Still gorgeous. Not so vibrant as some of the other bottles, but one can't blame the wine for aging after 13+ years and it does so elegantly. Lots of dark fruit there as well as some figs showing up. Balance is still great and the acidity keeps it alive easily. I'm a fan
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Last of the 08's. This 13 year old Stellenbosch "Fusion" of just over 55% cabernet is really quite good. Very rounded tonight and the structure of these wines is always pretty impeccable. I still believe that this one would reward you with an incredible experience in five years, but right now this one is slamming good. Enters with a clove compote, black roasted fruits, some bacon fat, a little BBQ potato chip with salinity. The DeToren Fusion (and really DeToren in general) seems to have this character regardless of the vintage. This wine still has a lot of life, although I'm not sure about upside potential. Definitely seems to have more of a rounded quality than the last bottle, but nowhere near the critical "drink now or else" phase.
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Another example of what happens when you allow South African wine to mature. Deep garnet colour. Alluring nose with hints of cedar and dark fruit including plum. Faintest hint of Feinbos. Lovely balanced taste with plenty of complexity with good Claret flavour and balancing acidity and minerals. Good but not exceptional length. In a very good place now
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Surprisingly, this was still in a very good spot. Big nose and still some fruit in the mouth. I had forgotten it and thought it would be more or less dead but was proved wrong. If I would have tasted this blind I NEVER would have guessed South Africa, it tastes like a very good Bordeaux.
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7/28/2022 - Stemvers Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still gorgeous. Not so vibrant as some of the other bottles, but one can't blame the wine for aging after 13+ years and it does so elegantly.
Lots of dark fruit there as well as some figs showing up. Balance is still great and the acidity keeps it alive easily.
I'm a fan
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4/11/2021 - Sonoffalstaff Likes this wine: 93 Points
see earlier note. Only thing to add here is we found the nose to have a hint of the sea, which adds the sense of terroir. Still in a really good place
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2/15/2021 - mflesh wrote:
Last of the 08's. This 13 year old Stellenbosch "Fusion" of just over 55% cabernet is really quite good. Very rounded tonight and the structure of these wines is always pretty impeccable. I still believe that this one would reward you with an incredible experience in five years, but right now this one is slamming good. Enters with a clove compote, black roasted fruits, some bacon fat, a little BBQ potato chip with salinity. The DeToren Fusion (and really DeToren in general) seems to have this character regardless of the vintage. This wine still has a lot of life, although I'm not sure about upside potential. Definitely seems to have more of a rounded quality than the last bottle, but nowhere near the critical "drink now or else" phase.
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11/30/2020 - Sonoffalstaff Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another example of what happens when you allow South African wine to mature. Deep garnet colour. Alluring nose with hints of cedar and dark fruit including plum. Faintest hint of Feinbos. Lovely balanced taste with plenty of complexity with good Claret flavour and balancing acidity and minerals. Good but not exceptional length.
In a very good place now
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8/13/2020 - Lando78 wrote:
Surprisingly, this was still in a very good spot. Big nose and still some fruit in the mouth. I had forgotten it and thought it would be more or less dead but was proved wrong. If I would have tasted this blind I NEVER would have guessed South Africa, it tastes like a very good Bordeaux.
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