RED WINES FROM PAARL, SOUTH AFRICA Boland Kelder 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, $139 Abraham Gabemma must have had a good imagination. In 1657 he was tramping up the Berg River north of Cape Town and saw a huge dome of granite gleaming after a rain shower: he decided it looked like a pearl, and the region has been called Paarl ever since. When you see its name on a wine label you are probably in for a treat: Paarl is home to some of the greatest wineries in South Africa. The winemakers at Boland Kelder source prime grapes from a number of Paarl's best growers. This cabernet sauvignon is great stuff - it explodes with character-istic full-bodied flavour, mint and spices. It has been matured in oak, which leaves it nicely rounded and softly textured and goes well with garlicky pasta. Boland Kelder makes a shiraz at the same price, which I like just as much. Force 8 Cellars (tel: 2527 6217) Villiera Estate 2001 Merlot, $118 Although Paarl is at the southern tip of Africa - where winter brings snow to the peaks and howling gales from Antarctica make landfall - grape growers say the region has a sub-tropical climate. The fruit ripens evenly during long, hot autumn afternoons followed by evenings cooled by ocean breezes. This is a classy wine from a famous estate, and very reasonably priced. The colour is much brighter than most merlots. It smells of vanilla and a nice smoky oak; there are plenty of ripe fruits on the palate as well as the traditional softness of merlot. I tasted this wine at a friend's party and could hardly wait for the weekend to try it again with a few sausages from the barbecue; it passed the test with ease. Wine'n'Things (tel: 2873 5733) Fairview 2001 Shiraz, $108 Charles Back of Fairview was named South African winemaker of the year in 1996; taste this to find out why. His wines are always good value and this is an example of typically fine quality. It has the lovely, juicy, mouth-watering richness of plums and ripe black-berries, and throbs with taste and flavour. This is precisely the sort of bountiful red that's perfect with a steak, but when I visited this winery a few years ago I sat under a tree and tried it with goats' cheese made on the estate. Kedington (tel: 2898 9323)