Here's a wine that doesn't take itself too seriously, and is all the better for it. Goats Do Roam Red is Fairview's affectionate nod to Cotes du Rhone, a Rhone-style blend built around Shiraz with Mourvedre, Grenache and Cinsault along for the ride. The story behind the name is worth knowing: some of the Fairview goats once slipped their paddock and went picking through the vineyard themselves. Charles Back turned the escape into a brand, and it became one of South Africa's biggest wine exports.
In the glass, expect a lifted nose of red currant, ripe plum and cracked black peppercorn, with a whisper of nutmeg and fruit-and-nut spice underneath. The palate is generous and rounded, medium-bodied with just enough firm tannin to give it shape, finishing long and fresh rather than heavy. Each variety is fermented separately with Rhone yeasts and matured across tanks and older barrels, so the oak sits behind the fruit rather than in front of it.
This is the wine you reach for on a Tuesday night with burgers, on a Sunday with bangers and mash, or at the weekend braai when you want a red that pleases everyone. Try it with grilled lamb chops, a slow-cooked beef stew, or a wedge of mature cheddar or Manchego. Delivered to your door anywhere in the UK, and priced to keep a couple of bottles in reserve.
