Why South Africa delivers the best bang for buck in the wine world

We sure love our classic European wines in Ireland, don’t we? Since launching, 9 out of our top 10 sellers are French, Spanish, und German.

So for your next wine adventure, why not explore premium South Africa?

Let me tell you why.

The land where there’s something for everyone

South Africa has it all. A huge variety of soils and climates means it can emulate some of the world’s most famous wine regions - at a fraction of the price.

• If you love Bordeaux, you should try Stellenbosch
• If Burgundy is more your thing, go to Hemel-en-Aarde, for some of the best Chardonnays and Pinots out there
• Chenin Blanc? They make the best stuff in the world here. Period.

Here’s what I mean about value - a ton of high-end Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in Napa Valley costs $25,000. 

Whereas a ton of the best Cab in Stellenbosch goes for 18,000 rand - which is around $1,000. 

A little more spent on quality here goes a verrrry long way.

It’s also a country of crazy contrasts

If you’ve ever been, you’ll know what I mean. Jaw-dropping scenery, spectacular food, lovely people, perfect weather.

I’ll never forget my first braai (barbecue) at my winemaker friend Johan’s house. A stack of Karoo lamb choppies, each one the size of my head, grilled over Namibian hardwood in Johan’s back yard.

And then driving us back to the hotel that night, he’d casually breeze through red lights for fear of hijacking - and that pretty much sums up the madness of the place.

To succeed in South Africa you have to work bloody hard, because there’s danger and obstacles everywhere you go. 

Let me introduce you to three great people

Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing South African winemakers - and three names are right at the top of that list:

• Danie & Hugo Carinus - grape growers to the stars. Their simple but powerful philosophy is to grow the best possible fruit and find a talented winemaker to facilitate it into bottle. Just named Viticulturist of the Year 2025 from top wine expert Tim Atkin MW
• Alexandra McFarlane - one of South Africa's most exciting young talents, her Monday's Child Chenin Blanc recently got 5 stars in Platter’s Wine Guide, the go-to reference for South African wine
• Wade Metzer (below) - a good friend of Johan's and a rising star in South Africa right now. Wade’s vineyards sit between the towering Helderberg mountains and the beautiful False Bay, giving his wines freshness and real character.

Now’s your chance to taste what I’m talking about

If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m crazily passionate about the quality and value coming out of South Africa. 

So I’ve mixed a 6-pack of new arrivals so you can get in on the action. In the case you’ll get:

• 1x Metzer Cabernet Sauvignon - from Helderberg in Stellenbosch, this a smooth, sumptuous Cab with extra oomph from the Shiraz and Cinsaut in the blend. Top-end, authentic Cabernet the way it should be!
• 1x McFarlane Saturday’s Child Pinotage - forget everything you thought you knew about Pinotage and try this wine. The grapes come from the cool-climate Walker Bay region, just south of Cape Town. Gentle winemaking allows the gorgeously perfumed and aromatic fruit in the wine to shine. Finally a Pinotage I can get behind!
• 1x McFarlane Monday’s Child Chenin Blanc - picked from immaculate Stellenbosch bush vines and aged in old oak, then bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve all that gorgeous character. An aromatic, flinty and floral nose leads to an intense, piercing and refreshing palate, with gorgeous texture and impressive length
• 1x Carinus Family Syrah - brand new and only available in this case - I took all that Danie could give me. A northern Rhône-style red from Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch and vinified by superstar winemaker Lucas van Loggerenberg, this is ‘crazily good value for money’ and 93 points from Tim Atkin MW
• 1x Carinus Family Chenin Blanc - Danie tells me this might be the best pound-for-pound value white wine in South Africa. It’s the ultimate guilty-pleasure white wine for me… you get limes, you get florals, pears and apples, with a lovely creaminess too
• 1x Carinus Rooidraai Chenin Blanc - While the Family Chenin comes from their Premier Cru-equivalent grapes - this is their Grand Cru. From a 45-year old vineyard with steep slopes and Rooidraai soil, the wine is aged in old oak barrels for 10 months and bottled - giving you the simplest, purest expression of this special place in your glass. At 25 quid, this is quite possibly the best value white wine on WineSpark!

These wines remind me of why I started the business

When I came home from the UK five years ago, I couldn’t believe how expensive good South African wines were in Ireland - especially knowing how relatively little they cost to make. 

This frustration planted the seed for WineSpark - to give Irish wine drinkers better access and value to world-class wines like these.

And if wines of this quality were from somewhere like France, they might cost double again!

Try the South African 6-pack for yourself, and discover a whole new world of amazing wine.