Still going strong. Medium+ body, lovely dark fruit. 5 years after the last one, but hasn't lost it touch. I feel it has some years to go, but I wouldn't expect it to evolve further.
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Needs an hour at least on opening. Lush dark red. Coffee cream dominant on the nose, bouquet is still stellar. Full velvety dark fruit on the palate, coffee still sneaking through with a touch of vanilla. Subdued acidity, nice tannin balance. Alcohol is there but is not intrusive. Really v good still.
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Der Wein hat seinen Zenith überschritten und sollte schnell getrunken werden. War er in jungen Jahren geschmacklich noch an einem ausgewogenen Bordeaux angelehnt, zeigt sich im Alter eine gewisse Geschmacksverwässerung hin zur Banalität.
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Wow - already lots of interesting aging notes and at the same time a huge body with powerful dark red fruit notes on the palate. A little too much alcohol imo but very interesting overall. Drink up within the next 2-3 years.
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Oog: Helder bordeauxrood, medium diepte. Zeer stevig tranend. Schitterend! Score: 10
Neus: Prachtige, zuivere en zwoele neus vol rijp bosfruit, bessen, bramen, jammie jammie jammie!! Fijne kruidigheid erdoor en wat hout, medium(+) intens. Tikje alcoholisch. Score: 27
Mond: Krachtige aanzet. Full body. Zuiver, medium(+) zuren en tannines. Mond volgt neus: fruitig, kruidig, rijp in een prachtige balans, klein zoetje. Mooie, lange afdronk. Score: 36
Overall: Heerlijke Bordeaux-style wijn, kan nog jaren mee. Wordt niet veel beter denk ik. Conditie van zuren en tannines is top. Wordt mogelijk nog toegankelijker. Drinken tm 2025. Score: 18
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Dark ruby, intense nose of blackberry, cedar, tobacco, milk chocolate and just a tad green pepper, warm and ripe smell, alcoholic. On the palate the fruit continues, remnants of the malo, tannins are still quite dominant, yet become sweet after a while. Certain nice greenness shining through from the Cab Franc and the Petit Verdot. Nice length, but the tannins do put me off a bit. Think this would have benefittet from a few more years of cellaring. Overall a very good whine but although it is well made it doesn't make me want to finish the bottle. There is some freshness missing. Once the food is gone, continuing to drink is less fun.
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dark burgundy, almost black color. opened up after more than 1 hour. then it presented itself with lots of volume, berries, tannin and showed, that it is long away from the best time, which I believe is to come in the next 3 - 5 years. too bad, I have only 5 more bottles left, because I bought this at a discount from my wine shop with 30% off at less than $50!
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Dark purple, in the nose lot of dark fruit, black currants, vanilla and pepper. High acids and tannins, liquorice and alcohol with a long aftertaste. Wait 4-5 years
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Weekly tasting group #135; A mixed set of wines. (@ The factory by MN): Pnp the bouquet showed overripe almost boiled fruits, but with some air that disappeared and the dark forest fruits and oak were more than ok. On the palate ripe dark forest fruits and some red berry fruits as well, a lot of sweetness, but nicely balanced by the acidity. Mild and round tannin. The alcohol shows a bit. I am not as enthusiastic as some, but the wine is more than ok. Would like to try again around 2019 to see what the ageing potential is.
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Tightly wound dark fruits to begin, but after three hour decant, scented coffee, tobacco, leather, sweet smoke, liquorice and cedar on the nose. More approachable than I was expecting, real meaty texture, layers of chewy blackcurrant, zesty cherry acidity and smooth peppery tannin. Very port-like in density at the moment, needs time, but a lot of potential here ****1/2
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Perfect bottle. Young, dark, purple/black, dense. On the nose lots of cassis and quite green (green stalk), actually very green. Even some black olives and plum.
Very "South Africa" in the mouth, i e rubber, burnt rubber and asphalt. This wine is "Fast and the furious 10". Quite good acidity though. The alcohol is high. Says 15 % on the label, but the alcohol feels integrated with the fruit. Yet warm and sweet fruit. This wine is not fully balanced, but it is not as extracted as I feared. There is a minerality that lift this wine, and together with the acidity this wine stands up pretty well. Chewy tannins and lots of oak in this medium plus to full bodied wine.
I must say I prefered the style this wine was made in back in 2004 and 2005. Lower alcohol, less oaky and more focus on the fruit. But those wines didn't age well. I think this wine is better for storage ... if not more than 10 - 15 years more. The wines from early 2000 went over the famous Hill after 5 - 7 years. I still got some magnums left of 2004 and 2005, and try them once a year, but I've been disappointed since 2011. I do not think they will come to life again. But young I must admit I just loved these wines. The fruit was fabulous and they didn't have the same amount of burnt rubber back then ... even if you could tell it was a wine from RSA. 88 - 89 points
But two days later, the 10 cl I left in the decanter shows a much better wine with complex notes. Much better 2 days later, and that is a good sign. Meat, leather, tobacco, coffee, plum, cassis, earthy, some chocolate but still lots of rubber. But it tastes so much better two days later. 92 points
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The nose feels tighter than the Z with light notes of toasty wood and blackcurrant. Very sweet black fruits on the entry. Feels tightly wound on the midpalate with notes of lovely baked black fruits wrapped up in the big grippy tannins.
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Lovely fruit on the nose, sweet, round, fresh, very sweet tannins, well integrated, nice balance, maybe a bit hot, quite long. Should improve over the next couple of years.
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White Club @ CLOUDS (Clouds restaurant, Zurich): Blackberries, a hint of green bell peppers indicating not fully ripe cabernet other than that it has a nice sweetness and a typicial south africa espresso note. Good but not great
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Really nice blend. Strong nose of fruit and spice. Palate of black cherry, cassias and plum. Meaty tannins that aren't overwhelming, but add to the full body. Pure finish that lingers.
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Blackish purple and extracted; oaky, fruity, sweet, smokey; thick, currant, currant, compote, some oak showing through, lots of glycerin, chipotle, fleshy and kind of fat, Bordeaux slant; very young showing little South African character, but I have really liked prior bottles- just need time for this to develop.
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The nose was intense and large scaled with ripe red berries, herbs and mint, giving it an atractive airy quality. On the palate it showed great intensity of fruit with a velvety yet balanced personality, showing dark red fruits, which lasted through the long finish.
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New World Cabernet & Blends - Sample Bottle Tasting; 3/16/2013-3/24/2013 (My Place - Washington, DC): The nose, where to start? Plum cake, fig, currant jam, cedar, pine needles, mocha. Wow. Tart acid on the palate, firm tannins, and generous fruit. Plums and currants mix with earth and cedar, even a hint of black olive. This is granite-structured, but the acid is wonderful. The notes of bay leaf and potting soil pay homage to the Old World, but the fruit has such richness. Aged 12 months in 50% new oak, but the toast and mocha flavors are extremely well-integrated. This wine is showing wonderfully now, but it’s a big one that will be even more interesting in five or eight years. A blend of 57% cabernet, 14% merlot, 13% malbec, 11% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot.
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Classy nose, palate is not exactly "fine" but not rustic, either, in any case it has grace, and there is concentration, too, and oak, but it's balanced. It has the polish of a new world wine but the profile is bordeaux/SA, with some green/capsicum notes on the finish. I feel like it's going to be a really cool wine at 10 years plus.
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4/12/2023 - Alexroy wrote: 93 Points
Red fruit on nose. Spice, red fruit, cloves, sweet and sour. Long.
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12/2/2022 - Stemvers wrote: 91 Points
Still going strong. Medium+ body, lovely dark fruit. 5 years after the last one, but hasn't lost it touch. I feel it has some years to go, but I wouldn't expect it to evolve further.
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5/1/2021 - Alexroy wrote: 92 Points
Intense black current on nose. Spicy, dark fruit, powerful. Medium length.
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4/15/2021 - AussieRoddy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Needs an hour at least on opening. Lush dark red. Coffee cream dominant on the nose, bouquet is still stellar. Full velvety dark fruit on the palate, coffee still sneaking through with a touch of vanilla. Subdued acidity, nice tannin balance. Alcohol is there but is not intrusive. Really v good still.
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8/23/2019 - WilD wrote: 93 Points
Much better than my previous one. Nice fruit, black and blueberries. Some leather notes. Still fresh.
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3/27/2019 - michigan66 Likes this wine: 93 Points
After 3 hours of decanting, it was an explosion of fruit, tannins and well balanced berries.
Too bad there is just one more bottle left...
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1/19/2019 - Strikermax wrote: 92 Points
Still going strong.
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12/21/2018 - Schorschi wrote: 89 Points
Der Wein hat seinen Zenith überschritten und sollte schnell getrunken werden. War er in jungen Jahren geschmacklich noch an einem ausgewogenen Bordeaux angelehnt, zeigt sich im Alter eine gewisse Geschmacksverwässerung hin zur Banalität.
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12/7/2018 - WilD wrote: 91 Points
Agree with DrZett. Already developed notes. Some cauliflower notes. Nice wine but not a rebuy for me. Drink it within 2 years.
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5/1/2018 - DrZett wrote: 90 Points
Wow - already lots of interesting aging notes and at the same time a huge body with powerful dark red fruit notes on the palate. A little too much alcohol imo but very interesting overall. Drink up within the next 2-3 years.
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5/9/2017 - Stemvers Likes this wine: 91 Points
Oog: Helder bordeauxrood, medium diepte. Zeer stevig tranend. Schitterend!
Score: 10
Neus: Prachtige, zuivere en zwoele neus vol rijp bosfruit, bessen, bramen, jammie jammie jammie!! Fijne kruidigheid erdoor en wat hout, medium(+) intens. Tikje alcoholisch.
Score: 27
Mond: Krachtige aanzet. Full body. Zuiver, medium(+) zuren en tannines. Mond volgt neus: fruitig, kruidig, rijp in een prachtige balans, klein zoetje. Mooie, lange afdronk.
Score: 36
Overall: Heerlijke Bordeaux-style wijn, kan nog jaren mee. Wordt niet veel beter denk ik. Conditie van zuren en tannines is top. Wordt mogelijk nog toegankelijker. Drinken tm 2025.
Score: 18
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5/1/2017 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Weekly tasting group RWP #255: Every taster brought a flight. No rules. (@ My place): In the bouquet smoke, dark berries, red berries and sweet spices. On the palate red and dark berries, chocolate , beautiful oak and good acidity. Tar, spices, and mint. A clean, beautiful and intense wine.
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2/13/2017 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 92 Points
A great vertical tasting at Wine professionals in Amsterdam
from 2001-2013. All wines between 90-93. the top 3 was 12, 01 and 09.
some mocha, a little bit chocolate, more tannic than the most, more Bdx style the primary fruit is in the background, 92, good aging potential
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1/17/2017 - mikita77 wrote: 91 Points
Dark ruby, intense nose of blackberry, cedar, tobacco, milk chocolate and just a tad green pepper, warm and ripe smell, alcoholic. On the palate the fruit continues, remnants of the malo, tannins are still quite dominant, yet become sweet after a while. Certain nice greenness shining through from the Cab Franc and the Petit Verdot. Nice length, but the tannins do put me off a bit. Think this would have benefittet from a few more years of cellaring. Overall a very good whine but although it is well made it doesn't make me want to finish the bottle. There is some freshness missing. Once the food is gone, continuing to drink is less fun.
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1/17/2017 - michigan66 Likes this wine: 92 Points
strong and fruity.
dark color.
in its best years now.
this is a great wine!
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10/23/2016 - michigan66 Likes this wine: 93 Points
dark burgundy, almost black color.
opened up after more than 1 hour.
then it presented itself with lots of volume, berries, tannin and showed, that it is long away from the best time, which I believe is to come in the next 3 - 5 years.
too bad, I have only 5 more bottles left, because I bought this at a discount from my wine shop with 30% off at less than $50!
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9/22/2015 - dollevoet Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic Bordeaux blend, completed with Malbec which gives the wine more "bite". The best SA Bordeaux blend I have tasted so far.
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8/18/2015 - justinp Likes this wine: 75 Points
Dark purple, in the nose lot of dark fruit, black currants, vanilla and pepper. High acids and tannins, liquorice and alcohol with a long aftertaste. Wait 4-5 years
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9/22/2014 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Weekly tasting group #135; A mixed set of wines. (@ The factory by MN): Pnp the bouquet showed overripe almost boiled fruits, but with some air that disappeared and the dark forest fruits and oak were more than ok. On the palate ripe dark forest fruits and some red berry fruits as well, a lot of sweetness, but nicely balanced by the acidity. Mild and round tannin. The alcohol shows a bit. I am not as enthusiastic as some, but the wine is more than ok. Would like to try again around 2019 to see what the ageing potential is.
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9/7/2014 - St. Joseph Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the best red blends of South Africa. Fullbodied, lots of red fruit
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5/17/2014 - The Fickle Palate wrote:
Tightly wound dark fruits to begin, but after three hour decant, scented coffee, tobacco, leather, sweet smoke, liquorice and cedar on the nose. More approachable than I was expecting, real meaty texture, layers of chewy blackcurrant, zesty cherry acidity and smooth peppery tannin. Very port-like in density at the moment, needs time, but a lot of potential here ****1/2
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5/2/2014 - Tenuta Stefan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Perfect bottle.
Young, dark, purple/black, dense.
On the nose lots of cassis and quite green (green stalk), actually very green. Even some black olives and plum.
Very "South Africa" in the mouth, i e rubber, burnt rubber and asphalt. This wine is "Fast and the furious 10". Quite good acidity though. The alcohol is high. Says 15 % on the label, but the alcohol feels integrated with the fruit. Yet warm and sweet fruit. This wine is not fully balanced, but it is not as extracted as I feared. There is a minerality that lift this wine, and together with the acidity this wine stands up pretty well.
Chewy tannins and lots of oak in this medium plus to full bodied wine.
I must say I prefered the style this wine was made in back in 2004 and 2005. Lower alcohol, less oaky and more focus on the fruit. But those wines didn't age well. I think this wine is better for storage ... if not more than 10 - 15 years more.
The wines from early 2000 went over the famous Hill after 5 - 7 years. I still got some magnums left of 2004 and 2005, and try them once a year, but I've been disappointed since 2011. I do not think they will come to life again.
But young I must admit I just loved these wines. The fruit was fabulous and they didn't have the same amount of burnt rubber back then ... even if you could tell it was a wine from RSA.
88 - 89 points
But two days later, the 10 cl I left in the decanter shows a much better wine with complex notes. Much better 2 days later, and that is a good sign.
Meat, leather, tobacco, coffee, plum, cassis, earthy, some chocolate but still lots of rubber. But it tastes so much better two days later.
92 points
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9/16/2013 - Biggsy wrote: 90 Points
The nose feels tighter than the Z with light notes of toasty wood and blackcurrant. Very sweet black fruits on the entry. Feels tightly wound on the midpalate with notes of lovely baked black fruits wrapped up in the big grippy tannins.
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9/12/2013 - rossi.wine wrote: 89 Points
Lovely fruit on the nose, sweet, round, fresh, very sweet tannins, well integrated, nice balance, maybe a bit hot, quite long. Should improve over the next couple of years.
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9/10/2013 - Weston3220 Likes this wine:
Fruit mixed with Ripe Vegetal Notes, has that Softness [ph?] but great acidity and balance, of furit and vegetal
Conc: I like this, hints of South Africa and can see why a bordeaux drinker would love this
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9/6/2013 - G_H Likes this wine: 90 Points
White Club @ CLOUDS (Clouds restaurant, Zurich): Blackberries, a hint of green bell peppers indicating not fully ripe cabernet other than that it has a nice sweetness and a typicial south africa espresso note. Good but not great
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6/27/2013 - asarat Likes this wine: 92 Points
Loved it. will clearly improve with time
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6/10/2013 - erikjwithak wrote: 92 Points
Really nice blend. Strong nose of fruit and spice. Palate of black cherry, cassias and plum. Meaty tannins that aren't overwhelming, but add to the full body. Pure finish that lingers.
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4/12/2013 - Rezy13 wrote:
Blackish purple and extracted; oaky, fruity, sweet, smokey; thick, currant, currant, compote, some oak showing through, lots of glycerin, chipotle, fleshy and kind of fat, Bordeaux slant; very young showing little South African character, but I have really liked prior bottles- just need time for this to develop.
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4/11/2013 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 91 Points
The nose was intense and large scaled with ripe red berries, herbs and mint, giving it an atractive airy quality. On the palate it showed great intensity of fruit with a velvety yet balanced personality, showing dark red fruits, which lasted through the long finish.
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3/18/2013 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 93 Points
New World Cabernet & Blends - Sample Bottle Tasting; 3/16/2013-3/24/2013 (My Place - Washington, DC): The nose, where to start? Plum cake, fig, currant jam, cedar, pine needles, mocha. Wow. Tart acid on the palate, firm tannins, and generous fruit. Plums and currants mix with earth and cedar, even a hint of black olive. This is granite-structured, but the acid is wonderful. The notes of bay leaf and potting soil pay homage to the Old World, but the fruit has such richness. Aged 12 months in 50% new oak, but the toast and mocha flavors are extremely well-integrated. This wine is showing wonderfully now, but it’s a big one that will be even more interesting in five or eight years. A blend of 57% cabernet, 14% merlot, 13% malbec, 11% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot.
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11/15/2012 - yofog wrote: 92 Points
Classy nose, palate is not exactly "fine" but not rustic, either, in any case it has grace, and there is concentration, too, and oak, but it's balanced. It has the polish of a new world wine but the profile is bordeaux/SA, with some green/capsicum notes on the finish. I feel like it's going to be a really cool wine at 10 years plus.
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