Bright, tangy, textural with a gently fleshy thing, Fernao Pires was planted in ZA decades ago for production as brandy. Strange Bru (the weird brother in Afrikaans) celebrates the charms of a Portuguese cultivar finding its feet in a foreign field.

A mineral nose of crushed granite, peach kernel and petrichor. On the palate the sandy seam underpins stonefruit skins. The wine finishes tight and bright.

Of the last blocks of Fernao left in the Cape this is the oldest at 30-something years old. Originally grown for yield and brandy this Portuguese immigrant certainly found its feet but fell out of favour. Which is where we all come in.. Before we lose ‘em let’s use ‘em. Naturally abundant in gently aromatic, fleshy fruit 2018 in particular focussed the fruit in this Breede River Valley vineyard. All the rock-stars are sniffing around this block now which is good for its future but here is an accessibly-priced expression of the loveliness of the Found before it gets Lost. In Portugal the variety is also known as Maria Gomes, which is strangely sexy in itself. Best drunk in its youth this wine is not for later, it’s definitely Fernao.

Perfect with coconut infused curry, fish with a mango salad or pan roasted chicken.