Indaba Shiraz 2008

This juicy South African Shiraz flaunts lively flavors of ripe blackberry, blueberry and dark chocolate, with hints of white pepper, licorice and spice. It makes a perfect partner for bacon cheeseburgers, grilled sausages, hearty pasta dishes, and lamb chops. We served this with wood-fired burgers with manchego cheese, prosciutto and a chipotle adobo paprika aioli. The Indaba Shiraz is aged in French and American oak barrels for 6 months before bottling. This was a surprisingly good Shiraz, which retails for about $11.

Indaba is known for its commitment to social responsibility. A portion of the proceeds from all global sales is used to support a scholarship program for students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue higher education in the wine industry. Indaba scholars have gone on to pursue opportunities in winemaking, marketing, agriculture, business, and graduate education. Mzokhona Mvemve is currently the head winemaker at Indaba. He was the first ever black South African winemaker to graduate from Stellenbosch University in 2002 and he was the first recipient of the Indaba Scholarship. The program is in its sixth year.