Be still my beating heart

I have taken a new lover.

Yes, it's true. Diemersfontein Pinotage, and it's everything I've ever looked for in a wine. Dark and lovely, it has overtones of (get this) coffee and CHOCOLATE! And it's not like those poncy wine descriptions... you really can taste a hint of chocolate. And in a beautiful red wine, that is very special thing.

It's by no means a new wine and in fact, I suspect I'm one of the last few people on the planet to discover it. Which is especially surpising considering how deeply in love I am in with red wine and chocolate. But better late than never. I was introduced to it at the Nose Bar on Wednesday night. Strange name for a great little restaurant slash wine bar in Cape Town's trendy Cape Quarter. I've been there before, on a blind date, but going back with one of my favourite gal pals was much more fun. And we certainly made the most of the extensive wine menu on offer. A glass of this and a glass of that before scoffing down a delicious cheese platter. OH MY GOD. Yum. And then for dessert, some of the above-metioned chocolatey-wine loveliness. (Yes, I like to drink my dessert.) To be fair, I woke up the next morning with a head stuffed with cotton-wool but it was worth all that delicious wine.

Unfortunately, Diemersfontein Wine Estate is in Wellington, which is a little far from where I live. Pity, but perhaps that's a good thing. It improves my chances of general sobriety and ability to be a relatively 'high'-functioning individual. It retails at about R70 a bottle from the wine farm itself (and is about the same price from Makro), which is a fair bit pricier than the regular plonk I feast on at braais and other social get-togethers. (And keep in mind, that R70 is the wine farm price. Restaurants have the ridiculous habit of adding a ginormous mark-up. Very uncool.) Regardless, the Diemersfontein Pinotage is wonderfully quaffable and worth every cent it sells for, though I'll definitely be saving it for more 'civilised' occasions!

So spread the news. Belinda Carlisle was right. Heaven really is a place on Earth. And it's called Diemersfontein Wine Estate. (Can you also hear the angels singing?)