Live music & craft beer at Woodstock ... Springbok Nude Girls and Arno Carstens play here. Plus the beer rocks
Buy Wine Online from Cozier Wine Cellars
Stock up on South Africa’s finest reds, whites and more with just the click of a mouse
Even in a South Africa with over 350 years of winemaking history and hundreds of farms and grape producers, fine wine can prove as elusive as a corkscrew in a set of crowded kitchen drawers. Most grocery stores stock bottom-of-the-range reds and whites, most bottle shops follow suit and as much as most tourists tend to think locals trek out to the Winelands every Friday, real Mother City residents know that anything over a 20-minute drive demands the same sort of planning as international travel.
Of course, that’s assuming you even know a fine wine when you see one. If you’re anything like us, you love to get razzled on the good stuff, but you haven’t found the time to memorise the most recent Platter’s South African Wine Guide or to compile those pesky tasting notes comparing your favourite vintages of past with the new releases of present.
Luckily, we’ve found Cozier Wine Cellars. The Cape Town-based fine wine, premium liquor and craft beer shop opened its doors on Kloof Street in 2010 and has since been selling only the best reds, whites, whiskies, specialty lagers and more to locals thirsty for something special to drink with dinner or to share with friends.
The little beverage store prides itself on its ability to stock its shelves with only hard-to-find, superior vino – each wine goes through a meticulous selection process – and also on its knack for introducing people to exotic vintages that they’re likely unfamiliar with. So, with help from Cozier, even those who can’t tell an entry-level Cabernet Sauvignon from an award-winning Pinotage can rest assured that they’re getting the crème de la crème.
What’s more, in late 2013, the outlet launched an online shop (Cozier.co.za) that makes cruising the aisles as easy as enjoying a 2008 Meerlust Rubicon (oh yes, it stocks this beauty). And now, thanks to the e-store, your favourite fruits can arrive at your doorstep with just the click of a mouse and at no extra charge (see more about delivery below).
So no matter how busy you are, you can come away with a fine bottle of what religious icon Martin Luther reckoned was a drink made by God.
10 REASONS WE LOVE BUYING WINE ONLINE AT COZIER WINE CELLARS
1. You’re guaranteed a good wine. The team at Cozier researches, tests, retests and debates every wine the shop stocks. So even their most affordable bottles – prices start from R36 – are delicious. They also boast an assortment of hard-to-find vinos, like the Kanonkop Pinotage 2011, Warwick Trilogy 2010, Morgenster 2005, Waterford Estate The Jem 2009, Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2012, Radford Dale Chardonnay 2010 (to name just a few).
2. You don’t have to search high and low for fine wines. Cozier brings a hugely varied selection to you. Simply pop online (Cozier.co.za) and VOILA! There’s no need to go from bottle shop to grocer to wine farm to find something other than an entry-level red or white.
3. It’s incredibly convenient. You can make your purchases over coffee with sleep in your eyes or just before you turn the light off at night. More importantly, it’s ideal for those with their nose to the grindstone who don’t have a moment to slip away from work to hit the liquor store before closing time.
4. Delivery is often completely free. We know, it sounds too good to be true, but Cozier will deliver anywhere in the Cape Town city centre, along the Atlantic Seaboard or in the Blouberg/Table View area for mahala! What’s more, if it’s urgent, they can do same-day deliveries (just ask). Do note, those outside the aforementioned areas need to pay a surcharge.
5. The price is right. Cozier’s fine wines are often cheaper than those of its competitors. The shop is able to sell its reds and whites for less because it supplements its income with in-store spirit and craft beer sales. Meaning, you may as well get two bottles! If you don’t believe us, simply take the word of Wine-searcher.com, a wine price comparison site that recently awarded Cozier five stars.
6. You don’t have to waste time waiting in queues, which means you can make your purchases while still being able to do all those innocuous things you could previously never fit into your day, like spray painting a summer squash for your table centrepiece or colour coding your cable ties.
7. You can increase your wine repertoire. A large part of Cozier’s philosophy centres on introducing people to wine they’re unfamiliar with. And as the shop stocks vintages from boutique farms that may only produce a few barrels per year, you’re guaranteed to find something you’ve never tried before.
8. You can keep on trend. Wine changes from vintage to vintage: what was the bees knees one year, may not be so lekker the next year. Luckily, Cozier is constantly updating its offering, weeding out poorly performing vintages and adding hot, new finds to its list. So, you don’t have to worry about keeping up to date with what’s what.
9. You can avoid selection paralysis. You’ve surely been there before. You’re standing in front of a shelf lined top to toe with wine organised in a helter-skelter fashion . The walls start to close in, your palms start to sweat and a slight dizziness ensues. You have no idea what to choose or where to look. Aisle-cruising on Cozier’s well-organised site, on the other hand, is super easy and enjoyable. Large visuals, product descriptions and well-thought-out navigation all make for a streamlined shopping experience.
10. You can keep in the know about free wine tastings. On the site you’ll find updated information about Cozier’s bimonthly wine tastings. These informative sampling sessions take place the first and last Fridays of every month and give wine lovers the chance to learn about and try some of the nation’s finest vino. Did we mention it’s COMPLETELY FREE?!
HOW TO BUY WINE ONLINE FROM COZIER WINE CELLARS
Simply pop online at Cozier.co.za and start cruising. Do note, to make a purchase from the Internet-based store, you need to rack up a minimum spend of R600.
---
Interested in getting to know other brilliant Internet-based stores? Read our overview of some of our favourite online shops in South Africa.
---
Use our events section for an up-to-date overview of happenings in Cape Town. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, join our Google+ circle and check out our Pinterest boards for updates.
