Community Tasting Note

forceberry wrote:

Sunday, July 26, 2020 - A blend of Merlot (45%), Cabernet Sauvignon (28%) and Cabernet Franc (27%) from Helderberg. Aged for 16 months in 300-liter barrels (32% new, 38% second fill and 30% third fill). 14,5% alcohol, 2,5 g/l residual sugar, 5,6 g/l acidity and pH 3,55.

Developed, very deep and almost fully opaque black-red color with a matured mahogany hue. Quite old and tertiary nose with aromas of oxidative soy sauce and beef jerky, some leafy herbaceous notes, a little bit of wizened blackcurrants, light raisiny tones and a hint of old furniture. The wine is intense, medium-to-moderately full-bodied and quite sinewy on the palate with flavors that feel much younger than what the nose promised: notes of ripe blackcurrants, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of pruney dark fruit, light nuances of leather and tobacco, a juicy hint of black cherries and a touch of spicy bitterness. The overall feel is very balanced and quite structured with the moderately high acidity and quite ripe, textural and almost fully resolved powdery tannins. The finish is rather warm, slightly grippy and quite ripe with a very long and slightly sweet-toned aftertaste of wizened dark plums, meaty umami, some juicy blackcurrants, light black cherry tones, a little bit of tobacco and a hint of sanguine iron.

A very fine, wonderfully evolved and impressive South African red. The nose feels much more evolved than how the wine tasted like and had I judged the wine on the nose alone, I would've said this is already past its peak - which it certainly isn't. All in all, a lovely and very enjoyable Bordeaux blend that straddles between a classic, structured and savory old world red and a more modern, weightier and fruit-driven now world red. The only thing that bothered me a bit was the relatively high alcohol here, otherwise this was pretty terrific stuff. Good value at 36€.

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