Terroir-istes Local - Cabernet Sauvignon, Simonsberg

A series of 6 tasting focussing on Cabernet Sauvignon within South Africa with a particular emphasis on Stellenboshc. We kick off with the wines of Simonsberg

• 2015 Rustenberg Cabernet Sauvignon Peter Barlow 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): A deep purple colour. Intense nose that glistens with freshly picked blackcurrants, spice, graphite, and toasty oak. A clean, polished entry, this medium-bodied wine is packed with cassis and blackberry complexed with vanilla pod and melba toast. Whilst rich in texture, the wine has a fabulous defined frame of bright acidity and fine powdery tannins. It is well-structured with an impressive finish; the only contrary point is that it had a touch of engine oil and smoke as it stood in glass and left a little dusty,
  100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a single block on the Simonsberg. Matured 20 months aging in French oak barrels.

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• 2015 Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Vineyards 86 Points

  South Africa, Western Cape

  (Tasted Blind): Mid-deep ruby colour. The nose is a bit vegetal with herbal elements, black olive, undergrowth and tomato and blackcurrant leaf of Cabernet Franc that is infused with super ripe fruits that touch on the blackcurrant preserve, fig jam, prune and damson plum of Cabernet Sauvignon. Wafts of smoke, engine oil and even musk also swirl.
  A more savoury palate, this full-bodied wine feels slightly green with some bipolar elements like cola tonic and smoke with a heat reminiscent of cayenne pepper. The acid is still lively, the tannins granular, but the finish has an extracted, jammy quality that detracts. Medium length.
  No CF in here, 100% CS.
  Matured for 18 months in French oak, a portion new.

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• 2015 Uitkyk Cabernet Sauvignon Carlonet 82 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): A mid-plus black cherry to ruby colour. Youthful with dusty lifted notes of ripe black fruit and cassis, complemented by vanilla and toast with a savoury overlay. Unfortunately, the palate is somewhat metallic, and it feels very chewy, with smoky and herbaceous edges that lean to blood orange, marmite, and pencil shavings. Short and a little bitter, I was concerned there might be a little bacterial taint here. The oak also is quite overt.

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• 2015 Delheim Grand Reserve 84 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): A mid-ruby colour. Aromas of dusty oak spices and light vanilla with an ethereal quality, accompanied by blackcurrant preserve, graphite, and pencil shavings.
  This wine has a fairly intense, rich, rounded texture and juicy acidity. Its flavours include black olive, cassis, and smoky paprika spice. However, the mid-palate lacks much depth and along with an extracted pomace to grappa heat, has a smoky engine oil note that results in a bitter, stunted, and abrasive conclusion. It is an old-school style with sun-exposed sweet fruit and rustic tannins but seemed all at sea. Some terpenes there too. When revelled it technically is a Bordeaux Blend :)

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• 2013 Tokara Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Collection 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): A bright mid-ruby colour. A deep, enveloping nose with appealing blackcurrant and redcurrant flavours, slightly masked by lots of sawdust, toast, and oak spices. A ripe, sweet fruited entry with a touch of engine oil and dried orange - almost a little funky - but all this blows off and the wine remains buoyant, with some concentration, moderate acidity and decent length. There is a warming tone and the fruit is a little jammy and sticky with blackcurrant compote, but some grippy, powdery tannins keep it together. Very approachable with a 'come hither' feel if on the slightly oaky side.

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• 2015 Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): A mid-plus saturated ruby colour. A deep, ripe nose filled with blackberry, graphite, and cassis, with hints of toast and spice.
  The palate has a concentration of flavour with black fruit dominating alongside chocolate, spice and oak notes. With a lovely depth of flavour, the wine has a juicy acidity and thick, smooth texture that extends to a long sticky finish. Reasonably powerful and generous, the wine is well-balanced with compact tannins that keep it tight and with intent.

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• 2015 Warwick Estate Cabernet Sauvignon The First Lady 86 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): A mid to deep ruby colour with a mix of oak spices, graphite and toast with black fruits, cedarwood and woodsmoke. A full-bodied, powerful, and muscular wine with plenty of ripe fruit concentration with a sinewy texture reminiscent of blackcurrant skins. A little inky and a touch of char, the wine is rich and polished with soft, dry tannins and mild acidity but feels charmless, hot, and bothered.

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• 2017 Remhoogte Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 87 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): A deep ruby colour, the aromas are heady with penetrating ripe black fruits, violet and candy floss. Showcasing Morello cherry and blackcurrant alongside turned earth, some underbrush and spices. The entry is full-bodied and richly textured with ripe fruit flavours of cassis, jam, prune, and damson. A big, punchy, in-your-face wine with a mild acidity but not enough to freshen the core, the wine has a warm, generous alcohol and a sheen of black olive tapenade with some graphite.
  Well structured, the tannins are unyielding and curtail the finish somewhat as they rise. Closes with a hint of ginger. A little ponderous?

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