kigers post, how lovely?  Sounds like she's going to have some great times and memories.

Jo'burg is ok, there is alot of history, but probably not for tourist visits.  Would 200% recommend the Kruger National Park (we got marred there) in Mpumalunga which is North West of Jo'burg.  You can do Safari's there from basic 'do it yourself' self catering chalets to full on 5 Star Delux.  Sun City is fun and there is a local smaller safari park called the Pilansberg about 20 minutes away from it.  Been to Vic Falls also, alot of years ago and had a fantastic time, although, I am not sure what it's like now.

If you ever need to know any more info or ideas when you are heading back please pm me - have been to a few places and know a great place to stay in Hout Bay, which is a great central location for visiting.  Love also, Kysna and Plettenburg Bay.......................................

I could go on forever. 

OH dear, I feel good old Blighty could be losing 3 members of it's population!!!!!!!!!!!

> OH dear, I feel good old Blighty could be losing 3 members of it's population!!!!!!!!!!!

If only!!

I have no idea but I'm shi----ting out my entire turkey dinner and I think my tongue has lost circulation.