First taste since 2008. Not as good as I recall. Decanted for 30 mins. Complex character fell away pretty quickly with a meduim length. Had very high expectations. Hoping this is just a poor bottle and the remainder will be great! More to follow.
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Audouzed 3hrs, with ginger beef & rice in Singapore room confinement. Very much in line with previous notes - absolutely delicious. Bell pepper nose & Bordeauxesque flavours on the palate, no rush to drink these. Superb.
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Soft and supple plummy fruit. Unmistakable South African with a smoky hint of burnt rubber. Ton of ripe fruit through a fairly long palate. Cedar and tobacco with some roasted meat juices. Either needs a full on grilled ribeye, or it’s one of those fireside wines if you give it sufficient time to breathe.
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Expressive nose of red and blackberry fruit, menthol, cedar and oak spices which follows through on the palate. Still got lots of acidity and backbone, great with a Moussaka, liven the food up. Certainly needs food, quality wine.
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With roast chicken dinner. P&P. This bottle better than the last - big cabernet nose, big in the mouth too, lovely cab franc herbaceousness. Long finish with a tannic bite. Fresh acidity. In its prime but no hurry to drink.
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Cornwall Golf Trip. Turning brick red, secondary cedary flavours to the fore, typical SA cabernet "burnt rubber" tang (in a good way). Good length, tannins still not fully integrated. Wine Society saying good til 2025. Delicious, especially with a strong cheddar and Cornish Yarg cheese.
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Wow, This wine has really turned a corner in the last six months. Theres smoke, fruit and forest floor on the nose. As it enters the mouth, it leads with blackberries followed by some earthy complexity and a nice citrusy acidity to close it out. Unlike my last bottle, the acidity is pleasant, not tart. Raising my score to 91.
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Dark red colour. Beautiful nose - dark fruits, truffle, forest floor and a little bit of oak. Full in the mouth - rounded. Similar flavours with a bit of tobacco and smoke. Medium long finish. Excellent wine - very enjoyable. Drinking very well.
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Lovely wine. Smooth with plenty of fruit. Very 'full' yet does not leave any 'in your throat' aftertaste. Sweet tar, liquorice, black fruits, even a touch of vanilla. Good length. It's been 3 years since the last bottle of this vintage. Reaching it's peak now.
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Open and decanted for 1 hour. Nice clear garnet color with a hint of orange at the rim. Smells of blood and wet earth. On the palate the strongest impression is smoke, followed by forest floor and slightly unripened blackberry. Tannins are chunky and drying still. Maybe decanting another hour will help. Acidity seems high for a Bordeaux blend. The Cab franc is a bit too dominant now leaving a vegetal impression. Should develop with age as the Cab Suav comes into its own and the. Blackberries ripen.
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Definitely worth being patient with this one. Has developed nicely, tannins are present but well rounded. Lovely smoky and rich plummy fruit. Paired well with bison burgers, stuffed with bacon and blue cheese, from the grill. Worth keeping aside for a few more years.
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Took this to the pub for the Sunday evening crowd to try out at the bar. Very popular, with comments mostly about its powerful nose, rich dark fruit flavours and the added bite so typical of good SA wines. The tannins seem to be softening. Very long, and went remarkably well with the pizza and fajitas.
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Medium ruby and watery rim. Damson and blackberry, the flavours are quite intense blackcurrant, blackberry, eucalyptus, tannins quite drying still , texture on the finish is almost powdery...Definitely going to ignore the last couple of bottles for a few years....
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Phwoar! A bit too tannic at the moment, but what flavours. It's earthy, long and complex - not for the faint-hearted, but very memorable. Glad I have another five, which will be wheeled out 2019-2025.
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Old paperbacks, sweet damson aromas, bacon. The fruit on the palate is plush blackcurrant and ripe plums, a dried herb and savoury edge. Not as good as last time, maybe a dumb phase?
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Deep red colour. Nice nose - green pepper, peppercorns, forest floor. Savoury taste along with an attractive vegetal note. Liquorice and black fruits. Opened nicely over an hour. Drinking well but plenty of time left in it. Very nice wine.
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This has matured really well. Aired without decanting about three hours prior to consumption. Colour impression starts to be more towards brick now. Bouquet is powerful but enjoyable. The looooong lasting aftertaste is rather complex and to me very well balanced with integrated tannins. Probably a bit warmer impression than a Bordeaux would give, but a very good wine right now!
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Just decanted. Dark core with a hint of bricking. Quite evolved already, lovely savoury nose with violets, red and black berry fruit. The palate has power, tannins are soft but still there, lots of BBQ meat, savoury flavours, the fruit is sweet and black and comes through on the mid palate. This is a proper wine that deserves good food which I'm about to eat.
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We were giddy as stuck pigs when Adam arranged glasses of one of our favourite South African reds that was not on offer by the glass. Thanks, Adam! 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. One of the best Bordeaux blends we have sipped from the land of The Boks. A winner from A to Z!
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This is ageing quite gracefully, still has a punch of primary black currant fruit upfront, but is showing some complexity. Bags of acidity and well rounded tannins.
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Has matured well and colourwise it has started to shift from young to midage. Fresh nose with pencil and somewhat fruity impression. Taste is not yet super mature but rather fresh. I find a bit green touch in the initial impression, but with a long lasting and very well balanced and integrated aftertaste it comes out very well. Remaining bottles will stay in the cellar for still a number of years.
Chalky nose. Classic Rubicon. Tannins 6.5/10 and brick brown color beginning though still strong color. Mid balanced with hints of the fruit on the opening. Acidity and minerality appears at the back end but doing nicely. Given I like the stronger blends I don't think I should leave these too much longer although I think this will develop into a classic older bordeaux.
This is not fresh fruit napa, more aged french bordeaux.
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Behind the tannins the fruit seems to be passed its prime. The freshness is gone and the smoke dominates. Had the 2005 some months ago and this seems to be heading in the same direction. Some improvements over the following days, but I doubt this will ever be great. Rubicon seems to be a wine to drink young.
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Decanted 30 minutes. This has fleshed out really well in the three years since I last tasted it. The austere acidic personality has lessened with age, and the dark cherry and currant flavors are more apparent. Every vintage of Rubicon I've tasted has the sour, green tobacco/herb character; clearly the Cab Franc is the main player in this blend, and I'm not the biggest fan of how it comes through. After visiting Meerlust last year, I observed that they're in a very unique section of Stellenbosch. The topography is different there, so perhaps the soil is too. Either way, this 2006 (a great vintage throughout the Coastal Region) walks the line between pure fruit and rugged Rubicon qualities. I enjoy it but don't love it. Drink now-2021.
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Wine Education Service - South Africa (LSE): Dense, some age. The vegetal nose of Cabernet Franc initially, then the fruit comes through. Cassis attack, plenty of tannin, mellow, will improve over the next 5-10 years, drinking well now, long.
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Meerlust Rubicon Vertical with Hannes Myburgh (Handford Wines, London): from the blockbuster 2006 vintage. Light herby, spicy, white pepper on the forefront. Has the Rubicon classic Bordeaux style. The tannin is evident, grippy but with no rough edges. Definitely needs time, 5yrs+ . Quite a lot of substance and structure here and definitely one for the long run. 91 for now but has a lot of future ahead of it. 74%CS/8%M/18%CF - 14% Alc
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Lots of dark fruit, herbs, spices, cedar, tobacco, peppers. Quite generous and rich, lots of power, but elegant and subtle with great grip and structure. Very well balanced, great length. Very impressive. My favourite vintage of the 2000s in this tasting and certainly going to improve further. 92-93+
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A 'full depth' of fruit on the bouquet. Big on taste, powerful yet smooth. Tar and black tea, some pepper - a 'concentrated' wine to have with fine steaks. Very enjoyable. It's said to last 20 years but there's little tannin now so I'd drink over next few years.
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Nice wine, improved with air. Remember liking the 2004 and the 2007 a bit more a few years ago. This is quite tannic, and I think would benefit from at least another 3 years in the cellar
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consistent notes. Tannins still remarkably firm. I really like this wine because it does not overdo the fruit. Key characteristics include smokey bacon, leather, tobacco, etc. Will need to find more to buy. Good QPR.
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Classic cedary, cigar box bouquet, then very powerful fruit on the palate. good depth of structure and well balanced. Great wine and will last for years.
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Not quite as exciting as when I had this wine around a year ago, yet promising, especially as this wine is made in a fairly traditional way, not exagerating the fruit. Still fairly closed, however. Wait until 2016.
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Brownbag of the North (Hemmavid, Umeå): Blind. Decanted for some hrs, in my Swe appt. Impression: Outstanding with WOW!!! Blackish red with bricking tinge. Strong bouquet: Varnish attacks your nose and than comes tar-tar-tar, like Finnish tar candy. Juicy, restrained, maturing palate with abundant tannins ++ of the dry, mellow kind and no bitterness. M+ acids actuates the supple qualities of the wine well. Integrated, refined, restrained, Sprechenwein, food wine, pleasure wine... Quite accessible today, but has a long way to go. A keeper with tremendous upside. A very fine SA wine, wish I had some for some 10 yrs of keeping.
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The wine offered black currant, blackberry, kiwi, bell pepper, dark green leaves, salami, spices, smoke, tobacco, chocolate, a minty component and a touch of brett on the nose. On the palate the wine showed sweet fruit, black currant, blackberry, raspberry, some plum, bell pepper, dark green leaves, spices, tobacco, chocolate and a touch of brett, paired with good (medium +) acidity, medium-level to high dry tannin and very good length. A very good wine that over-delivered against its price of EUR 22.-. Just entered into its prime drinking window and should keep drinking well for another six to eight years. Will buy again.
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Violets, tobacco, earth, smoke, tea, wet leather; dry and savory; some South African wines have a funkiness that does not appeal to me, and this one has it, it's not a bad wine, just not my style.
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possibly had some brett in the bottle- but not sure- my notes differ from other people's at the party- thought it was a nice old-world style with hints of earthiness and leather. really needed some food or cheese to balance with it- but to be fair I should have decanted it. I'll buy it again
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Fruity, almost extremely balanced, very concentrated and sophisticated. Already fairly long with quite an elegant aftertaste. What is that that takes over the palate? Very charming. Tannins are still very present and the nose is fairly closed. This can turn out very well indeed. Talk about value for money (circa 24 euro)! What a pleasant surprise. Will try again in a year or so. Has a lot more characther and qualities than many 60 euro wines from Bordaux. Why did I only buy 5 bottles?
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Dudley's on Short (Lexington, KY): Reticent nose, faintly sweet and feminine, drop of vanilla extract, reddish cherry fruit, smoky and dusty spice in the background. Medium-bodied palate opens with a sour, high acid blast, lots of tobacco and tea leaf on the midpalate transition. Picks up more red fruit in the decanter, almost giving a Pinot Noir fruit profile of leathery red cherry a wild berries, then finishing with nice integrated tannins.
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I really don't drink many South American wines so this was a pleasant surprise. Very dark in color. Dry, precise black fruit with a pronounced olive taste and a bit of mint. If I had to guess blind, I would have said it was Napa fruit in a a restrained style - thin Mayacamas, Heitz or the Cabernet the Anthill guys made a few years ago.
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Really nice wine, opened with a fairly powerful bouquet but the taste mellowed into a soft, gravely, fruit forwardness that very much reminds me of a Palmer second or a very good Medoc. Good finish.
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Great bottlle of wine! Nice nose full of fruit, toast, and earth. Nice balance and acidity. Still some tannin that may soften up. Keeping my other bottle for a few more years.
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WES - South Africa (LSE Holbourn): Noticeable colour change. Leafy green pepper and earth on the nose. Touch of perfume. Dry, integrated, smooth and long.
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Sweet, pretty nose, bubble gum, toasty vanilla bean, roasted herbs, cinnnamon stick. Palate has red and black currants, tobacco smoke, some spice, high acidity carries to a fresh finish with good tannin structure.
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Ruby with a brick rim. Vanilla and bitter chocolate notes upfront along with a rich array of cassis, black mulberry, black cherry and plum. Tight and unrevealing with ripe black fruit and notes of cedar on the palate. There is good acidity, medium plus body and fruitiness on the ripe side. The alcohol is quite noticable from the attack till the end with strong tannins that dry the mouth.
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Straight from the bottle- clean earthy terrior on the nose and the palate. Moderatley heavy tannins that should last for a few more years still. Dry finish
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Blind home wine tasting with MOT Scoring sheet: Beautiful terrior, clean chalkiness and earthy nose. Green pepper with berries. I was suprized at the brown tinge on the edge and would not have expected that at all with a 5 year old - I wonder if these have been kept well when transported from South Africa. The cork also began to crumble when I opened it so something else may be going on here. Need to taste a further bottle to decide if I am going to buy cases to store away.
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Nice nose - light earthiness and chalk. Moderately heavy tannins with graphite and dark fruit (not intense at all) on the palate. A little heat on the finish.
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8/19/2023 - andrew.cameron wrote: 91 Points
Very similar to the last bottle, questioning wether this is the wines style.
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7/26/2023 - andrew.cameron Likes this wine: 91 Points
First taste since 2008. Not as good as I recall. Decanted for 30 mins. Complex character fell away pretty quickly with a meduim length. Had very high expectations. Hoping this is just a poor bottle and the remainder will be great! More to follow.
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5/25/2023 - Alexroy wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for three hours before drinking. Big nose, fruit, pencil shavings. Red fruit, long, complex. Lovely.
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5/8/2023 - bacchus of knockholt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ruby with some hints of tawny with a fragrant nose and a sweet red and black cherry palate. Decent but not as good as I recall.
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3/30/2023 - alexc Likes this wine: 88 Points
Interesting but drink up.
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11/15/2022 - hargy Likes this wine: 89 Points
certainly mature, long with a distinct 'smokiness' to it - not really for me - drink soon
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12/9/2021 - dave747400 wrote: 93 Points
Audouzed 3hrs, with ginger beef & rice in Singapore room confinement. Very much in line with previous notes - absolutely delicious. Bell pepper nose & Bordeauxesque flavours on the palate, no rush to drink these. Superb.
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12/3/2021 - alexc wrote: 90 Points
Still lively and approachable. Benefits from double decant.
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5/22/2021 - moods wrote: 89 Points
Soft and supple plummy fruit. Unmistakable South African with a smoky hint of burnt rubber. Ton of ripe fruit through a fairly long palate. Cedar and tobacco with some roasted meat juices. Either needs a full on grilled ribeye, or it’s one of those fireside wines if you give it sufficient time to breathe.
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5/9/2021 - HangryBob Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still an amazing wine after 15 years, needs a while to open up and once it has the drinking window is fairly short, maybe 90 mins. Worth it though.
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1/21/2021 - alexc wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful tertiary flavours. Continues to improve.
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1/2/2021 - Geoffy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Unmistakably SA, but now mature and complex. Definitely better with food.
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8/30/2020 - bacchus of knockholt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Expressive nose of red and blackberry fruit, menthol, cedar and oak spices which follows through on the palate. Still got lots of acidity and backbone, great with a Moussaka, liven the food up. Certainly needs food, quality wine.
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12/20/2019 - Dyslectic Dog wrote:
One of my old RSA favourites, not too much time left for this epic 2006, on decant for 2+ hours and only then came ‘live’ . Never disappointed
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12/13/2019 - Crispin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Just lovely red wine. Rich fruit, balanced and tannins that give nice edge. But aged lovely.
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3/26/2019 - alexc wrote: 89 Points
Needs decanting and improves after a couple of days....lovely typicity but unsure whether it will improve.
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1/31/2019 - dave747400 wrote: 92 Points
With roast chicken dinner. P&P. This bottle better than the last - big cabernet nose, big in the mouth too, lovely cab franc herbaceousness. Long finish with a tannic bite. Fresh acidity. In its prime but no hurry to drink.
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10/22/2018 - Geoffy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cornwall Golf Trip. Turning brick red, secondary cedary flavours to the fore, typical SA cabernet "burnt rubber" tang (in a good way).
Good length, tannins still not fully integrated. Wine Society saying good til 2025. Delicious, especially with a strong cheddar and Cornish Yarg cheese.
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9/16/2018 - Gen NY Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wow, This wine has really turned a corner in the last six months. Theres smoke, fruit and forest floor on the nose. As it enters the mouth, it leads with blackberries followed by some earthy complexity and a nice citrusy acidity to close it out. Unlike my last bottle, the acidity is pleasant, not tart. Raising my score to 91.
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3/9/2018 - dave747400 wrote: 90 Points
Still leading with primary fruit, tannins fully integrated, nice zing of acidity. This bottle lacking the usual smokey/tobacco complexity sadly.
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2/23/2018 - rjsmall Likes this wine:
Dark red colour. Beautiful nose - dark fruits, truffle, forest floor and a little bit of oak. Full in the mouth - rounded. Similar flavours with a bit of tobacco and smoke. Medium long finish. Excellent wine - very enjoyable. Drinking very well.
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10/15/2017 - shallIshantI Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely wine. Smooth with plenty of fruit. Very 'full' yet does not leave any 'in your throat' aftertaste. Sweet tar, liquorice, black fruits, even a touch of vanilla. Good length. It's been 3 years since the last bottle of this vintage. Reaching it's peak now.
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8/13/2017 - Gen NY wrote: 89 Points
Open and decanted for 1 hour. Nice clear garnet color with a hint of orange at the rim. Smells of blood and wet earth. On the palate the strongest impression is smoke, followed by forest floor and slightly unripened blackberry. Tannins are chunky and drying still. Maybe decanting another hour will help. Acidity seems high for a Bordeaux blend. The Cab franc is a bit too dominant now leaving a vegetal impression. Should develop with age as the Cab Suav comes into its own and the. Blackberries ripen.
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6/24/2017 - moods wrote: 90 Points
Definitely worth being patient with this one. Has developed nicely, tannins are present but well rounded. Lovely smoky and rich plummy fruit. Paired well with bison burgers, stuffed with bacon and blue cheese, from the grill. Worth keeping aside for a few more years.
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4/24/2017 - Geoffy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took this to the pub for the Sunday evening crowd to try out at the bar.
Very popular, with comments mostly about its powerful nose, rich dark fruit flavours and the added bite so typical of good SA wines. The tannins seem to be softening. Very long, and went remarkably well with the pizza and fajitas.
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4/2/2017 - bacchus of knockholt Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium ruby and watery rim. Damson and blackberry, the flavours are quite intense blackcurrant, blackberry, eucalyptus, tannins quite drying still , texture on the finish is almost powdery...Definitely going to ignore the last couple of bottles for a few years....
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12/25/2016 - Geoffy Likes this wine:
Phwoar! A bit too tannic at the moment, but what flavours. It's earthy, long and complex - not for the faint-hearted, but very memorable. Glad I have another five, which will be wheeled out 2019-2025.
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11/6/2016 - bacchus of knockholt Likes this wine: 88 Points
Old paperbacks, sweet damson aromas, bacon. The fruit on the palate is plush blackcurrant and ripe plums, a dried herb and savoury edge. Not as good as last time, maybe a dumb phase?
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9/24/2016 - rjsmall Likes this wine:
Deep red colour. Nice nose - green pepper, peppercorns, forest floor. Savoury taste along with an attractive vegetal note. Liquorice and black fruits. Opened nicely over an hour. Drinking well but plenty of time left in it. Very nice wine.
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9/3/2016 - pswe Likes this wine: 92 Points
This has matured really well. Aired without decanting about three hours prior to consumption. Colour impression starts to be more towards brick now. Bouquet is powerful but enjoyable. The looooong lasting aftertaste is rather complex and to me very well balanced with integrated tannins. Probably a bit warmer impression than a Bordeaux would give, but a very good wine right now!
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8/27/2016 - bacchus of knockholt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Just decanted. Dark core with a hint of bricking. Quite evolved already, lovely savoury nose with violets, red and black berry fruit. The palate has power, tannins are soft but still there, lots of BBQ meat, savoury flavours, the fruit is sweet and black and comes through on the mid palate. This is a proper wine that deserves good food which I'm about to eat.
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1/26/2016 - BuzzzzOff Likes this wine: 90 Points
We were giddy as stuck pigs when Adam arranged glasses of one of our favourite South African reds that was not on offer by the glass. Thanks, Adam! 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. One of the best Bordeaux blends we have sipped from the land of The Boks. A winner from A to Z!
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12/12/2015 - rwf Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is ageing quite gracefully, still has a punch of primary black currant fruit upfront, but is showing some complexity. Bags of acidity and well rounded tannins.
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5/2/2015 - pswe Likes this wine: 88 Points
Has matured well and colourwise it has started to shift from young to midage. Fresh nose with pencil and somewhat fruity impression. Taste is not yet super mature but rather fresh. I find a bit green touch in the initial impression, but with a long lasting and very well balanced and integrated aftertaste it comes out very well. Remaining bottles will stay in the cellar for still a number of years.
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4/28/2015 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 91 Points
Chalky and dusty nose. Very nice and smooth. Medium tannins, medium finish
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4/26/2015 - cab blends Likes this wine: 92 Points
Chalky nose. Classic Rubicon. Tannins 6.5/10 and brick brown color beginning though still strong color. Mid balanced with hints of the fruit on the opening. Acidity and minerality appears at the back end but doing nicely. Given I like the stronger blends I don't think I should leave these too much longer although I think this will develop into a classic older bordeaux.
This is not fresh fruit napa, more aged french bordeaux.
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2/24/2015 - Sundbyberg wrote: 85 Points
Behind the tannins the fruit seems to be passed its prime. The freshness is gone and the smoke dominates. Had the 2005 some months ago and this seems to be heading in the same direction.
Some improvements over the following days, but I doubt this will ever be great. Rubicon seems to be a wine to drink young.
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2/17/2015 - Giggs wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 30 minutes. This has fleshed out really well in the three years since I last tasted it. The austere acidic personality has lessened with age, and the dark cherry and currant flavors are more apparent. Every vintage of Rubicon I've tasted has the sour, green tobacco/herb character; clearly the Cab Franc is the main player in this blend, and I'm not the biggest fan of how it comes through. After visiting Meerlust last year, I observed that they're in a very unique section of Stellenbosch. The topography is different there, so perhaps the soil is too. Either way, this 2006 (a great vintage throughout the Coastal Region) walks the line between pure fruit and rugged Rubicon qualities. I enjoy it but don't love it. Drink now-2021.
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1/31/2015 - Crispin wrote: 91 Points
Much improved. Dark currants and berries. A bit smoky but smooth and long. Will drink for five more years like this.
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10/2/2014 - tendring Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wine Education Service - South Africa (LSE): Dense, some age.
The vegetal nose of Cabernet Franc initially, then the fruit comes through.
Cassis attack, plenty of tannin, mellow, will improve over the next 5-10 years, drinking well now, long.
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9/24/2014 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
Meerlust Rubicon Vertical with Hannes Myburgh (Handford Wines, London): from the blockbuster 2006 vintage. Light herby, spicy, white pepper on the forefront. Has the Rubicon classic Bordeaux style. The tannin is evident, grippy but with no rough edges. Definitely needs time, 5yrs+ . Quite a lot of substance and structure here and definitely one for the long run. 91 for now but has a lot of future ahead of it.
74%CS/8%M/18%CF - 14% Alc
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9/24/2014 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Lots of dark fruit, herbs, spices, cedar, tobacco, peppers. Quite generous and rich, lots of power, but elegant and subtle with great grip and structure. Very well balanced, great length. Very impressive. My favourite vintage of the 2000s in this tasting and certainly going to improve further. 92-93+
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8/25/2014 - shallIshantI Likes this wine: 91 Points
A 'full depth' of fruit on the bouquet. Big on taste, powerful yet smooth. Tar and black tea, some pepper - a 'concentrated' wine to have with fine steaks. Very enjoyable. It's said to last 20 years but there's little tannin now so I'd drink over next few years.
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5/4/2014 - Dar3 wrote: 90 Points
Nice wine, improved with air. Remember liking the 2004 and the 2007 a bit more a few years ago. This is quite tannic, and I think would benefit from at least another 3 years in the cellar
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4/26/2014 - Domfrenette wrote: 89 Points
Très bon. Beaucoup de structure, mais tout est en équilibre. Fruit et puissance, mais avec classe et une certaine retenue bordelaise.
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3/16/2014 - Chateau du Fey 1994 wrote:
consistent notes. Tannins still remarkably firm. I really like this wine because it does not overdo the fruit. Key characteristics include smokey bacon, leather, tobacco, etc. Will need to find more to buy. Good QPR.
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1/18/2014 - cab blends Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classic clean chalk - not detailed notes - popped and poured at an event.moderate tannins 6/10 and light cassis
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12/28/2013 - AndersThoresson wrote: flawed
Corked :(
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12/21/2013 - UncleBuncle Likes this wine:
Classic cedary, cigar box bouquet, then very powerful fruit on the palate. good depth of structure and well balanced. Great wine and will last for years.
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2/18/2013 - Sundbyberg wrote: 91 Points
Not quite as exciting as when I had this wine around a year ago, yet promising, especially as this wine is made in a fairly traditional way, not exagerating the fruit.
Still fairly closed, however. Wait until 2016.
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1/26/2013 - StefanAkiko wrote: 93 Points
Brownbag of the North (Hemmavid, Umeå): Blind. Decanted for some hrs, in my Swe appt.
Impression: Outstanding with WOW!!!
Blackish red with bricking tinge. Strong bouquet: Varnish attacks your nose and than comes tar-tar-tar, like Finnish tar candy.
Juicy, restrained, maturing palate with abundant tannins ++ of the dry, mellow kind and no bitterness. M+ acids actuates the supple qualities of the wine well. Integrated, refined, restrained,
Sprechenwein, food wine, pleasure wine... Quite accessible today, but has a long way to go. A keeper with tremendous upside.
A very fine SA wine, wish I had some for some 10 yrs of keeping.
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1/13/2013 - Twinkles wrote: 90 Points
Intense notes of green pepper. Very smooth now. Probably needs more time to breathe than we gave it. Was a hit regardless.
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12/1/2012 - PSPatrick Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine offered black currant, blackberry, kiwi, bell pepper, dark green leaves, salami, spices, smoke, tobacco, chocolate, a minty component and a touch of brett on the nose. On the palate the wine showed sweet fruit, black currant, blackberry, raspberry, some plum, bell pepper, dark green leaves, spices, tobacco, chocolate and a touch of brett, paired with good (medium +) acidity, medium-level to high dry tannin and very good length. A very good wine that over-delivered against its price of EUR 22.-. Just entered into its prime drinking window and should keep drinking well for another six to eight years. Will buy again.
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10/7/2012 - Chateau du Fey 1994 wrote:
Was a big hit at dinner party. Smokey, spicy, and well-balanced fruit. Drinking well now.
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5/4/2012 - Gustavo Brambila wrote: 90 Points
I don't think this will get much better. It is well made and I would have enjoyed this more in 2011.
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4/18/2012 - winejnky wrote: 88 Points
Violets, tobacco, earth, smoke, tea, wet leather; dry and savory; some South African wines have a funkiness that does not appeal to me, and this one has it, it's not a bad wine, just not my style.
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4/13/2012 - Chateau du Fey 1994 wrote:
See previous notes. Great nose. tannins still firm. Could last longer.
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3/10/2012 - eltejano wrote: 88 Points
possibly had some brett in the bottle- but not sure- my notes differ from other people's at the party- thought it was a nice old-world style with hints of earthiness and leather. really needed some food or cheese to balance with it- but to be fair I should have decanted it. I'll buy it again
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3/10/2012 - Sundbyberg wrote: 93 Points
Fruity, almost extremely balanced, very concentrated and sophisticated. Already fairly long with quite an elegant aftertaste. What is that that takes over the palate? Very charming. Tannins are still very present and the nose is fairly closed. This can turn out very well indeed. Talk about value for money (circa 24 euro)! What a pleasant surprise. Will try again in a year or so.
Has a lot more characther and qualities than many 60 euro wines from Bordaux. Why did I only buy 5 bottles?
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2/3/2012 - Giggs wrote: 90 Points
Dudley's on Short (Lexington, KY): Reticent nose, faintly sweet and feminine, drop of vanilla extract, reddish cherry fruit, smoky and dusty spice in the background. Medium-bodied palate opens with a sour, high acid blast, lots of tobacco and tea leaf on the midpalate transition. Picks up more red fruit in the decanter, almost giving a Pinot Noir fruit profile of leathery red cherry a wild berries, then finishing with nice integrated tannins.
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1/13/2012 - WineBarrique wrote: 90 Points
Very nice. Plenty of fruit but a little hot. Decanted for 4 hours at a wine tasting. mixed reviews but overall a nice experience
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1/3/2012 - jwongham wrote: 90 Points
Very good Bordeaux blend. Characteristic stellenbosch smokiness and fullness. Needs decant or more time in cellar
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12/29/2011 - Senorbutler wrote: 90 Points
Rich, smoky, and complex
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12/14/2011 - crmasson wrote: 91 Points
Good old-school wine. Better with food. Still a lot of tannin but plenty of good fruit and some vegetal character.
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11/20/2011 - hubas wrote: 84 Points
Very aromatic and some smoke in the aroma also quite animalic
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11/10/2011 - MarkL wrote: 91 Points
Delicious.
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9/3/2011 - Brsed wrote: 91 Points
I really don't drink many South American wines so this was a pleasant surprise. Very dark in color. Dry, precise black fruit with a pronounced olive taste and a bit of mint. If I had to guess blind, I would have said it was Napa fruit in a a restrained style - thin Mayacamas, Heitz or the Cabernet the Anthill guys made a few years ago.
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8/31/2011 - Lord of the Bottles wrote: 91 Points
Really nice wine, opened with a fairly powerful bouquet but the taste mellowed into a soft, gravely, fruit forwardness that very much reminds me of a Palmer second or a very good Medoc. Good finish.
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8/19/2011 - Jasper May wrote: 92 Points
Bright fresh fruity nose, sweet fully ripe fruit with good body and smooth tanins - this wine is built for cellaring, rather than needing it. Good.
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7/24/2011 - Chateau du Fey 1994 wrote: 91 Points
Great bottlle of wine! Nice nose full of fruit, toast, and earth. Nice balance and acidity. Still some tannin that may soften up. Keeping my other bottle for a few more years.
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6/6/2011 - hadwin Likes this wine: 89 Points
WES - South Africa (LSE Holbourn): Noticeable colour change. Leafy green pepper and earth on the nose. Touch of perfume. Dry, integrated, smooth and long.
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6/5/2011 - huberww wrote:
Very good though tending toward a bit sweet
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4/30/2011 - Giggs wrote: 91 Points
Sweet, pretty nose, bubble gum, toasty vanilla bean, roasted herbs, cinnnamon stick. Palate has red and black currants, tobacco smoke, some spice, high acidity carries to a fresh finish with good tannin structure.
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4/17/2011 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 90 Points
Ruby with a brick rim. Vanilla and bitter chocolate notes upfront along with a rich array of cassis, black mulberry, black cherry and plum. Tight and unrevealing with ripe black fruit and notes of cedar on the palate. There is good acidity, medium plus body and fruitiness on the ripe side. The alcohol is quite noticable from the attack till the end with strong tannins that dry the mouth.
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2/19/2011 - cab blends wrote: 92 Points
Straight from the bottle- clean earthy terrior on the nose and the palate. Moderatley heavy tannins that should last for a few more years still. Dry finish
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1/26/2011 - MarkL wrote:
very slightly cloudy/opaque. Dark. Garnet. Looks older than it is!
Pronounced nose, earthy, tar, leather.
Dry, High Acid, High Tannin. full bodied. Long finish. Interesting.
Ready to drink now, but will keep for years I think.
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1/15/2011 - cab blends wrote: 93 Points
Blind home wine tasting with MOT Scoring sheet: Beautiful terrior, clean chalkiness and earthy nose. Green pepper with berries. I was suprized at the brown tinge on the edge and would not have expected that at all with a 5 year old - I wonder if these have been kept well when transported from South Africa. The cork also began to crumble when I opened it so something else may be going on here. Need to taste a further bottle to decide if I am going to buy cases to store away.
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1/8/2011 - Jona wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 3 hours and still big and tight. Needs cellaring. A very good cabernet, not better nor worse. Would be interesting to try again. 86-87 p.
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1/8/2011 - cab blends wrote: 92 Points
Nice nose - light earthiness and chalk. Moderately heavy tannins with graphite and dark fruit (not intense at all) on the palate. A little heat on the finish.
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