What to pour at your next braai
Try SA’s best-loved bottles and follow our experts’ advice.
We’ve asked the pros for their best tips for dining outdoors – and got them to select the absolute best from six crowd-pleasing wines that consistently come out tops with Woolies customers.
1. Diemersdal Sauvignon Blanc (R79.99): Crisp and zesty, it’s a winner with fish on the coals.
2. Beyerskloof Pinotage (R94.99): Its juicy blackberry flavours are a match for red meat.
3. Woolworths House Merlot (R54.99): Soft tannins and ripe fruit flavours – the ultimate easy drinker.
4. The Chocolate Block (R239.99): A big hitter by Boekenhoutskloof in Franschhoek.
5. Haute Cabrière Chardonnay Pinot Noir (R99.99): Everyone loves sipping it on its own – or try it with grilled chicken.
6. De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay (R99.99): It’s unwooded with citrus notes – an all-time favourite from Robertson.
Rob Gower
WOOLWORTHS SENIOR SPECIALIST WINE BUYER
Which wine is your top choice for your next braai and why?
I’m a big fan of the La Motte Grand Rouge (R69.99). It’s a really smart wine for the price. When you braai meat, you’re burning it slightly, which gives it a bitterness. Often we counter this bitterness with a sweet marinade but the tannins in red wine complement that char.
What would you cook on the coals to go with it?
At the moment I’m really enjoying picanha.
Your secret to the perfect fire?
Old vine stumps – lots of them!
What do you always take to a bring ‘n’ braai?
Bring ‘n’ braais are about speedy cooking, so chops would be my first choice. You don’t want to be the guy who takes chicken, which takes 20 minutes longer than everything else.
Your biggest braai disaster ever?
Something will always get burnt when you’re braaiing, so it’s best to have a few reserves, because they will get eaten.
Pearl Oliver-Mbumba
SOMMELIER, ONE&ONLY, CAPE TOWN
Your number one braai wine?
The Chocolate Block. My family and I love steak and it’s the perfect juicy match, with opulent fruit and a great tannin structure.
This Heritage Day you’ll be braaiing?
Tuna fillets, Moroccan rib-eye pork steaks and Grabouw boerewors.
No braai is the same without?
Wood. It adds to the flavour of your meat.
SHOP RED WINES SHOP WHITE WINES
Bertus Basson
WINELANDS CHEF: OVERTURE, SPEK & BONE, EIKE, DE VRIJE BURGER
On Heritage Day you’ll be drinking?
The Diemersdal Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a fantastic example of a fruit-driven Sauvignon Blanc perfect for summer and a great match for fresh fish on the grid.
Who’s on your ultimate guest list?
Bruce Springsteen, Jan Braai, Hunter Kennedy and Karen Dudley.
Your bring ‘n’ braai musts?
Lots of wine and a basket of veggies from our garden as a gift to the host.
Katlego Mlambo
CHEF: THE MARABI CLUB, JOBURG
The wine you want to be drinking when the fire’s lit?
I’m a fan of The Chocolate Block. Its spicy notes supported by ripe plum and black fruit do very well with the smokiness of braaied meat.
What’s its best partner on the coals?
Lamb chops seasoned with rosemary, chilli and garlic.
Your favourite braai side of all time?
You can’t go wrong with a tangy potato salad and a good chakalaka.
Your go-to recipe?
My gran makes an amazing chilli sauce (the recipe is a family secret) that’s great with braaied chicken thighs.
Your favourite dessert?
S’mores with peanut butter – a winning combo.