Terroir-istes Local - Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch Outliers

This is the third of six tastings of South African Cabernet Sauvignon. Tonight, the focus is Stellenbosch Outliers Cabernet Sauvignon.

• 2018 Lismore Viognier Reserve 89 Points

  South Africa, Western Cape

  (Tasted Blind): Mid straw in colour, the aromas are yellow apple, dried Cretian pears, and light Blenheim apricots. The palate has a distinct phenolic grip, with a pear skin texture, notes of apple pip, apricot, and a touch of spice. There is some flesh and concentration, with a medium finish.
  Sourced from a small block that is 17 years old.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2019 Le Marais St Leger Chardonnay 87 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Elgin

  (Tasted Blind): Light yellow in colour with aromas of ripe pear, peach, pepper and even litchi. Some spice lingers.
  Fairly intense on entry, the wine has a richness and focus with broad mid-palate, expressive fruit notes, and some apple acidity—approachable fare.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2018 Mullineux Cabernet Sauvignon Leeu Passant 89 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): Mid purple in colour the nose is bright and fruity with blackcurrant, black cherry, pencil shavings, cedar, iris and some blackcurrant leaf. A simple, focused, smooth entry with vibrant acidity, this clear-cut wine is nicely structured, filled with freshly picked black fruits, a touch of herbs, damson plum, and redcurrant edges with firm, chewy tannins that linger while slowly building. Down-the-line Cab.
  Sourced from old (+35 yrs) dry farmed bush vine CS.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2015 Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon 84 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): A medium to deep ruby. The aromas show dried olive, earth, tomato leaf and savoury lines with edges of blackcurrant and some red berries, but not that intense. What does bother is a smoky, pomace, grappa and stretched rubber band note typical of warmer climate Cabs. A reasonably simple entry with bright acidity, fruity, rather confected notes. Some light, oaky notes emerge with spice, liquorice and blackcurrant that, with the chalky texture and acid, give a tangy, tighter mid-palate and focus. The tannins, however, build from firmness to a slightly bitter, hard finish. It's a little old school.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2015 Spier Cabernet Sauvignon 21 Gables 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): Deep ruby colour with aromas of toasty oak, spice, intense blackberry and blackcurrant with damson plum, mint, smoke and hot stone giving an impression of heat. A soft and sweet entry with toasty spices and pronounced making with red berries joining the black fruit, it is velvety textured with medium acidity. Rather a showy wine with all the new oak; the mid-palate somewhat extracted with a dry, bitter quality that builds on the exit. While well-structured and polished, it is a modern, oaky style that is correct without being compelling. Good length, though.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2015 Kleine Zalze Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard Selection 86 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): Deep ruby to black edges. Initial engine oil and smoke quickly segue to more expressive blackcurrant aromas with light toast and tomato leaf. Medium-bodied, the palate is rather old-school with some sun-exposed fruits, sweet texture and firm tannins with noted tomato puree, herbs and leaf with a scorched heat quality giving a sense of bipolar ripening and a prickle of lively acidity. Has a richness to it but the tannins build on this sturdy wine. A fair length it becomes slightly disjointed, with heat rising to a jalapeño spice giving a hot and bothered feeling.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2015 Kaapzicht Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): Mid to deep ruby in colour. A savoury nose with hints of marmite, toast and spice before some redcurrant peeks out. It continues as a savoury approach with earthy, dried mint nuances on the palate with firm, leathery tannins giving guts and medium to full body. Yet, the mid-palate has a lovely, soft, inky core of juicy redcurrant and blackcurrant compote. A long finish that improves as the wine opens up and reveals some evolution as a wisp of smoke join some minerals. Felt older than 2015 upon reveal.
  Blend of 85% CS; 15% Cinsaut. Made in 100% new oak.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2015 Kleine Zalze Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): Deep black-red in colour, it has intense aromas of cassis, spiced oak, smoke, black cherry, mint, and lighter red fruits. As it opens, some button mushrooms and wild herbs join the fray.
  The entry is intense and enchanting, with deep, spicy, and toasty oak, dark 70% chocolate, blackcurrant, lively acidity, and palate-staining black fruits. Nicely balanced, it has a fresh, minty, and leafy quality with youthful energy and a decent finish with firm, drying, compact tannins, but it still needs time to reach its full potential.
  Family Reserve is the top tier of Kleine Zalze’s.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2017 Alto Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 94 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): Deep ruby to black edge. Whiffs of Marmite and yeast extract dominate a savoury bouquet, slowly eased by black fruits, cedarwood, fine clay dust and smoke. An intense wine on entry, this is a big, powerful wine with sweet fruit, a furry texture, and a lively acidity. The mid-palate has excellent fruit concentration with oak spices, blackcurrant, blueberry, vanilla pod, chocolate and wafer biscuit-like qualities. Complex and deep the wine has a long finish with compact chewy tannins. With its well-defined seamless structure and balance, the wine has a lavishness yet also elegance that, together with the acidity, keeps it on track. Smart wine and, when revealed, very affordable! Wine of the night
  Sourced from grapes grown on the north-facing slopes of the Helderberg.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2015 Guardian Peak Cabernet Sauvignon Lapa 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (Tasted Blind): Mid+ ruby colour. An earthy bouquet with yeast extract, cedarwood, savoury notes, and blackcurrant freshness characteristic of Cabernet Sauvignon. A medium-bodied wine that again is savoury-nuanced, with an umami yeast nutrient with nori sheets flavour. Granular texture, juicy acidity with a rather foursquare structure. The wine is dense and firm with smoky overtones, toasted herbs, and cayenne spice, reflecting rather old-school characteristics yet with a touch of modern polish. Hotter, glycerol finish, also a little extracted that detracts from the overall balance. Potent but lacks much depth.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No