Smooth and hedonistic with soft, sunny dark fruit. Tannins rounded off by maturity, decent length and good energy. Great fit with bbq. Could probably go on for another 5-10 years but very good spot now.
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Decanted for sediment. Medium garnet color with some slight hints of tawny towards the rim. Nose showed a bit of mixed black and red fruits with roasted plum, blackberry, slightly herbal, a bit of dark roast coffee. The oak has definitely integrated and left more of a baked fruit profile. Similar flavors on the palate with slightly baked, raisiny blackberry and black cherry compote flavors but not buried with alcohol or port like aromas. Some herbal cough drop notes coming through as well. Medium acid and tannin with just a touch of heat coming through on the finish. All told, this held up quite well and was very enjoyable, especially at the sale price paid. I probably would not hold much longer though.
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Last bottle from a batch bought from Garagiste 10+ years ago. Paired with my signature pot roast and and potatoes. PnP, drank over 2hours.
Deep purple color, some sediment. Nose out of the bottle was nice, dark fruits, cedar, graphite, mineral. Evolved a bit over a couple hours to show less of the graphite/mineral profile. Palate of dark fruits, dusted blackberry, spice and savory notes. Savory profile and mild blue fruits through mid palate. Tannins present, softened. Medium weight and finish.
Not much experience with South African wines, what I do have has been a bit mixed. This one went the distance so I have to give some credit. This bottle in a good spot and paired well with the slow cooked meat, would put it in the good not great category...still very enjoyable. WOuld drink up if you have it.
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This has a lovely nose. But the palate is disappointing. No major ok presence. But a bit hot and muddled. There is some nice earth notes from the can I suspect. But it still does not come together for me. After a day or two it was at the point of why should I waste the calories on this. Will wait a bit perhaps for my last bottle. Not sure it will improve, but who knows.
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Opened and poured. Very dark, full bodied. Neutral nose. Sour cherry on the palate,with black tea, menthol, some plum. Puckering, tart cherries dominate. Solid, decent structure, just needs a little lift on the fruit to garner higher scores.
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Deep garnet red with bricking on the edges. A bit mute on the nose with a light amount of smokiness and meat as well as some dark berries. Moderate tannins (6/10) and medium plus bodied. Well integrated and still holding it together. Rather impressed with it for the age, a bit savory with smoked cherries and forest floor. Medium plus finish.
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First from the case. Must have been a bit of a brute in its youth, but now it's very smooth, glycerin-rich, and reasonably dark fruited. It's 60 Cab Sauv and 40 Syrah, but blind I'd say it was an Argentinian Malbec from higher altitude. Double-decanted about an hour ahead of time. Similar before and with food, but after another couple of hours, and after food, it does seem to be developing a little more savoury line. No doubting it's very well made, just a question of whether it's one's thing. Either way, it's ready. ***
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Needs 20-30mins in a glass to open. Cabernet dominates the Shiraz with loads of blackcurrent albeit a touch green in the mid-palate. A tad dusty too. Nice minty freshness on the finish from the Shiraz. This is at least ripe and fresh, but wish it had merlot. Lacks depth but plenty of body and sweetness with air. Fully mature but no hurry. I'll drink by 2020. 89pts
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Opened and served. Maybe it's because we expected a lot more or that it followed the beutiful Ridge Estate 2012 but it did not shine. It left the feeling that the wine was pushed too much to deliver in its "youth" that now at age 12 its running a bit on empty. Lacked depth and complexity in a way . 88-89
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Looking for something to pair with Valerie's tacos. This was an impulse pull from the cellar...hadn't had this in a few years. Splash decanted through a vinituri.
Deep purple garnet color. Nose was savory, game, some smoke. Dark berries, blackberry, cedar, pepper. Smooth texture, really ripe though the mid palate. Medium and layered finish...
This has aged beautifully, last bottle was paired with my "famous" brisket, worked great with the tacos. This batch bought from Garagiste a few years back. I have very little South African wine and not much palate experience, but this was great. Nicely aged, fruit and tannins integrated and smooth. I think I paid $20, market value says $15...if you can get it for that its an outstanding QPR... Would be best to drink over next 3-5 years
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Deep garnet red with bricking on the edges. A bit stinky on the nose smokey and gamey. Moderate tannins (6/10) and medium plus bodied. Rather impressed with this and at the perfect moment to drink. A bit savory on the palate with a touch of dark red fruits. Medium plus finish.
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Been awhile since we last tried the 2005 Anwilka. Deep garnet red with some bricking in the edges. Classic South African nose. A little dirty and herbaceous on the attack with soft dark fruit undertones. Smooth and well integrated tannins (6/10). Rounded layers mixed between slight herbaceous and dark berries. Medium plus bodied with a bit of chalk and gravel in the medium finish. Drink till 2020.
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Drinking well. Consistent with my last notes, though little evidence of the oak that was more present a few years ago. Very pleasant, not overly complex.
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Decanted for 1h. Hot berry nose and cedar nose. This is a hefty oak and concentrated, extracted red fruit profile, graphite, black pepper, faint tannins and a hint of acid on the finish. Smooooth, complex. As well made as most of a gaggle of CA cabs I tried earlier in the week at a holiday party, but at a fraction of their cost. Outstanding QPR.
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Very odd nose. Taste was combination of bitter and smoky, with a sour aftertaste. Maybe a bad bottle, maybe past its window, maybe we just don't get what others seem to like about it, so not scoring it.
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Bu Avec Alfredo au souper au RESTO AVV la Maison Chez Nous de Bromont. Super beau nez fragrant sur les bleuets, le cèdre et les herbes. En bouche, certains ont mentionné Bordeaux fondus, d'un certain age. C'est assez fin et en début de tertiaire, feuilles et cuir. Le fruit est encore là, les tannins fondus et la finale de longeueur moyenne. En fin de plateau je dirais et un peu passé son prime pour cette bouteille. Une autre va suivre avant la fin de l'année!
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Double decanted for (a small amount of) sediment. Audouzed 2hrs. With rare roast surloin of beef. Fruity, berry nose. Red fruit & bright, lively acidity in the mouth. Tannins hiding in the 30+ second finish. Very good indeed.
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Opened to breathe for 1h. This is a hot, extracted medium to heavy red. At times the alcohol seems a bit unbalanced but after about 2h it was more integrated. Well made, tonight with grilled steak.
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Just a behemoth, super dense extracted wine. You can cut it with a knife. Black pepper, red fruit, well integrated tannins. More integration after an hour, but really locked and loaded from the start. Not shy. Fantastic with smoky grilled buffalo burgers!
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A dry, dark, and earthy mix. I got a brief whiff of burned wood charcoal with my first swirl of the glass, but it quickly dissipated leaving blueberries, blackberries, and a rustic smokey oak note. Full body with a medium finish. Just starting to show a hint of bricking around the edges. All in all, a rich, complex and satisfying Stellenbosch!
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Getting lots of shiraz and oaky tobacco funk on the nose and palate, balancing out the red fruit. Nice complexity. Really came alive with 2-3h of aeration, the integration and finish improve markedly. Otherwise, going strong and consistent in a positive way with my previous notes.
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Double decanted for sediment, audouzed 2hrs. With Sal's beef stew. In line with previous notes, dark & earthy - feeling the Cabernet tonight. Improved all evening in the glass.
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Double decanted 3hrs. With fillet steak. Room filling aromatics on opening, opaque. Really lovely entry & midpalate, not overly sweet or lush despite being fairly full bodied. Chocolate & dark fruits. Don't often love Shiraz, but when it's good it's very good indeed. Classy.
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Very mature. Love the nose which contains black and red fruit, vanilla, spices and eucalyptus. Unique flavor of black berries, pepper, tannins, dust, oak. Very long after taste. Delicious.
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Deep garnet in color. Nose has started to wear off, very light charcoal and earthy tones. There are some undertones of black fruit. Starts off earthy and lots of dark fruits like plums on the palate. Additionally the palate was slightly toasty. Moderate tannins (5.5/10) and moderate body. Finish was long and lingered. Not surprised by the power of this wine even after 10 years and the dark fruits on the palate. A little disappointed by the nose but still a delicious wine. After tasting this we will be making a stop by Klein Constantia on Thursday!
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Dark fruit and dusty earth. I felt like there was plenty of stuffing left in this one, nice integrated tannin. Very enjoyable, went great with flatiron steak. Alas, last bottle.
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Vin ample et assez puissant. Nez sur le cassis et le tabac avec un peu d'épices. En bouche, assez tannique, le cassis revient avec du café et une bonne longueur. Encore jeune mais pas mal bon.
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Decanted and enjoyed over 4 hours, including dinner with salmon and movie night with buttered popcorn. This is a big powerful fruit forward wine with mineral highlights. At first, the cab and shiraz elements of this blend seemed almost disjointed, with a bit of tannic finish. By 2-3h after decanting this had fully integrated, with a pungent compost like nose and intense extracted red fruit, cherries and plums mostly, on the palate; by then the tannins had smoothed out quite a bit. Medium to full bodied, with a lingering finish. The first bottle from a case, looking forward to see how this evolves over time.
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Opened and poured. A medium bodied red, with garnet to pink coloring. Nose of beef, iron, blackberry, black cherry, toasty oak, green pepper. Somewhat angular sharp, tart, flavorings lacking deep base notes of fruit and power at this point. Cranberry, distilled red fruits, underripe strawberry define the palate with minimal air. Fleshing out with air, the spiciness of the shiraz providing the sandpaper like rough edges on the finish. Day two this has really gained weight and depth, into the blacks, plums, asphalt, fire grilled prune, oaked vanilla territory. A very different wine on day two, so I would highly recommend decanting for several hours, or wait another 2-3 years. Smooth on the finish, with round edges and a fairly long echo. Will not open the next bottle for 3-5 years.
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Very smoky (nose is blocked but that comes through), spiciness from shiraz comes through, overall really nice for my first cab shiraz, got at least another year or two in it
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Decanted for 1h at a four-course dinner with friends in North Jersey. This South African blend of shiraz and cabernet had none of the shiraz character and tasted rather like a (high end) Napa cabernet. Tannins completely resolved, oak, red fruit, and pencil lead, all fully integrated. Smooth. This is a big wine, and was great paired with steak tonight. Showing nicely in its window at the moment.
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Pleasant nose with sweet notes of vanilla bean and dark ripe cherries. A bit harsh attack at first on the palate (almost like black peppercorns on steroids), but unfolds quickly into some nice red fruits; the vanilla is there but more in the background. This still seems a bit tight. Might benefit from another year or two in the bottle.
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This is still one of my favorites when I want a cab blend with some dark fruit and spiciness in the body and finish. This is still youthful and I am happy I still have 3 cases to go.
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Partner Dinner (Our Home): This continues to fly. Tannins 6/10. A hint of chalk in the nose. Powerful shiraz comes through with the round fruit of the cabernet. This continues to evolve and probably still has a while to reach its prime.
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These are maturing beautifully. Full bodied and beginning to have a heavy silk texture. Bold syrah spiciness. Tannins 7.5/10. The nose has a hint og meaty smokiness - this stand up nicely with a strong BBQd ribeye or creamy cheese.
I am glad I still have a case or two of these!
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Blend of 63% cabernet sauvignon and 37% shiraz. Intense dark garnet with crimson hue and still youthful appearance. Decanted for about 1+ hours. Still pretty primary on the nose, black fruits , raspberry, ripe fruits interwoven with spice and smoky oak. Fruits forward on palate, dark and red fruits, raspberry and smoky oak. Robust wines with good substance on mid palate extending to a persistent finish. Chewy tannins with peppery spice aftertaste.This is a serious wine with good structure but a bit lacking on the complexity. Drinking nicely now but it may gain further complexity as it has got the structure to age.
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Nez puissant très fruité, cerises et mures avec une bonne profondeur. En bouche, c'est ample. Du fruit noir et des tanins bien serrés avec un peu de bois. Très long avec un certain équilibre. Costaud et généreux.
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Good nose of dark fruit, smoke, vanilla and spice. A bit of the same on the tongue with the alcohol prominent on the finish. Drinking nice now but alcohol a little to dominant overall.
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I like this wine but not for the price I paid. Very shy nose with a little red berry and a little smoke. On the palate there is some raspberry and a hint of chocolate and mint. However towards the back end I am getting a lot of roasted smokey notes which is killing this for me. A nice long finish that saves this wine again but not great QPR. With the exception of the mint notes, if I was given his blind I would have thought a nice $15 Argentinian Malbec. Drank this with a charcoal barbecued tenderloin which made for a great match however this was a little rough without food. If I had any more I would be drinking them soon or trading them to someone with muted taste buds.
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This was drank inbetween a Les Rosine 2009 and a D'Escurac 2005 and came out on top.
Dark cherried nose with blackberries and tobacco notes peeking through. Still a bit of vanilla hovering around. Fully bodied in the mouth. Chocolate and blackberries slight hits of spice. No alcohol spike in the finish, smooth and decently length, though not long. Very suitable for a night with non wine geek friends.
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Medium purple color with some fine sediment throughout. Pure dark espresso roast on the nose along with some black fruit, dark malt, vanilla, smoke and slightly green undertones. A hint of heat coming through on the nose as well. On the palate this wine showed blueberry, mocha, espresso, black pepper, teriyaki beef jerky and dark chocolate flavors. Heavy use of oak but not overbearing. Medium+ acid, medium tannins, medium bodied. A really complex, dark and well made wine.
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Israel VS The World - Blind tasting (Wine Route Savion): Tasted blind. This wine has matured and developed excellent complexity. Still very fruity (ripe/black) and farm odors. A lot of fruits on the palate too. Excellent body – full and round. With very good acidity and soft tannins
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Green astringent tannins. Has lost much of its fruit. Saved a glass for day two--softened somewhat. If I had another bottle I would wait a few years out of curiosity but I really think this one is done.
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I gave this an 90 but note the Shiraz was very prominent and as I drunk it toward the end of the evening after Lynch Bages and The Stash etc, it was probably a little too harsh. Was not decanted which would probably do this wine some good. Full bodied with a moderate finish and spiciness of the Shiraz comes through. Dry
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Bottle open and left to breath for 30 minutes or so. Deep purple color, fresh and juicy aromas, the cabernet sticks out more a first then Syrah takes over offering a more spicy character to it. its not something extraordinary but it seems to be accepted by a diverse group of people. Definately a good choice for a small party with food.
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2nd Technical tasting course #4 (Wine Road Tel-Aviv): dark red-black, similar color rim, leather, wet earth, fungi, Bret & greenery aromas; full balanced body & acidity, dark forest fruits flavors, smooth round tannin with good bitterness, long aftertaste.
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Small flight blind wine tasting at home: Moderately heavy tannins and full bodied. a light nose but moderately long finish with a hint of spiciness from the Shiraz - seems to be opening up nicely - once again I am beginning to see what Robert Parker liked in this wine.Continued to improve over the course of 3 hours - works well with cheese, steak and heavy non-spicy dishes.
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Green pepper dominated the nose/palate to me, also a bit of cassis on both, and some creamy/toasty/floral notes on the palate. Long finish. Had at a tasting- don't know if I'd seek out, but certainly a very well made wine and enjoyable to try.
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Thursday night at Afghan (Afghan Kebab, NY): Black with deep ruby rim. Earthy, inky on the nose with some aromas of plum. After a time more floral and coffee components came to the fore. A touch thin on the palate through the middle, some slightly bitter candied blackberry flavors. Interesting wine.
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In mid-2010 Matt Kramer admitted that he was wrong in 2003 when he predicted Syrah would become the next "big thing" red wine in California. He had his reasons for in '03 and against in '10. IMHO, brett is the main reason why it has not reached heights in North America (with a few exceptions) and why Aussie wines continue to tank iin the market. Syrah seems to be an underlying factor in many of the wines in which I find brett, including this Southern Hemisphere wine. Suffering from brett, a stanky, barnyard, furry flavor that permeated the smell and flavors of this wine, there was, behind the brett, some chocolate and raspberry but not enough to stem the brett wretch I get from barnyarders. Yuck. Ended hot, burning my espophogas and belly right now.
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The first of three. PnP, pours a dark purple. Voluptuous lush aromatic profile, humid with youngish fruit including black cherry, black raspbery and oaken mocha. Full body, lots of ripe young fruit and iron on the attack - boysenberry sauce, molten reduction of cassis, fruit leather. Lush coating, with a full rotund mid palate and then the tannins kick in and remind you of their presence on the finish. Very nice, plenty of time for this still. I don't know what WS was thinking when they pegged the drink time of this to 2008 max. With more air, fruit really coming on - opening to a big wine, more earthy notes percolating up from the depths of the flavor lagoon.
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Wonderful wine that's singing beautifully now. Spicy peppery nose of Syrah along w/ the coffee wodsy notes of the Cab. Sweet tannins w/ nice acidity. Good finish.
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The Shiraz really comes through on the nose with rich blackberry liqueur, asian spices, and coffee liqueur. Palate isn't as dense and rich as the nose. Nice blackberries, blueberries, some cracked pepper, and black cherry. The wine finishes with a tight, tannic edge. Far more advanced than the 2006 and 2007 that I've tasted, but there's still indication that this has a while ahead of it.
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I did not hate this and I have a cold that is making my buds a bit wonky so take this with a grain of salt. Brett in the nose, for sure, with some blackberry. Flavors are a bit baked but not horribly so, chocolate tar and the finish that was brown and bitter, but that may have been the cold talking.
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Did not decant - will see how it evolves tomorrow night. Strong tannins and oak with light fruit and a touch of alcohol in the finish. A powerful yet balanced cab blend and can spend many more years in the cellar. Definitely improving since my last taste and maybe I can now see what Robert Parker saw in this wine.
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Lunch at Salumi's (Seattle, WA, USA): Big, smokey, oaky nose. A touch dry and raspy on the palate but at least with reasonable acidity. That said, for me, not liking so much.
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Big disappointment. Found this very clunky and one dimensional. Decent cabernet mouthfeel to it, but a streak of "greeness" on the finish. I have 2 more bottles, so hoping its bottle variation.
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Vey nice wine, big dry tannin makes me think this was opened too early - on the nose lots of green pepper and black pepper, with earthy notes of olive and dark fruit. Very nice and complex.
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Really nice--dark berry and black cherry fruit with a lot of complexity. Perfect for steak. Great now, but could improve with time. We had this side-by-side with the 2005 Raka Quinary blend, and much preferred this. 91+
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There must be bottle variation in the lot b/c my first bottle was amazing. Nice dark ruby color. The nose does have an interesting detergent smell. I thought this might be from my dishwasher but will wait until tomorrow night. Also some dark smoked coffee smell to it. This wine has nice smooth tannins which I love. Mouth coating vanilla creme boule and tootsy roll. Not enough complexity to warrant a higher score but a nice long finish. +1 for the heavy slender bottle. Ha! Screw you traditionalists!
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Barnyard brett stank and flavors, sweet solvent odors, not a great nose. Flavors of animal dung, metal, moderate and drying tannins. Some berry fruit, sour. Not enough minerals, berry or secondary flavors to make it interesting. Waste of money, even at $20. Remind me to skip SA Bordeaux blends if they are like this.
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Blind Wine Tasting: Was a little non-decscript on the nose tonight. Good tannins but the finish did not linger - not sure if it needed more decanting or if it has gone into hibernation. Dry on the palate
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Very dark red. A lot of almost aggressive charred earth, oak, stinky cheese, but overall this leaves one wanting for more fruit. Thankfully more of the latter quality shows up on the straightforward oaky palate. Perhaps this is in an awkward phase, but it's definitely not delivering as billed at the moment.
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14% alc...the nose immediately hits you with ground coffee, espresso, wet black earth, this dark underlying sweet black fruit...medium-full body, just this side of being unctuous, not in a MollyDooker way, but verging on hedonistic with the texture and sweet fruit, all of that is broke up by the slightest hint of tannin, but good acidity on the finish. I would call this fresh and lush. Very enjoyable, very UN-South African.
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Very solid and enjoyable once again. Big nose showing lots of coffee beans, earth, tar and blackberries at first; with time the coffee notes fade and some nice plum and spice flavours emerge. Rich and savoury on the palate combining sweet red and dark fruited flavours with slightly bitter earthy and toast notes. Moderate acidity with chewy tannins, finishing with good length.
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Our first experience with Anwilka. Very dark red/purple in colour. Expressive nose of dark fruits, oak. Similar palate with medium-finish. Very structured with firm tannin. Best with food. A very youthful wine which should last for many years. Will be interesting to see how this Cab/Shiraz blend fares over time.
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Very interesting. Coffee was the dominant aromatic. In the mouth, lots of charcoal and smoky earth flavors balanced against blackberry fruit which was a tad subdued. Will revisit...
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4.5hr decant @60F in narrow-base; very dark red and thick like 2% low-fat milk. The nose at this point is very empowered with lots dark fruits; blackberries and bordeaux wet-cement and cassis and floral spiced perfume; quite similar to the '05 Pomum Red - Delish! Oh heck, this is sure good. Huge explosion of real blackberry juice all over my palate. Creamy, rich and very full bodied. Tannins show on the far-to-the-rear tongue in the very tasty and long-lasting finish. Seems just a touch (ever so slightly) hot and overripe back there, but that's really not worth mentioning. Pressed cassis juice and some oak wood also in the glass-house. The mid-palate is massive. And all this after like 5 hours open. This is a monster wine with the balance of a fine bordeaux crossed with the fruit-forward power of something from a warmer continent. Should hold on (and even improve) in the short to mid term future -- 4 to 8+ years.
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Tasted upon opening. The powerful fruit (berry) explosion was too much for my taste. After30 minutes in the glass the fruit dissapated to reveal a well-balanced wine with soft tannins and a good finish. My goal is to open a bottle each year and follow its progression. So far I've had 3 bottles and each one has shown improvement.
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Open house: Nice tobacco earthy nose (not too strong) - well rounded and supple - moderately long finish with strong balanced tannins (note this was decanted for a few hours)
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I know Parker has called this the best cabernet he has ever tasted from South Africa so I tasted it with great anticipation - which of course meant it could easily fail to such anticipation but it did not. Decanted for 4 hours and a beautiful cabernet - not too much tannin - just enough - light berries on the tongue with a touch of terroir though not too much. I will be interested to see my formal tasting and rating later.
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Clear dark red-purple colour. The nose shows a lot of oak initially with some black fruit and mineral notes underneath, but this opens out with a few hours in the decanter. After some air it's much more expressive and complex showing aromas of black cherries, plums, earth and hints of green pepper with the oak much more subtle in the background. Medium bodied on the palate with lots of black fruits and savoury earthy notes, firm tannins and a slightly warm medium length finish.
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Often I find South African wines have a heavy dirt terroir that is just too much and too crude for me. This has just a bit of that, but also lots of lovely pure fruit, and the combination results in a very enjoyable wine. Perhaps this will age, but it is delicious now.
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Farr's Christmas tasting. ......Health warning......... Huge South African fan. Oh, yes - here we go. That SA nose that has me salivating. I know what's coming, and here it is. Juicy, round, but with tannins right the way from the mid palate to the med+ finish. Still some oak, but this wine is a baby. Classy. Love it. Vergelegen, Meerlust, Warwick - and now Anwilka. Wine that just never disappoints. 92pts from Sal, too.
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I'll go 90 pts for this one. It got better as the night went on. Dark, foresty nose and palate. Tannins and acid are a little harsh, but the wine is dense and enjoyable
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I saw the previous review on this wine and sure can't agree. This is probably the best South African red I've had. Dark red, with a nose of cherry. Again, on the palate this has some great things going on, chocolate, berry, maybe some vegetation. This wine can certainly be drank now, but will be so much better in a couple of years. Fine effort.
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My last bottle of this and perhaps the best showing of the three. Consumed over three hours, this took a while to get going. Initially all toast and smoke, the fruit eventually pokes through. Good balance, nice nose, good finish, it's a well made wine all around, but it's not going to blow anyone away. This will probably improve a little more over the coming years and keep for at least another 5. Today it's a solid 90 pointer.
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Chocolate, plum, leather; pleasant and easy drinking quaffer. Tannins are supple, not much stuffing to resolve - I'd recommend drinking this sooner than later.
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Very Big. Hope it might improve but the jury is out. More of almost a desert type wine tonight. Lots of stuffing...but can it improve? Will find out...three bottles to go.
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On opening, smelled like a modern oak fest coming from the bottle and especially next to the 95 brunello which was just singing and smelling like a real wine. This was left alone for a while and when tasted the initial impression was surprisingly restrained and a bit tannic like a Bdx although certainly quite a bit of fruit was pleasant. This came right from the cellar and I even gave it a bit of fridge chill to tame the alcohol and heat which was a good idea. This is more than a rich ripe modern ripe a la Oz or Spain and will be interesting to follow. Good delineated tastes are lurking in there.
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Perhaps the context I dranks this in did not lend it to showing well. This bottle followd a 2000 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape and dry aged prime boneless rib eyes. Both of which were spectacular. I found this wine to be full of oak, butter, vanilla, and smoke with some brambly fruit lurking in the background. Though it is tannic and intense on the palate, overall, it is rather light to medium body with a simple finish. Finishes with some harsh tannins. Perhaps I do not understand this wine but it seems as if it could be any varitetal from any place. Nothing offensive other than a bit too much oak. It may age into something nice but I have my doubts. I may never know as I didn't follow my own advice and this is my last bottle.
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Aerated while decanting and drank over the next hour. Very good muted fruit with long, smooth tanins. With a few minutes to open up it is drinking very well in my opinion.
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I can see why this is a Parker prodigy. A wine difficult not to like with a potential for a higher score. Lovely balance and a nice long finish. Exquisite velvety mouthfeel.
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Dark red. Initially a tight nose that opens up a little and gives scents of leather, tobacco, and dark fruit. Medium to full body with a shortish finish. I think this needs 5 to 10 more years.
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I had to buy and open up to see what all the fuss is about this wine. This wine was decanted for 2 hours and consumed over the next 3 hours. On the nose I get a bit of the old and new world mix, but the old world leather-type funk I love quickly blows off and what is left is a big monster of wine that has all the fruit of a high-octane Aussie shiraz but only 1/2 its complexity. I get serious sour cherries and dark chocalate on the nose, and the taste is quite bitter and tannic. I can see how this is an RP95 - it's an internationally-styled wine that is made to get your attention immediately. But the mouthfeel is not great and its really too one-dimensional for me to throw the score into the 90's.
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Not decanted bottle. Very attractive nose, plenty of ripe red fruits (blueberries, cherries, sour cherries, currants), also scents of wet wood and vanilla. Full-bodied, with nice acidity and well integrated tannins. Flavors of creme de cassis, sour cherry, currants, tobacco, chocolate and oriental spices. The finish lasts about 30 sec. Very nice wine ready to drink now, but with a good ageing potential.
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This bottle was better than the one I had back in March. Healthy dark red color in the glass, fairly expressive nose showing fruit and toast notes that are echoed on the wine's palate along with a hint of dark chocolate filling out the finish. The wine is nicely balanced and well concentrated without being over the top, certainly a complete wine and very well made, but it's not a particularly complex (it shows none of the earthy/mineral secondary notes you find in good Bordeaux). It is quite accessible today with out need for decanting, and I really don't think it has the build to improve much more in the bottle, although it should probably continue to drink well for the next few years at least. Very enjoyable, fairly priced at $35, and it should stack up well against most new world Bordeaux blends in the same price range, but it's no Bordeaux ringer, despite the connection with Cos d'Estournel and Angelus.
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SFwine double-blind tasting (Dave's pad, San Francisco): Smokey nose with cigar butt, plenty of sweet dark fruits , spice. More dark fruits, spice on the palate with some black pepper and charming vegetal notes. Moderately structured, with chewy tannins and an interesting finish akin to mentholated cherries. A nice wine with good balance and some old world aromatic nuances but new world levels of sweet, juicy fruit. I correctly guessed syrah but missed that this was a blend with cab. That cigar butt should have been a dead giveaway... (Tasted blind)
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A softer and more integrated drink than the last bottle which I enjoyed a bit more. Plenty of smoked meats and dark crushed berries on the nose with a sooty sweetness and black jelly beans in the mouth. This bottle doesn't show the spine that the previous one did. The fruit core is pure and tasty, but more subdued. Hard to imagine that the wine has really matured this much, so it is probably a bottle variation thing. The finish is nice, but dries out faster than I remember.
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Very nice, well-balanced wine. From other reviews I expected an immature wine, and decided to decant for approximately 1 hour. Prior to decanting, noticed some tannins on the finish, but not overwhelming. I look forward to following this wine as it progresses over the next 5 years.
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I did not take detailed notes so I'll just list some general impressions. The color is very deep and dark. The nose is nice with dark fruits, earth, and a little leather. The palate is big and nicely structured. Full bodied. The finish is persistent and somewhat drying from all the tannin. This definitely improved with extended aeration. This is a good wine that I expect will improve with 4 to 8 years in the cellar. 89 might be a bit conservative, there's definitely potential for improvement.
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i don't know squat about this wine. i don't know where i bought it, i don't know what i paid for it, and i can't find any info about it. i seriously need help.
not decanted, but there has been a tremendous amount of positive development in the glass. the nose reminds me of monbousquet with that choco-mocha, kind of toffee thing going on. and, this profile continues into the palate as well. sorry, but this is the one flavor profile i just cannot stomach. however, for it's age, it's surprisingly rounded and integrated. if this is a super cheap wine, say...under $18, i'd say, WTF, it's ok, if you don't hate coffee type flavors in your wine. pleasant enough to drink, no major complaints, but simple, with little complexity.
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pretty darn good new world style wine but not over the top...good balance and significant secondary flavors...still young and rather tight but opened well have after 3 hours in decanter and consumed over another couple of hours...enjoyed
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Great aromas of tea leaf, glycerin, heavy but untapped fruit, tobacco. Inky purple in the glass, almost foreboding. I would pour some of this in a glass, have one taste, and then wait an hour or two. Definitely benefits from decanting. At this young age, it is a tight wine that needs more aging. It has absolutely stellar potential. As another pointed out, lots of chocolate and espresso mid palate flavors, and a very long finish. It's actually my first South African wine, and if they all have this QPR, watch out Australia! It's easily the equal of some $50-80 wines, but a great deal at $36. If you buy some, be forewarned that without some aeration, it will initially be quite closed, but with some air, will unfold quite nicely.
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Got it today and popped and poured it with beef bourgoungne (sp). Dark, inky, but not ready to drink. You can tell that the fruit is there and I mean in spades, but this needs time. Do not even think about opening this one for a couple of years, but then, it should be very special.
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Pulled from the cellar at 55', and opened but not decanted for about an hour before the initial glass was poured. At first blush, this wine showed rather lean and green with respect to the fruit. Notes of wild game, wet fur, and blood prove the presence of a healthy amount of Northern Rhone-style syrah fruit, but the palate was firm and tannic with an abrupt finish. I was hopeful that the wine would open and improve with time, showing some of the concentration and lush fruit that others have commented on. As a result, I sipped rather slowly. The bottle hit a sweet spot about 4 hours after being opened, and continued to improve over the remaining hour and a half it was served. Notes of chocolate, charcoal, and espresso roast melded with the meaty syrah notes to create a beguiling nose that, oddly enough, reminds of a bit of Monbousquet. The fruit blossomed to show some balanced sweetness and the finish lenghthened. The wine is concentrated indeed, but not at all hot, and not overly done. It retained some grip and firmness to the last drop. I'll admit to a fair amount of skepticism as I've never had a South African wine that I've found significantly impressive (a recent Columella was nice). Suffice it to say, I think it worthwhile to buy more and watch this wine develop over the next decade.
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Here is proof of South Africa wine pushing out on the world stage. First, there's the bottle; it's tall, big and heavy. In fact, since the defacto rule is the bigger and heavier the bottle the more money you can charge (c.f. Sine Qua Non), at $36, this wine is a great value for the heavy empty bottle alone. (I intend to use it for pounding poulet paillardes). Second, there is the nose. Another SA wine I've recently tried, the 2003 Boschkloof Syrah, has a old-world nose of brambles and bright acidity; not this wine. The Anwilka has got a killer nose of fruit, fruit, wonderful fruit with a dash of vanilla oak in the background. The color is inky purple black and almost opaque. The palate is lush, pleasingly but not overly ripe, fine acid balance, with good glycerin and persistence in the middle, and a great long finish with smooth well-controlled tannins. It's an international style wine from the beginning to the end. It aims to please and it does.
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3/24/2024 - pichon27 wrote:
Sold without tasting
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7/15/2022 - NiklasT Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth and hedonistic with soft, sunny dark fruit. Tannins rounded off by maturity, decent length and good energy. Great fit with bbq. Could probably go on for another 5-10 years but very good spot now.
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8/11/2021 - Rich S Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for sediment. Medium garnet color with some slight hints of tawny towards the rim. Nose showed a bit of mixed black and red fruits with roasted plum, blackberry, slightly herbal, a bit of dark roast coffee. The oak has definitely integrated and left more of a baked fruit profile. Similar flavors on the palate with slightly baked, raisiny blackberry and black cherry compote flavors but not buried with alcohol or port like aromas. Some herbal cough drop notes coming through as well. Medium acid and tannin with just a touch of heat coming through on the finish. All told, this held up quite well and was very enjoyable, especially at the sale price paid. I probably would not hold much longer though.
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11/9/2020 - walkerjfw wrote: 88 Points
Last bottle from a batch bought from Garagiste 10+ years ago. Paired with my signature pot roast and and potatoes. PnP, drank over 2hours.
Deep purple color, some sediment. Nose out of the bottle was nice, dark fruits, cedar, graphite, mineral. Evolved a bit over a couple hours to show less of the graphite/mineral profile. Palate of dark fruits, dusted blackberry, spice and savory notes. Savory profile and mild blue fruits through mid palate. Tannins present, softened. Medium weight and finish.
Not much experience with South African wines, what I do have has been a bit mixed. This one went the distance so I have to give some credit. This bottle in a good spot and paired well with the slow cooked meat, would put it in the good not great category...still very enjoyable. WOuld drink up if you have it.
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7/20/2020 - Ron Slye wrote: 84 Points
This has a lovely nose. But the palate is disappointing. No major ok presence. But a bit hot and muddled. There is some nice earth notes from the can I suspect. But it still does not come together for me. After a day or two it was at the point of why should I waste the calories on this. Will wait a bit perhaps for my last bottle. Not sure it will improve, but who knows.
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1/22/2020 - cab blends wrote: 91 Points
Not blind
This was a pnp. This is still doing exceptionally well although past its power peak. (when I would have rated it 95 - and I think I did)
Nose is muted; but tannins and body are still powerful and full bodied. Tannins 7.5/10
Woody and chalky with great dry pv backbone
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12/26/2019 - king-bing wrote:
Nose of burnt rubber to start. Rather dried out finish at this point. Hmmmm
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10/18/2019 - cab blends wrote: 93 Points
The tannins are still doing well. 7/10 to 8
This is in a perfect spot at the moment.
Smokey and leather nose. Chalk in the nose.
Hl 4 fb 3. Fi 4/5
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7/5/2019 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well right now.
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1/21/2019 - Senso-beak wrote: 87 Points
Opened and poured. Very dark, full bodied. Neutral nose. Sour cherry on the palate,with black tea, menthol, some plum. Puckering, tart cherries dominate. Solid, decent structure, just needs a little lift on the fruit to garner higher scores.
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8/19/2018 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 91 Points
Deep garnet red with bricking on the edges. A bit mute on the nose with a light amount of smokiness and meat as well as some dark berries. Moderate tannins (6/10) and medium plus bodied. Well integrated and still holding it together. Rather impressed with it for the age, a bit savory with smoked cherries and forest floor. Medium plus finish.
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7/26/2018 - Peech Does not like this wine: 86 Points
alcoholic, a little stinky, smoky. Still tannic.
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7/6/2018 - cab blends wrote:
Light chalk on the nose. Dry palate.
N7
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5/12/2017 - SimonG wrote: 88 Points
First from the case. Must have been a bit of a brute in its youth, but now it's very smooth, glycerin-rich, and reasonably dark fruited. It's 60 Cab Sauv and 40 Syrah, but blind I'd say it was an Argentinian Malbec from higher altitude. Double-decanted about an hour ahead of time. Similar before and with food, but after another couple of hours, and after food, it does seem to be developing a little more savoury line. No doubting it's very well made, just a question of whether it's one's thing. Either way, it's ready. ***
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3/18/2017 - jmcmchi wrote: 89 Points
Tiring - does not have the depth or bite I expected. I can't see this lasting much longer
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3/7/2017 - JulianSkeels wrote: 89 Points
Needs 20-30mins in a glass to open. Cabernet dominates the Shiraz with loads of blackcurrent albeit a touch green in the mid-palate. A tad dusty too. Nice minty freshness on the finish from the Shiraz. This is at least ripe and fresh, but wish it had merlot. Lacks depth but plenty of body and sweetness with air. Fully mature but no hurry. I'll drink by 2020. 89pts
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3/1/2017 - Papies wrote: 89 Points
Opened and served.
Maybe it's because we expected a lot more or that it followed the beutiful Ridge Estate 2012 but it did not shine. It left the feeling that the wine was pushed too much to deliver in its "youth" that now at age 12 its running a bit on empty. Lacked depth and complexity in a way . 88-89
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2/28/2017 - walkerjfw wrote: 91 Points
Looking for something to pair with Valerie's tacos. This was an impulse pull from the cellar...hadn't had this in a few years. Splash decanted through a vinituri.
Deep purple garnet color. Nose was savory, game, some smoke. Dark berries, blackberry, cedar, pepper. Smooth texture, really ripe though the mid palate. Medium and layered finish...
This has aged beautifully, last bottle was paired with my "famous" brisket, worked great with the tacos. This batch bought from Garagiste a few years back. I have very little South African wine and not much palate experience, but this was great. Nicely aged, fruit and tannins integrated and smooth. I think I paid $20, market value says $15...if you can get it for that its an outstanding QPR... Would be best to drink over next 3-5 years
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2/27/2017 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 92 Points
Deep garnet red with bricking on the edges. A bit stinky on the nose smokey and gamey. Moderate tannins (6/10) and medium plus bodied. Rather impressed with this and at the perfect moment to drink. A bit savory on the palate with a touch of dark red fruits. Medium plus finish.
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2/14/2017 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 91 Points
Been awhile since we last tried the 2005 Anwilka. Deep garnet red with some bricking in the edges. Classic South African nose. A little dirty and herbaceous on the attack with soft dark fruit undertones. Smooth and well integrated tannins (6/10). Rounded layers mixed between slight herbaceous and dark berries. Medium plus bodied with a bit of chalk and gravel in the medium finish. Drink till 2020.
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12/23/2016 - Ron Slye wrote: 89 Points
Drinking well. Consistent with my last notes, though little evidence of the oak that was more present a few years ago. Very pleasant, not overly complex.
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12/23/2016 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 1h. Hot berry nose and cedar nose. This is a hefty oak and concentrated, extracted red fruit profile, graphite, black pepper, faint tannins and a hint of acid on the finish. Smooooth, complex. As well made as most of a gaggle of CA cabs I tried earlier in the week at a holiday party, but at a fraction of their cost. Outstanding QPR.
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9/28/2016 - Coachron13 Does not like this wine:
Very odd nose. Taste was combination of bitter and smoky, with a sour aftertaste. Maybe a bad bottle, maybe past its window, maybe we just don't get what others seem to like about it, so not scoring it.
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9/26/2016 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Bu Avec Alfredo au souper au RESTO AVV la Maison Chez Nous de Bromont.
Super beau nez fragrant sur les bleuets, le cèdre et les herbes.
En bouche, certains ont mentionné Bordeaux fondus, d'un certain age.
C'est assez fin et en début de tertiaire, feuilles et cuir. Le fruit est encore là, les tannins fondus et la finale de longeueur moyenne.
En fin de plateau je dirais et un peu passé son prime pour cette bouteille.
Une autre va suivre avant la fin de l'année!
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8/14/2016 - Dmahan76 wrote: 89 Points
Robust cab Shiraz blend. Nice blend for the price.
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8/2/2016 - michelvl wrote: 93 Points
in line with my previous review
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7/3/2016 - dave747400 wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted for (a small amount of) sediment. Audouzed 2hrs. With rare roast surloin of beef. Fruity, berry nose. Red fruit & bright, lively acidity in the mouth. Tannins hiding in the 30+ second finish. Very good indeed.
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7/2/2016 - skurtz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened to breathe for 1h. This is a hot, extracted medium to heavy red. At times the alcohol seems a bit unbalanced but after about 2h it was more integrated. Well made, tonight with grilled steak.
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5/15/2016 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just a behemoth, super dense extracted wine. You can cut it with a knife. Black pepper, red fruit, well integrated tannins. More integration after an hour, but really locked and loaded from the start. Not shy. Fantastic with smoky grilled buffalo burgers!
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5/14/2016 - VinCrush Likes this wine: 92 Points
A dry, dark, and earthy mix. I got a brief whiff of burned wood charcoal with my first swirl of the glass, but it quickly dissipated leaving blueberries, blackberries, and a rustic smokey oak note. Full body with a medium finish. Just starting to show a hint of bricking around the edges. All in all, a rich, complex and satisfying Stellenbosch!
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3/3/2016 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Getting lots of shiraz and oaky tobacco funk on the nose and palate, balancing out the red fruit. Nice complexity. Really came alive with 2-3h of aeration, the integration and finish improve markedly. Otherwise, going strong and consistent in a positive way with my previous notes.
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2/27/2016 - dave747400 wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted for sediment, audouzed 2hrs. With Sal's beef stew. In line with previous notes, dark & earthy - feeling the Cabernet tonight. Improved all evening in the glass.
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1/19/2016 - dave747400 wrote: 93 Points
Double decanted 3hrs. With fillet steak. Room filling aromatics on opening, opaque. Really lovely entry & midpalate, not overly sweet or lush despite being fairly full bodied. Chocolate & dark fruits. Don't often love Shiraz, but when it's good it's very good indeed. Classy.
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1/9/2016 - Tompa71 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very mature. Love the nose which contains black and red fruit, vanilla, spices and eucalyptus. Unique flavor of black berries, pepper, tannins, dust, oak. Very long after taste. Delicious.
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1/2/2016 - skurtz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 2h, still lots of primary fruit and cedar; consistent with my previous notes. Excellent QPR. Plenty of life left.
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12/13/2015 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep garnet in color. Nose has started to wear off, very light charcoal and earthy tones. There are some undertones of black fruit. Starts off earthy and lots of dark fruits like plums on the palate. Additionally the palate was slightly toasty. Moderate tannins (5.5/10) and moderate body. Finish was long and lingered. Not surprised by the power of this wine even after 10 years and the dark fruits on the palate. A little disappointed by the nose but still a delicious wine. After tasting this we will be making a stop by Klein Constantia on Thursday!
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11/30/2015 - vinrhino88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark fruit and dusty earth. I felt like there was plenty of stuffing left in this one, nice integrated tannin. Very enjoyable, went great with flatiron steak. Alas, last bottle.
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11/14/2015 - king-bing wrote:
Dark colour. V cabernet at the moment - blackcurrant with a touch of smoke. Slightly astringent finish. Needs plenty of time yet.
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9/9/2015 - maxima Likes this wine: 90 Points
Vin ample et assez puissant.
Nez sur le cassis et le tabac avec un peu d'épices.
En bouche, assez tannique, le cassis revient avec du café et une bonne longueur. Encore jeune mais pas mal bon.
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8/26/2015 - michelvl wrote: 93 Points
A peppery, earthy shiraz that has deep berry and some lead as undertone. Will last some time to come and may develop upwards.
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7/5/2015 - cab blends Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice full bodied. This continues to drink well. Tannins are integrated. Light fruit on the nose.
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7/5/2015 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 92 Points
91-93
Really enjoying this wine, its been a treat to taste this multiple times. I want to see how younger ones are doing.
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6/20/2015 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted and enjoyed over 4 hours, including dinner with salmon and movie night with buttered popcorn. This is a big powerful fruit forward wine with mineral highlights. At first, the cab and shiraz elements of this blend seemed almost disjointed, with a bit of tannic finish. By 2-3h after decanting this had fully integrated, with a pungent compost like nose and intense extracted red fruit, cherries and plums mostly, on the palate; by then the tannins had smoothed out quite a bit. Medium to full bodied, with a lingering finish. The first bottle from a case, looking forward to see how this evolves over time.
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5/25/2015 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 91 Points
Similar to last time
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4/3/2015 - Senso-beak wrote: 90 Points
Opened and poured. A medium bodied red, with garnet to pink coloring. Nose of beef, iron, blackberry, black cherry, toasty oak, green pepper. Somewhat angular sharp, tart, flavorings lacking deep base notes of fruit and power at this point. Cranberry, distilled red fruits, underripe strawberry define the palate with minimal air. Fleshing out with air, the spiciness of the shiraz providing the sandpaper like rough edges on the finish. Day two this has really gained weight and depth, into the blacks, plums, asphalt, fire grilled prune, oaked vanilla territory. A very different wine on day two, so I would highly recommend decanting for several hours, or wait another 2-3 years. Smooth on the finish, with round edges and a fairly long echo. Will not open the next bottle for 3-5 years.
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3/29/2015 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very smoky (nose is blocked but that comes through), spiciness from shiraz comes through, overall really nice for my first cab shiraz, got at least another year or two in it
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2/6/2015 - skurtz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 1h at a four-course dinner with friends in North Jersey. This South African blend of shiraz and cabernet had none of the shiraz character and tasted rather like a (high end) Napa cabernet. Tannins completely resolved, oak, red fruit, and pencil lead, all fully integrated. Smooth. This is a big wine, and was great paired with steak tonight. Showing nicely in its window at the moment.
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12/22/2014 - cab blends Likes this wine: 91 Points
I think it still needs a little decanting - the spicy shiraz comes through nicely but this is not a mellow wine. Still has strength and body
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12/6/2014 - cab blends Likes this wine: 93 Points
S&E Bordeaux Blend Style Wine Tasting - Blind Tasting (Our home): No decanting on this one - popped and poured -Strong tannins 7/10 and balanced. The shiraz backbone comes through. A hint of brown in the rim? Full bodied and enjoyable.
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12/6/2014 - Ron Slye wrote: 90 Points
Pleasant nose with sweet notes of vanilla bean and dark ripe cherries. A bit harsh attack at first on the palate (almost like black peppercorns on steroids), but unfolds quickly into some nice red fruits; the vanilla is there but more in the background. This still seems a bit tight. Might benefit from another year or two in the bottle.
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8/29/2014 - cab blends Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still drinking beautifully. The shiraz gives a strong backbone with is balanced yet powerful and not too spicy. Full bodied - tannins 7/10
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5/6/2014 - cab blends Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is still one of my favorites when I want a cab blend with some dark fruit and spiciness in the body and finish. This is still youthful and I am happy I still have 3 cases to go.
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3/16/2014 - CabIsKing wrote: 93 Points
Same notes as last bottle but this time alcohol has dissipate into a long silky finish. Hence the higher points. Drinking at it peak.
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2/1/2014 - cab blends Likes this wine: 95 Points
Partner Dinner (Our Home): This continues to fly. Tannins 6/10. A hint of chalk in the nose. Powerful shiraz comes through with the round fruit of the cabernet. This continues to evolve and probably still has a while to reach its prime.
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1/26/2014 - cab blends Likes this wine: 95 Points
These are maturing beautifully. Full bodied and beginning to have a heavy silk texture. Bold syrah spiciness. Tannins 7.5/10. The nose has a hint og meaty smokiness - this stand up nicely with a strong BBQd ribeye or creamy cheese.
I am glad I still have a case or two of these!
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1/24/2014 - hkm520240 wrote: 91 Points
Blend of 63% cabernet sauvignon and 37% shiraz. Intense dark garnet with crimson hue and still youthful appearance. Decanted for about 1+ hours.
Still pretty primary on the nose, black fruits , raspberry, ripe fruits interwoven with spice and smoky oak. Fruits forward on palate, dark and red fruits, raspberry and smoky oak. Robust wines with good substance on mid palate extending to a persistent finish. Chewy tannins with peppery spice aftertaste.This is a serious wine with good structure but a bit lacking on the complexity. Drinking nicely now but it may gain further complexity as it has got the structure to age.
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1/2/2014 - hitechnomad wrote: 90 Points
Still good was time to drink.
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12/14/2013 - maxima wrote: 90 Points
Nez puissant très fruité, cerises et mures avec une bonne profondeur.
En bouche, c'est ample. Du fruit noir et des tanins bien serrés avec un peu de bois. Très long avec un certain équilibre.
Costaud et généreux.
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10/14/2013 - CabIsKing wrote: 91 Points
Good nose of dark fruit, smoke, vanilla and spice. A bit of the same on the tongue with the alcohol prominent on the finish. Drinking nice now but alcohol a little to dominant overall.
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8/30/2013 - hitechnomad Likes this wine: 94 Points
delightful! perfect tension of structure and fruit.
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7/27/2013 - cob Likes this wine: 88 Points
I like this wine but not for the price I paid. Very shy nose with a little red berry and a little smoke. On the palate there is some raspberry and a hint of chocolate and mint. However towards the back end I am getting a lot of roasted smokey notes which is killing this for me. A nice long finish that saves this wine again but not great QPR. With the exception of the mint notes, if I was given his blind I would have thought a nice $15 Argentinian Malbec. Drank this with a charcoal barbecued tenderloin which made for a great match however this was a little rough without food. If I had any more I would be drinking them soon or trading them to someone with muted taste buds.
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3/9/2013 - hitechnomad Likes this wine: 92 Points
delightful. good long finish. drinking well now
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2/25/2013 - Dids wrote: 88 Points
This was drank inbetween a Les Rosine 2009 and a D'Escurac 2005 and came out on top.
Dark cherried nose with blackberries and tobacco notes peeking through. Still a bit of vanilla hovering around. Fully bodied in the mouth. Chocolate and blackberries slight hits of spice. No alcohol spike in the finish, smooth and decently length, though not long. Very suitable for a night with non wine geek friends.
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5/16/2012 - Rich S wrote: 92 Points
Medium purple color with some fine sediment throughout. Pure dark espresso roast on the nose along with some black fruit, dark malt, vanilla, smoke and slightly green undertones. A hint of heat coming through on the nose as well. On the palate this wine showed blueberry, mocha, espresso, black pepper, teriyaki beef jerky and dark chocolate flavors. Heavy use of oak but not overbearing. Medium+ acid, medium tannins, medium bodied. A really complex, dark and well made wine.
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4/17/2012 - madia wrote: 92 Points
Israel VS The World - Blind tasting (Wine Route Savion): Tasted blind. This wine has matured and developed excellent complexity. Still very fruity (ripe/black) and farm odors. A lot of fruits on the palate too. Excellent body – full and round. With very good acidity and soft tannins
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3/14/2012 - S1 wrote: 86 Points
Green astringent tannins. Has lost much of its fruit. Saved a glass for day two--softened somewhat. If I had another bottle I would wait a few years out of curiosity but I really think this one is done.
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8/27/2011 - cab blends wrote: 90 Points
I gave this an 90 but note the Shiraz was very prominent and as I drunk it toward the end of the evening after Lynch Bages and The Stash etc, it was probably a little too harsh. Was not decanted which would probably do this wine some good. Full bodied with a moderate finish and spiciness of the Shiraz comes through. Dry
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8/12/2011 - kostaslonis wrote: 87 Points
Bottle open and left to breath for 30 minutes or so. Deep purple color, fresh and juicy aromas, the cabernet sticks out more a first then Syrah takes over offering a more spicy character to it. its not something extraordinary but it seems to be accepted by a diverse group of people. Definately a good choice for a small party with food.
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7/10/2011 - Yagil Likes this wine: 92 Points
2nd Technical tasting course #4 (Wine Road Tel-Aviv): dark red-black, similar color rim,
leather, wet earth, fungi, Bret & greenery aromas;
full balanced body & acidity, dark forest fruits flavors, smooth round tannin with good bitterness, long aftertaste.
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4/2/2011 - cab blends wrote: 93 Points
Small flight blind wine tasting at home: Moderately heavy tannins and full bodied. a light nose but moderately long finish with a hint of spiciness from the Shiraz - seems to be opening up nicely - once again I am beginning to see what Robert Parker liked in this wine.Continued to improve over the course of 3 hours - works well with cheese, steak and heavy non-spicy dishes.
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3/20/2011 - David_T wrote: 91 Points
Green pepper dominated the nose/palate to me, also a bit of cassis on both, and some creamy/toasty/floral notes on the palate. Long finish. Had at a tasting- don't know if I'd seek out, but certainly a very well made wine and enjoyable to try.
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3/10/2011 - dougsmith wrote: 90 Points
Thursday night at Afghan (Afghan Kebab, NY): Black with deep ruby rim. Earthy, inky on the nose with some aromas of plum. After a time more floral and coffee components came to the fore. A touch thin on the palate through the middle, some slightly bitter candied blackberry flavors. Interesting wine.
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3/9/2011 - guitarguy wrote: 79 Points
In mid-2010 Matt Kramer admitted that he was wrong in 2003 when he predicted Syrah would become the next "big thing" red wine in California. He had his reasons for in '03 and against in '10. IMHO, brett is the main reason why it has not reached heights in North America (with a few exceptions) and why Aussie wines continue to tank iin the market. Syrah seems to be an underlying factor in many of the wines in which I find brett, including this Southern Hemisphere wine. Suffering from brett, a stanky, barnyard, furry flavor that permeated the smell and flavors of this wine, there was, behind the brett, some chocolate and raspberry but not enough to stem the brett wretch I get from barnyarders. Yuck. Ended hot, burning my espophogas and belly right now.
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2/21/2011 - uhclem wrote: 90 Points
Nice full throttle syrah. Drinking well now, but might last a few more years.
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1/22/2011 - Senso-beak wrote: 91 Points
The first of three. PnP, pours a dark purple. Voluptuous lush aromatic profile, humid with youngish fruit including black cherry, black raspbery and oaken mocha. Full body, lots of ripe young fruit and iron on the attack - boysenberry sauce, molten reduction of cassis, fruit leather. Lush coating, with a full rotund mid palate and then the tannins kick in and remind you of their presence on the finish. Very nice, plenty of time for this still. I don't know what WS was thinking when they pegged the drink time of this to 2008 max. With more air, fruit really coming on - opening to a big wine, more earthy notes percolating up from the depths of the flavor lagoon.
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1/12/2011 - NuTricks wrote: 91 Points
Wonderful wine that's singing beautifully now. Spicy peppery nose of Syrah along w/ the coffee wodsy notes of the Cab. Sweet tannins w/ nice acidity. Good finish.
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12/1/2010 - tooch wrote: 89 Points
The Shiraz really comes through on the nose with rich blackberry liqueur, asian spices, and coffee liqueur. Palate isn't as dense and rich as the nose. Nice blackberries, blueberries, some cracked pepper, and black cherry. The wine finishes with a tight, tannic edge. Far more advanced than the 2006 and 2007 that I've tasted, but there's still indication that this has a while ahead of it.
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9/7/2010 - guitarguy wrote: 84 Points
I did not hate this and I have a cold that is making my buds a bit wonky so take this with a grain of salt. Brett in the nose, for sure, with some blackberry. Flavors are a bit baked but not horribly so, chocolate tar and the finish that was brown and bitter, but that may have been the cold talking.
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8/27/2010 - Ajb wrote: 90 Points
Ar first plush just another new world fruit
Bomb. Then, structure and spice pulling us back down to
Earth.
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8/8/2010 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote: 92 Points
Very dimensional for a $20 wine; drinking great now. Surprisingly complex earthy notes.
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8/8/2010 - quickben wrote: 89 Points
Big wine - plenty of structure - cab tannins dominate a bit but overall a very well made wine
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8/5/2010 - cab blends Likes this wine: 94 Points
Did not decant - will see how it evolves tomorrow night. Strong tannins and oak with light fruit and a touch of alcohol in the finish. A powerful yet balanced cab blend and can spend many more years in the cellar. Definitely improving since my last taste and maybe I can now see what Robert Parker saw in this wine.
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8/4/2010 - Eric wrote:
Lunch at Salumi's (Seattle, WA, USA): Big, smokey, oaky nose. A touch dry and raspy on the palate but at least with reasonable acidity. That said, for me, not liking so much.
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5/23/2010 - kingb22 wrote: 85 Points
Big disappointment. Found this very clunky and one dimensional. Decent cabernet mouthfeel to it, but a streak of "greeness" on the finish. I have 2 more bottles, so hoping its bottle variation.
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5/2/2010 - cobystilp wrote: 90 Points
Heavier than I remember
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4/29/2010 - wirelesswine wrote: 91 Points
Vey nice wine, big dry tannin makes me think this was opened too early - on the nose lots of green pepper and black pepper, with earthy notes of olive and dark fruit. Very nice and complex.
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3/28/2010 - rcmcb wrote: 91 Points
Really nice--dark berry and black cherry fruit with a lot of complexity. Perfect for steak. Great now, but could improve with time. We had this side-by-side with the 2005 Raka Quinary blend, and much preferred this. 91+
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2/22/2010 - cobystilp wrote: 91 Points
There must be bottle variation in the lot b/c my first bottle was amazing. Nice dark ruby color. The nose does have an interesting detergent smell. I thought this might be from my dishwasher but will wait until tomorrow night. Also some dark smoked coffee smell to it. This wine has nice smooth tannins which I love. Mouth coating vanilla creme boule and tootsy roll. Not enough complexity to warrant a higher score but a nice long finish. +1 for the heavy slender bottle. Ha! Screw you traditionalists!
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2/15/2010 - guitarguy wrote: 81 Points
Barnyard brett stank and flavors, sweet solvent odors, not a great nose. Flavors of animal dung, metal, moderate and drying tannins. Some berry fruit, sour. Not enough minerals, berry or secondary flavors to make it interesting. Waste of money, even at $20. Remind me to skip SA Bordeaux blends if they are like this.
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1/24/2010 - hankj wrote: 85 Points
solid wine but plummy and cooked tasting -- typical South African hot micro-climate profile.
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1/23/2010 - ItsNotMe wrote:
This wine improves each year. Opened 2 hours w/o decanting. Inky, perfectly balanced, but not as fruit-forward as in the past. Highly recommended.
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11/21/2009 - cab blends wrote: 88 Points
Blind Wine Tasting: Was a little non-decscript on the nose tonight. Good tannins but the finish did not linger - not sure if it needed more decanting or if it has gone into hibernation. Dry on the palate
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10/9/2009 - tcfishler wrote:
Very dark red. A lot of almost aggressive charred earth, oak, stinky cheese, but overall this leaves one wanting for more fruit. Thankfully more of the latter quality shows up on the straightforward oaky palate. Perhaps this is in an awkward phase, but it's definitely not delivering as billed at the moment.
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7/23/2009 - CO CHRIS wrote:
14% alc...the nose immediately hits you with ground coffee, espresso, wet black earth, this dark underlying sweet black fruit...medium-full body, just this side of being unctuous, not in a MollyDooker way, but verging on hedonistic with the texture and sweet fruit, all of that is broke up by the slightest hint of tannin, but good acidity on the finish. I would call this fresh and lush. Very enjoyable, very UN-South African.
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5/25/2009 - salil wrote: 88 Points
Very solid and enjoyable once again. Big nose showing lots of coffee beans, earth, tar and blackberries at first; with time the coffee notes fade and some nice plum and spice flavours emerge. Rich and savoury on the palate combining sweet red and dark fruited flavours with slightly bitter earthy and toast notes. Moderate acidity with chewy tannins, finishing with good length.
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4/12/2009 - GSW wrote: 91 Points
Our first experience with Anwilka. Very dark red/purple in colour. Expressive nose of dark fruits, oak. Similar palate with medium-finish. Very structured with firm tannin. Best with food. A very youthful wine which should last for many years. Will be interesting to see how this Cab/Shiraz blend fares over time.
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3/7/2009 - AdamWallstein wrote: 90 Points
Very interesting. Coffee was the dominant aromatic. In the mouth, lots of charcoal and smoky earth flavors balanced against blackberry fruit which was a tad subdued. Will revisit...
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3/1/2009 - z_willus_d wrote: 91 Points
4.5hr decant @60F in narrow-base; very dark red and thick like 2% low-fat milk. The nose at this point is very empowered with lots dark fruits; blackberries and bordeaux wet-cement and cassis and floral spiced perfume; quite similar to the '05 Pomum Red - Delish! Oh heck, this is sure good. Huge explosion of real blackberry juice all over my palate. Creamy, rich and very full bodied. Tannins show on the far-to-the-rear tongue in the very tasty and long-lasting finish. Seems just a touch (ever so slightly) hot and overripe back there, but that's really not worth mentioning. Pressed cassis juice and some oak wood also in the glass-house. The mid-palate is massive. And all this after like 5 hours open. This is a monster wine with the balance of a fine bordeaux crossed with the fruit-forward power of something from a warmer continent. Should hold on (and even improve) in the short to mid term future -- 4 to 8+ years.
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2/21/2009 - ItsNotMe wrote:
Tasted upon opening. The powerful fruit (berry) explosion was too much for my taste. After30 minutes in the glass the fruit dissapated to reveal a well-balanced wine with soft tannins and a good finish. My goal is to open a bottle each year and follow its progression. So far I've had 3 bottles and each one has shown improvement.
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1/11/2009 - jonesj22 wrote: 91 Points
Joe G's House - January Offline (Joe G's - Buffalo): Nose: Dark fruits, dark olives, briney, capers, subtle notes of carmel and toffee.
Palate: Olive tampenade, dark fruit, toasty cocoa and coffee on the finish. Well made, just not my flavor preference.
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1/2/2009 - cab blends wrote: 93 Points
Open house: Nice tobacco earthy nose (not too strong) - well rounded and supple - moderately long finish with strong balanced tannins (note this was decanted for a few hours)
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12/13/2008 - cab blends wrote: 93 Points
I know Parker has called this the best cabernet he has ever tasted from South Africa so I tasted it with great anticipation - which of course meant it could easily fail to such anticipation but it did not. Decanted for 4 hours and a beautiful cabernet - not too much tannin - just enough - light berries on the tongue with a touch of terroir though not too much. I will be interested to see my formal tasting and rating later.
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12/1/2008 - salil wrote: 89 Points
Clear dark red-purple colour. The nose shows a lot of oak initially with some black fruit and mineral notes underneath, but this opens out with a few hours in the decanter. After some air it's much more expressive and complex showing aromas of black cherries, plums, earth and hints of green pepper with the oak much more subtle in the background. Medium bodied on the palate with lots of black fruits and savoury earthy notes, firm tannins and a slightly warm medium length finish.
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11/22/2008 - jim dixon wrote: 91 Points
Often I find South African wines have a heavy dirt terroir that is just too much and too crude for me. This has just a bit of that, but also lots of lovely pure fruit, and the combination results in a very enjoyable wine. Perhaps this will age, but it is delicious now.
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11/10/2008 - dave747400 wrote: 92 Points
Farr's Christmas tasting.
......Health warning......... Huge South African fan.
Oh, yes - here we go. That SA nose that has me salivating. I know what's coming, and here it is. Juicy, round, but with tannins right the way from the mid palate to the med+ finish. Still some oak, but this wine is a baby. Classy. Love it. Vergelegen, Meerlust, Warwick - and now Anwilka. Wine that just never disappoints. 92pts from Sal, too.
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11/7/2008 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
South African Winetasting and Dinner (Stephen Gold's home, San Francisco, California): Dark red violet color; ripe berry, plum, mint and earth nose; ripe black fruit, mineral and tart palate, very young yet; medium finish
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11/3/2008 - jimkay21 wrote: 90 Points
I'll go 90 pts for this one. It got better as the night went on. Dark, foresty nose and palate. Tannins and acid are a little harsh, but the wine is dense and enjoyable
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10/9/2008 - LeechDogg wrote: 87 Points
Green, mocha, green bell pepper.
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9/28/2008 - cpowell wrote: 89 Points
I saw the previous review on this wine and sure can't agree. This is probably the best South African red I've had. Dark red, with a nose of cherry. Again, on the palate this has some great things going on, chocolate, berry, maybe some vegetation. This wine can certainly be drank now, but will be so much better in a couple of years. Fine effort.
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9/8/2008 - mikecase00 wrote: 90 Points
My last bottle of this and perhaps the best showing of the three. Consumed over three hours, this took a while to get going. Initially all toast and smoke, the fruit eventually pokes through. Good balance, nice nose, good finish, it's a well made wine all around, but it's not going to blow anyone away. This will probably improve a little more over the coming years and keep for at least another 5. Today it's a solid 90 pointer.
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8/28/2008 - Alex G. wrote:
Chocolate, plum, leather; pleasant and easy drinking quaffer. Tannins are supple, not much stuffing to resolve - I'd recommend drinking this sooner than later.
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8/2/2008 - redbat wrote: 89 Points
Very Big. Hope it might improve but the jury is out. More of almost a desert type wine tonight. Lots of stuffing...but can it improve? Will find out...three bottles to go.
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7/21/2008 - Mr T wrote:
On opening, smelled like a modern oak fest coming from the bottle and especially next to the 95 brunello which was just singing and smelling like a real wine. This was left alone for a while and when tasted the initial impression was surprisingly restrained and a bit tannic like a Bdx although certainly quite a bit of fruit was pleasant. This came right from the cellar and I even gave it a bit of fridge chill to tame the alcohol and heat which was a good idea. This is more than a rich ripe modern ripe a la Oz or Spain and will be interesting to follow. Good delineated tastes are lurking in there.
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7/16/2008 - kris.h wrote: 82 Points
Perhaps the context I dranks this in did not lend it to showing well. This bottle followd a 2000 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape and dry aged prime boneless rib eyes. Both of which were spectacular. I found this wine to be full of oak, butter, vanilla, and smoke with some brambly fruit lurking in the background. Though it is tannic and intense on the palate, overall, it is rather light to medium body with a simple finish. Finishes with some harsh tannins. Perhaps I do not understand this wine but it seems as if it could be any varitetal from any place. Nothing offensive other than a bit too much oak. It may age into something nice but I have my doubts. I may never know as I didn't follow my own advice and this is my last bottle.
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5/10/2008 - calcedo wrote: 90 Points
Aerated while decanting and drank over the next hour. Very good muted fruit with long, smooth tanins. With a few minutes to open up it is drinking very well in my opinion.
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5/9/2008 - carmenem wrote: 86 Points
nice bottle of friday night wine. not spectacular - not worth the price.
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4/27/2008 - Tintin wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes and drank over an hour and a half. Smooth and silky tannins with dark sweet fruit and cedar. A truly lovely wine.
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3/26/2008 - Brnshj22 wrote: 91 Points
I can see why this is a Parker prodigy. A wine difficult not to like with a potential for a higher score. Lovely balance and a nice long finish. Exquisite velvety mouthfeel.
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2/29/2008 - kris.h wrote: 89 Points
Dark red. Initially a tight nose that opens up a little and gives scents of leather, tobacco, and dark fruit. Medium to full body with a shortish finish. I think this needs 5 to 10 more years.
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2/20/2008 - redbat wrote:
Tasted at Vintry. A bit disappointing. Very approachable now
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1/28/2008 - Red Mountain Man wrote: 88 Points
I had to buy and open up to see what all the fuss is about this wine. This wine was decanted for 2 hours and consumed over the next 3 hours. On the nose I get a bit of the old and new world mix, but the old world leather-type funk I love quickly blows off and what is left is a big monster of wine that has all the fruit of a high-octane Aussie shiraz but only 1/2 its complexity. I get serious sour cherries and dark chocalate on the nose, and the taste is quite bitter and tannic. I can see how this is an RP95 - it's an internationally-styled wine that is made to get your attention immediately. But the mouthfeel is not great and its really too one-dimensional for me to throw the score into the 90's.
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12/24/2007 - balassis wrote: 92 Points
Not decanted bottle.
Very attractive nose, plenty of ripe red fruits (blueberries, cherries, sour cherries, currants), also scents of wet wood and vanilla.
Full-bodied, with nice acidity and well integrated tannins.
Flavors of creme de cassis, sour cherry, currants, tobacco, chocolate and oriental spices.
The finish lasts about 30 sec.
Very nice wine ready to drink now, but with a good ageing potential.
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9/17/2007 - mikecase00 wrote: 90 Points
This bottle was better than the one I had back in March. Healthy dark red color in the glass, fairly expressive nose showing fruit and toast notes that are echoed on the wine's palate along with a hint of dark chocolate filling out the finish. The wine is nicely balanced and well concentrated without being over the top, certainly a complete wine and very well made, but it's not a particularly complex (it shows none of the earthy/mineral secondary notes you find in good Bordeaux). It is quite accessible today with out need for decanting, and I really don't think it has the build to improve much more in the bottle, although it should probably continue to drink well for the next few years at least. Very enjoyable, fairly priced at $35, and it should stack up well against most new world Bordeaux blends in the same price range, but it's no Bordeaux ringer, despite the connection with Cos d'Estournel and Angelus.
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9/5/2007 - 5laton wrote:
SFwine double-blind tasting (Dave's pad, San Francisco): Smokey nose with cigar butt, plenty of sweet dark fruits , spice. More dark fruits, spice on the palate with some black pepper and charming vegetal notes. Moderately structured, with chewy tannins and an interesting finish akin to mentholated cherries. A nice wine with good balance and some old world aromatic nuances but new world levels of sweet, juicy fruit. I correctly guessed syrah but missed that this was a blend with cab. That cigar butt should have been a dead giveaway... (Tasted blind)
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8/13/2007 - Moorese wrote: 89 Points
A softer and more integrated drink than the last bottle which I enjoyed a bit more. Plenty of smoked meats and dark crushed berries on the nose with a sooty sweetness and black jelly beans in the mouth. This bottle doesn't show the spine that the previous one did. The fruit core is pure and tasty, but more subdued. Hard to imagine that the wine has really matured this much, so it is probably a bottle variation thing. The finish is nice, but dries out faster than I remember.
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8/4/2007 - ItsNotMe wrote:
Very nice, well-balanced wine. From other reviews I expected an immature wine, and decided to decant for approximately 1 hour. Prior to decanting, noticed some tannins on the finish, but not overwhelming. I look forward to following this wine as it progresses over the next 5 years.
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6/16/2007 - kris.h wrote: 89 Points
I did not take detailed notes so I'll just list some general impressions. The color is very deep and dark. The nose is nice with dark fruits, earth, and a little leather. The palate is big and nicely structured. Full bodied. The finish is persistent and somewhat drying from all the tannin. This definitely improved with extended aeration. This is a good wine that I expect will improve with 4 to 8 years in the cellar. 89 might be a bit conservative, there's definitely potential for improvement.
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5/20/2007 - Chuck Miller wrote:
Not horrible, just boring. Could have come from pretty much anywhere. Another disappointment from Garagiste.
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3/26/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 87 Points
14% alcohol. south africa.
63% cabernet sauvignon, 37% shiraz.
i don't know squat about this wine. i don't know where i bought it, i don't know what i paid for it, and i can't find any info about it. i seriously need help.
not decanted, but there has been a tremendous amount of positive development in the glass. the nose reminds me of monbousquet with that choco-mocha, kind of toffee thing going on. and, this profile continues into the palate as well. sorry, but this is the one flavor profile i just cannot stomach. however, for it's age, it's surprisingly rounded and integrated. if this is a super cheap wine, say...under $18, i'd say, WTF, it's ok, if you don't hate coffee type flavors in your wine. pleasant enough to drink, no major complaints, but simple, with little complexity.
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2/18/2007 - JBVino wrote:
pretty darn good new world style wine but not over the top...good balance and significant secondary flavors...still young and rather tight but opened well have after 3 hours in decanter and consumed over another couple of hours...enjoyed
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2/7/2007 - lumbarpuncture wrote: 94 Points
Great aromas of tea leaf, glycerin, heavy but untapped fruit, tobacco. Inky purple in the glass, almost foreboding. I would pour some of this in a glass, have one taste, and then wait an hour or two. Definitely benefits from decanting. At this young age, it is a tight wine that needs more aging. It has absolutely stellar potential. As another pointed out, lots of chocolate and espresso mid palate flavors, and a very long finish. It's actually my first South African wine, and if they all have this QPR, watch out Australia! It's easily the equal of some $50-80 wines, but a great deal at $36. If you buy some, be forewarned that without some aeration, it will initially be quite closed, but with some air, will unfold quite nicely.
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1/11/2007 - dfontana wrote: 90 Points
Got it today and popped and poured it with beef bourgoungne (sp). Dark, inky, but not ready to drink. You can tell that the fruit is there and I mean in spades, but this needs time. Do not even think about opening this one for a couple of years, but then, it should be very special.
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12/20/2006 - Moorese wrote: 93 Points
Pulled from the cellar at 55', and opened but not decanted for about an hour before the initial glass was poured. At first blush, this wine showed rather lean and green with respect to the fruit. Notes of wild game, wet fur, and blood prove the presence of a healthy amount of Northern Rhone-style syrah fruit, but the palate was firm and tannic with an abrupt finish. I was hopeful that the wine would open and improve with time, showing some of the concentration and lush fruit that others have commented on. As a result, I sipped rather slowly. The bottle hit a sweet spot about 4 hours after being opened, and continued to improve over the remaining hour and a half it was served. Notes of chocolate, charcoal, and espresso roast melded with the meaty syrah notes to create a beguiling nose that, oddly enough, reminds of a bit of Monbousquet. The fruit blossomed to show some balanced sweetness and the finish lenghthened. The wine is concentrated indeed, but not at all hot, and not overly done. It retained some grip and firmness to the last drop. I'll admit to a fair amount of skepticism as I've never had a South African wine that I've found significantly impressive (a recent Columella was nice). Suffice it to say, I think it worthwhile to buy more and watch this wine develop over the next decade.
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12/16/2006 - PaulH wrote: 92 Points
Here is proof of South Africa wine pushing out on the world stage. First, there's the bottle; it's tall, big and heavy. In fact, since the defacto rule is the bigger and heavier the bottle the more money you can charge (c.f. Sine Qua Non), at $36, this wine is a great value for the heavy empty bottle alone. (I intend to use it for pounding poulet paillardes). Second, there is the nose. Another SA wine I've recently tried, the 2003 Boschkloof Syrah, has a old-world nose of brambles and bright acidity; not this wine. The Anwilka has got a killer nose of fruit, fruit, wonderful fruit with a dash of vanilla oak in the background. The color is inky purple black and almost opaque. The palate is lush, pleasingly but not overly ripe, fine acid balance, with good glycerin and persistence in the middle, and a great long finish with smooth well-controlled tannins. It's an international style wine from the beginning to the end. It aims to please and it does.
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