Good Wine Value from Two Oceans for the Summer

Wines come in all categories from inexpensive to ultra-expensive, with associated levels of quality.  But there are exceptions, such as when a wine delivers higher quality than the price point.  Have you ever tried wines from South Africa?  South Africa has been producing wines longer than some Old World wineries yet is viewed as New World, like Canada, the USA or Australia.  I enjoy South African wines as they tend to be more restrained with fruit and oak flavours compared to some New World wines, and they have a touch more structure and texture, similar to Old World wines.

Two Oceans wines from South Africa is a value-priced label that delivers decent quality wines that you can enjoy on their own, or with a meal.  I’ve reviewed their wines a few times before on mywinepal.  I recently received a bottle of their 2018 Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz.  Both under screwcap for ease of opening and simple enjoyment.  Both wines sell for $10.49 at BC Liquor Stores.

My Review

Two Oceans Sauvignon Blanc 2018 ($10.49) – Medium lemon colour.  It has a medium intensity youthful nose, showing bramble leaf, citrus (more), and stone fruits (less).  With some air, you also get citrus rind on the nose. The wine is dry with bright fresh tart fruit flavours.  Thicker mouthfeel.  It has higher acidity but no acidic prickle on your tongue and has an overall smooth texture.  Tart citrus flavour, plus some not quite ripe tropical fruit.  Bramble leaf toward the finish.  With some air, you also get lime and lime skin flavours.  Medium plus length finishing with tart citrus, some green fruit and pepperiness.

Rating: A bright fresh tart citrus Sauvignon Blanc with touches of stone fruit and tropical fruit, and some bramble on the finish.  An easy to enjoy wine that is not overly acidic and should pair with many different seafoods, cheese, or lightly roasted chicken dishes.

Two Oceans Shiraz 2018 ($10.49) – This wine is deep ruby in colour.  A very interesting, medium plus intensity nose that has a mix of meatiness and ripe, rich cassis, with a dash of black pepper and other sweet spices.  The wine is off-dry, medium plus body with a round full mouthfeel and lighter tannins.  This wine is quite floral (was there some Viognier co-fermented?) along with red fruits up front, which then leads to ripe plums, black fruits, cassis and sweet spices mid-palate onward.  Ripe raspberry and bramble leaf toward the finish.  The wine finishes off-dry with very soft tannins, ripe raspberries and sweet spice flavours. A patio sipper to enjoy with grilled sausages.

Rating: This Shiraz has a meaty cassis nose that leads to an off-dry, full-bodied wine that starts off with floral and red fruit flavours which are followed by plums, black fruits, cassis and sweet spices. A patio sipper to enjoy with grilled sausages.