Alvi's Drift Rondebosch Cabernet Shiraz
£13.49
£17.99 per litre · incl. 20% VAT
Only 5 bottles left
A fruit-driven Cabernet Shiraz from the Breede River Valley that punches well above its price tag. Bright berry fruit, a whisper of black pepper, and smooth, supple tannins make this an easy-drinking crowd-pleaser, the kind of midweek red you'll keep reaching for. Delivered across the UK, ready for your next roast or weeknight pasta.
Not for sale to persons under 18. Adult signature required on delivery.
UK wide delivery
Expert curated
Sourced direct
Our Verdict
We've tasted plenty of Cape blends pitched at this end of the market, and the Rondebosch is the one we keep coming back to. The Cabernet brings structure and dark-fruit grip, the Shiraz lifts it with pepper and perfume, and the unwooded approach keeps everything fresh and honest. This is our go-to recommendation for anyone wanting genuine South African character without the special-occasion price tag, a brilliant introduction to the Breede River Valley, and a reliable house red for those who already know they love it. Easy to drink, hard to beat for the money.
Tasting Notes
Bright ruby in the glass with a deep black-cherry heart. The nose leads with lifted raspberry, blackcurrant and blackberry, pure, fruit-forward and unforced, then settles into a whisper of vanilla and a twist of black pepper. The palate is medium-bodied and fresh, with smooth, velvety tannins that carry the fruit through to a clean, gently spiced finish. Unwooded confidence: this is wine made to drink, not to ponder.
Bramble Berry Lift
Raspberry, blackcurrant and blackberry pour out of the glass, ripe, juicy and immediate, the kind of fruit that makes you pour a second glass.
Black Pepper Twist
A subtle peppery edge from the Shiraz keeps the fruit honest, adding savoury lift and a touch of warmth on the finish.
Soft Vanilla Whisper
A gentle vanilla note rounds the edges without dominating, restrained sweetness that softens the tannin and lengthens the palate.
About This Wine
Some wines are built for fuss and ceremony. This isn't one of them, and that's exactly why you'll love it. Alvi's Drift Rondebosch Cabernet Shiraz is the bottle you open on a Tuesday and find yourself still pouring on Wednesday. Fruit-forward, unpretentious, and made with serious craft underneath that easy-going exterior.
In the glass, you'll find a deep black-cherry core with bright ruby rims. The nose leads with raspberry, blackcurrant and blackberry, lifted by a subtle vanilla warmth and a twist of black pepper from the Shiraz. On the palate it's medium-bodied and beautifully rounded, with velvety tannins that make it dangerously drinkable. There's no heavy oak here, just clean, vibrant fruit allowed to do the talking.
The Alvi's Drift family farm sits on the banks of the Breede River in the Western Cape, where a Mediterranean microclimate and diverse soils produce grapes with real character. The fruit is hand-harvested in the cool of early morning, and only premium free-run juice goes into this unwooded blend, which spends several months on its lees to build texture and depth.
Pour it with a Sunday roast, a charcoal-grilled rump steak, or a slow-cooked beef stew on a damp evening. It's equally happy alongside a mid-week shepherd's pie or a sharp Cheddar ploughman's. We deliver it across the UK, and at this price it's the kind of wine worth stocking by the case.
Food Pairing
This is a midweek hero. Pour it alongside a Sunday roast beef with all the trimmings, a charred sirloin with peppercorn sauce, or a homemade lamb burger off the barbecue. It also handles spice well, try it with a smoky pulled-pork bap or a chorizo and butter bean stew. For something simpler, a mature Cheddar on oatcakes does the trick.
- —Roast beef with Yorkshire puddings and horseradish
- —Char-grilled sirloin with green peppercorn sauce
- —Homemade lamb burgers off the barbecue
- —Chorizo and butter bean stew
- —Mature Cheddar with oatcakes and chutney
How to Serve
Temperature
Slightly below room temperature. Twenty minutes in the fridge before serving keeps the fruit fresh and lifted.
Decanting
No decanting needed. This is a fruit-forward, unwooded style designed for easy drinking, just pull the cork, pour, and enjoy. A quick swirl in the glass is all the air it wants.
Glass
A standard red wine glass with a tulip bowl works perfectly, enough room to release the berry aromatics without overcomplicating things.
Behind the Wine
The Worcester district bakes under summer heat, sheltered by mountains that throw a rain shadow across the valley. Without irrigation drawn from the Breede River and the Brandvlei Dam, viticulture here simply wouldn't work. Alvi's Drift hand-picks in the cool of early morning to lock in freshness, and the fruit-forward, medium-bodied character of this Cabernet Shiraz blend reflects that careful balance, sun-soaked ripeness on one hand, careful canopy management and water on the other.
Ageing Potential
Built for drinking now rather than cellaring. The fresh, fruit-driven style and unwooded approach mean it's at its best in the near term, pull the cork within a year or two of buying to enjoy the bright berry character at full volume.
The Land
The Alvi's Drift vineyards sit in a Mediterranean pocket of the Breede River Valley, with diverse soils and reliable water from the river itself. The combination, warm days, cooler nights, varied soil profiles, gives the fruit ripeness without heaviness, and a freshness that carries right through to the glass.
The Winemaking
This is winemaking with one goal: keep the fruit centre-stage. Only premium free-run juice makes the cut, the gentlest pressing, no harsh extraction. Cold fermentation locks in those lifted raspberry and blackcurrant aromatics, and several months on the lees builds the rounded, velvety mouthfeel that defines the wine. There's no oak here, which is the point: nothing gets in the way of the bright, juicy expression of Cabernet and Shiraz grown on the Worcester valley floor.
The Western Cape Region
Le Domaine draws its fruit from vineyards scattered across the Western Cape, from coastal sites cooled by Atlantic breezes to warmer inland slopes, all planted between 50 and 300 metres above sea level. This broad sourcing is deliberate. By blending components from different microclimates, the cellar builds a consistent house style that balances the crisp acidity of cooler sites with the ripe generosity of warmer ones. It's the Western Cape's extraordinary diversity captured in a single glass.