Spotlight on... Lowerland
Bertie Coetzee (left) is the sixth generation farmer at Lowerland in the remote Northern Cape. A pioneering organic farm mostly devoted to maize, flour, cattle and pecan nuts, their small 3-hectare vineyard is turning out some of the most exciting wines in South Africa.
The grapes are picked and driven 12 hours south down the N1 to Stellenbosch, where the wine is made by talented young winemaker Lukas van Loggerenberg.
Browse other collections of wines
Choose wines by style, classification or recommendations.
Bestselling red wines
Can't decide? These are the red wines our customers have bought the most lately, why not try them yourself?
Le Plan des Moines La Borde Côtes du Rhône 2018
From
£19.00
Clos Cibonne Tradition Côtes de Provence Cru Classé Tibouren 2018
From £29.00
Combel-la-Serre Le Pur Fruit du Causse Malbec 2018
From
£18.00
Combel-la-Serre La Vigne Juste Derrière Chez Carbo 2017
From
£19.00
Bellwether Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
From
£40.00
Domaine du Vieux Pressoir Saumur Rouge 'Les Silices' 2018
£19.00
Wine of the Week by Jacques de Klerk
Every week we highlight here a wine that we're particularly enjoying right now. Jacques has a day job as winemaker at Radford Dale, but for some years he's been making a remarkable single-vineyard Chenin Blanc on the side. "Reverie represents everything I have learnt about terroir, Chenin Blanc, viticulture and winemaking." Mesmerisingly pure, unique and unforgettable.
White | Ready, but will keep | Reverie | 2016 | South Africa > Western Cape > Swartland | Chenin Blanc | Light Bodied, Dry | 11% abv
Jacques de Klerk's day job is making wine at the Winery of Good Hope, also known for its lo-fi Radford Dale wines. Like many a talented winemaker in South Africa, Jacques has more than one string to his bow. His second string is Reverie, a Chenin Blanc from the Paardeberg.
From a single vineyard planted in 1978, "rooted in the purest, crunchy, ancient granite soils I have ever seen, these vines have gone without irrigation their entire life and have grown up tough and hardy", so says Jacques.
This 2016 vintage garnered the prestigious 5-star rating from Platter's Wine Guide in South Africa, and just 180 bottles came to the UK.
September 2019
Merger with The Knotted Vine
In the summer of 2019, Red Squirrel merged with fellow small specialist The Knotted Vine and created the Graft Wine Company, a supplier to some of the UK's top restaurants, bars and merchants. We still offer many of our wines to the public here online.
July 2019
Named 3rd best drinks supplier in the UK
We were honoured to be voted by leading industry professionals the third best drinks supplier to the on-trade this year.
December 2015
Nutkin wine bar pops up in Haggerston
For a few weeks at the end of 2015, we teamed up with a number of chefs - including the brilliant Smoke & Salt (pictured) - to launch Nutkin wine bar in east London.
2013 to 2014
At a market near you...
Red Squirrel popped up selling wine at markets and wine festivals across the country.
August 2012
It all began in Liguria
Red Squirrel was created as an importer and online shop by Nik Darlington in summer 2012 after visiting producers in the little-known Italian region of Liguria, wines we still have to this day.
Judging the best burgers in London, with wine of course.
We put our tastebuds to the test and reveal the best burger in London, and what wine to drink with it. You're welcome.
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