#FreshOnTheShelf: New from The Duchess, Vusa Vodka and Spier Wines

The Duchess Spritz

The Duchess Drinks Company has added spritzers to its popular range of premium, alcohol-free beverages. The refreshing new offering is crafted with premium de-alcoholised wine and natural botanical extracts, and features fruity and floral notes.

The Duchess Spritz is available in two variants: Spritz Berry Rosé and Spritz Elderflower White. Light and bursting with berries, Berry Rosé has a refreshing acidity that is balanced by the sweetness of the acai berry, while the Elderflower White is made with a premium Chardonnay, and is crisp and sparkling with fragrant notes of elderflower to match its acidity.

The spritzer, like most drinks from The Duchess, is designed to be a sophisticated beverage for adults who are non-drinkers or are limiting their alcohol intake. With its attractive packaging, the alcohol-free wine spritzers fit right in at social functions, but allow consumers to skip the negative effects associated with liquor.

The Duchess Spritz is available from Yuppiechef and Spar stores. A case of four 275ml bottles retails for approximately R79 while a case of 24 bottles goes for approximately R399.

Vusa Vodka

Vusa Vodka is a new, premium copper-distilled vodka made using water and locally-grown sugarcane from KwaZulu-Natal. Shells of the baobab fruit are used to create the activated carbon filter which helps create the spirit's smooth, crisp finish. Despite being a new brand, Vusa Vodka has already bagged its first global victory at the 2020 International Wine and Spirit Competition, receiving a Spirit Silver award.

The proudly African brand has its main distillery in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, but is investing in a mobile distillery which will travel through the continent to produce unique flavoured vodkas and provide a platform to celebrate African voices and stories.

Vusa is also committed to creating meaningful change in the spirit world and beyond through its Vusa Foundation. A portion of all profits will be donated to the Khulisani Foundation, which aims to support urban farming and drive positive transformation in South African communities.

A 750ml bottle of Vusa Vodka will retail for R250, and will be available from Takealot and selected Spar stores from 21 September.

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Lauren Hartzenberg  29 Jul 2020

Spier Canned Wine

Spier Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé and Merlot – all crafted by cellar master Frans Smit and his team – are now available in convenient 250ml cans. The new packaging format is ideal for single-serves, is quick to chill and is easier to transport to events and outdoor gatherings.

Because the cans are made of aluminium, they’re recyclable and have a smaller carbon footprint than glass bottles.

In terms of tasting notes, the summery Sauvignon Blanc offers gooseberries, passion fruit and green fig. The sophisticated Rosé has an abundance of strawberry, raspberry and apple blossoms while the Merlot is all about red berries, cherries and hints of mint.

These new Spier canned wines are available from the Spier tasting room and online from R35 each.