South Africa’s braai culture doesn’t compromise on red wine — and neither should you. This case is built on the logic of a proper outdoor feast: double up on the wines that do the heavy lifting (the bold, smoke-loving Malbec and the peppery, fire-ready Syrah), then add two XCellar Limited Edition reds for the moments when the coals ease off and the conversation deepens. The Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Malbec 2023 is rich, dark and Wellington-big — exactly what slow-braised lamb asks for. The Survivor Terroir Syrah 2023 is Swartland intensity in a glass: earthy, peppery and built to match the char. Then the XCellar Cipher — 95 points, unlabelled, Bordeaux-style from a cult Stellenbosch estate — and the XCellar Cabernet Franc from Elgin’s cool slopes, silky and precise. Six bottles. One serious braai.
The Braai Red Story
Not every red wine belongs at the braai. Delicate Pinot Noir wilts in the smoke. Thin Merlots disappear next to charred lamb. What the braai needs is character — wines with enough structure to stand up to spiced boerewors and slow-cooked ribs, with enough dark fruit to complement the smoke rather than fight it. The Swartland’s Syrahs, with their peppery depth and earthy concentration, were practically made for a wood fire. Wellington’s Malbecs — rich, full-bodied and dark — hold their own against red meat in a way few grapes can. And Bordeaux-style Cape blends? Their cassis and dark chocolate character is the perfect foil for the caramelised crust of properly managed coals.
This case gives you the best of all three: the doubles to keep the party going, and the two XCellar Limited Editions to elevate the experience once the fire has done its work.
What’s in the Box
Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Malbec 2023 ×2
A rich Wellington Malbec from Diemersfontein — dark berries, liquorice and fine tannins with the kind of full-bodied warmth that only a proper Wellington red can deliver. Decadent with steak, outstanding with slow-braised lamb, and confident enough to hold its own against heavily spiced cuts. You get two bottles because you’re going to need them.
Survivor Terroir Syrah 2023 ×2
Swartland Syrah at its most honest — dark fruit, cracked black pepper and earthy depth from one of the Cape’s most exciting cool-terroir producers. The Survivor Terroir Syrah 2023 — 90 points, Platter’s 2026 — brings the peppery, savoury complexity that defines great Swartland reds: fruit-forward on the nose, structured on the palate, and exactly what a wood fire and a leg of lamb deserve. Two bottles, because once was always going to lead to twice.
The Cipher The Unbroken Red Blend 2020 – Stellenbosch — XCellar Limited Edition
Ninety-five points from a world-ranked critic, from a cult Stellenbosch estate that doesn’t put its name on this bottle — so you get it at a fraction of the usual retail price. A rich, structured Bordeaux-style blend with deep cassis, dark chocolate and serious oak complexity. This is the bottle you open when the coals have settled, the meat has rested, and the evening calls for something exceptional.
Cabernet Franc 2019 — Elgin — XCellar Limited Edition
From the cool-climate slopes of Elgin comes one of the Cape’s most elegant Cabernet Francs. Aged 12 months in French oak, the XCellar Limited Edition Cab Franc reveals cassis, ripe plums and black tea on a silky, fruit-driven palate — structured, refined and cellar-worthy. Pour this while the fire is getting going, or after the braai when the evening calls for something a little more precise.
How They’re Made
The four wines in this case represent four distinct approaches to bold red winemaking. Diemersfontein’s Wellington Malbec is harvested at full physiological ripeness — the warm, sheltered Wellington climate concentrating dark berry fruit and the liquorice character that makes it such a natural braai companion. The Survivor Syrah from the Swartland is fermented with significant whole-berry inclusion, giving it the savoury, peppery complexity that defines the region’s style. The XCellar Cipher reflects the exacting craft of a multi-year collaboration with a rated Stellenbosch estate — each variety fermented and aged separately in French oak for up to 24 months before the final blend is fixed. The XCellar Cabernet Franc from Elgin is matured for 12 months in French oak on the cool, high-altitude slopes where the natural acidity of the variety is preserved — giving the wine its characteristic freshness, precision and silky structure.
Food & Wine
- Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Malbec 2023 (×2): Lamb chops, boerewors, spiced beef cuts on the braai. Also extraordinary with a slow-braised lamb shoulder or a thick ribeye.
- Survivor Terroir Syrah 2023 (×2): Sosaties and wild game — springbok, kudu or ostrich. Its peppery backbone and earthy depth thrive next to wood smoke and spice.
- Survivor Terroir Syrah 2023: 90 points — Platter’s 2026 | Cape Winemakers Guild | 18 months in barrel
- The Cipher The Unbroken Red Blend 2020 – Stellenbosch: The post-braai bottle. Pour with aged cheese, slow-roasted beef, or a Cape Malay lamb bredie as the evening slows down.
- Cabernet Franc 2019 — Elgin: The elegant opener or the after-dinner wine. Its silky Elgin structure and cassis-and-black-tea character make it the most refined red in the case.
Awards & Recognition
- The Cipher The Unbroken Red Blend 2020 – Stellenbosch: 95 points (world-ranked critic) | XCellar Limited Edition
- Cabernet Franc 2019 — Elgin: XCellar Limited Edition | 12 months French oak | Cool-climate Elgin
- Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Malbec 2023: Wellington estate | Diemersfontein — South Africa’s Coffee Pinotage producer
The Braai Master Reds is six bottles of purpose-built braai power — double the Malbec, double the Syrah, and two XCellar Limited Editions to round the evening out properly. Available at Vinty.
