Nothing says romance like a glass of chilled pink bubblies, so say ‘I love you’ in sparkling style with the enchanting Krone Vintage Rosé Cuvée Brut 2019. Serve perfectly chilled and be beguiled by its gorgeous gossamer pink colour, graceful velvety mousse, alluring fragrance of wild strawberries and rose petals and its luscious creaminess.

If there is one must-have ingredient for this festive season, it’s KWV Brandy – a proven leader in taste and quality, with a range of brandies suited to every occasion. Recently, this international icon of drinks outclassed all other distillers at the coveted Veritas Awards when it claimed four Double Golds and one Gold medal. The epitome of these, was the competition’s first ever, perfect 100-points for any product, awarded to KWV’s 15 Year Alambic Blend Potstill Brandy.

Wine duo is only the second bottling in the range showcasing great vintages

Eikendal Wines has released the latest vintage wines in its premier range Infused by Earth, a terroir-focused collection produced only in years of exceptional quality. Both expressions hail from 2017, a vintage widely recognised as among South Africa’s best of the modern era.

When we consider the ever-changing nature of the world we’re living in, most of us want the steadying comfort of continuity and consistency. You’ll find it in Chateau Libertas, a well-loved, trusted and enduring household name, now nudging 90. What makes it so reassuring is that it’s been a part of our local landscape for what feels like forever. Every generation between our own and our great grandparents’ at least, has known it and loved it.

South African craft spirits’ innovator, Sugarbird, has produced a four-year old, Jamaican-style rum, infused with protea nectar, in keeping with the brand’s reverence for the Cape Floral Kingdom and fynbos’s seemingly endless flavour palette.

The latest addition to the Sugarbird stable, which includes several internationally-awarded gins and a superior 14-year pure potstill brandy, is the Sugarbird Cape Fynbos Rum. It is triple distilled using blackstrap molasses.

The celebrated Zandvliet winery has made it even easier and convenient for wine-lovers to enjoy its My Best Friend range, available in traditional bottles and now a two-litre wine-in-a-box format too. My Best Friend, which comprises a Cape White and Cape Red, is the perfect bring-your-own-wine summer companion when joining friends for a braai, sunset picnic, or simply a leisurely get-together around the pool.

I recently discovered Badger & Mountain wines situated in Tulbagh, known for its quality soil and climate the Badger & Mountain wines reflect the valley. Their vision is to safeguard the stability amongst planted and natural parts of the farm plus the conservation of natural vegetation types and alien plant control. Driven to create a natural wildlife access strip, through which they can navigate, resulting in a better environment and wines made from that very source.