Cassis and clean earthy scents on the nose, the palate is ripe but fresh and lively, strong cassis flavors are complemented by fresh red fruit, red bell pepper and leafy feel. Good matching acidity and resolved tannins make this nicely harmonious. This vintage sits comfortably on its plateau of maturity and is very enjoyable now, an excellent showing.
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Drinking beautifully. Fully mature, subtle wine. Never had a nearly 20 year old SA cab. No need to aerate, typical SA vegetal characteristics totally gone. Was a joy to drink.
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A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (39%), Cabernet Franc (31%) and Merlot (30%) from Helderberg. Aged for 13 months in 300-liter oak barrels (90% new). 13,5% alcohol, <2,5 g/l residual sugar, 5,9 g/l acidity and pH 3,65.
Somewhat translucent and slightly evolved dark cherry red color. Savory, somewhat evolved nose with an air of a classic Bordeaux. Attractive aromas of wizened blackcurrants, some woody notes of pencil shavings, light beef jerky tones, a little bit of tobacco, herbaceous hints of bell pepper and chipotle and an autumnal touch of leaves. The wine is somewhat lighter and drier than Morgensters 2001 and 2008 tasted alongside, but not one bit less impressive. Quite intense and wonderfully layered flavors of ripe blackcurrants, cooked bell pepper, some tobacco, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of gamey meat and a bittersweet touch of dark chocolate. The structure relies more on the high acidity than on the almost-fully resolved, silky tannins. The finish is long, complex and gently grippy with dry, savory flavors of black raspberries, some sweeter dark plums, a little bit of sweet blackcurrant marmalade, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of bell pepper.
A beautiful, harmonious and very classic South African red. There's quite a bit of ripeness here, but the wine is nevertheless remarkably savory, fine-tuned and all in all thoroughly Bordelais in feel. Although I would've enjoyed a bit more tannic action here, the wine is nevertheless wonderfully balanced with layers upon layers of flavors. I love it how the wine has a somewhat new world feel to it, yet is more dry than sweet-toned, has quite modest level of alcohol for the style and especially the nose could fool one into believing this is a classic Bordeaux red. Most likely the wine will not just keep, but also improve for a few years more, but it is drinking beautifully right now and is in no need of further aging. A bargain at 36€. Outstanding stuff.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind $50+: Dark core; nose shows big dark fruit, smoky, ashy, tobacco, bitter chocolate; black currant, dark cherry, big but juicy, good drinkability; tasty.
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Tasted at La Colombe; Exquisite and deep nose of dark berries, faint tannin. Ripe, rich and very satisfying. Harmonious and long; this was the best wine of the whole tasting and one of the best red wines tasted while in South Africa. Will still last 8-10 years. Excellent and a perfect match with the food.
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Superb bottle of wine. Dense nose of graphite, mint, tobacco, blackcurrant, plum, cherry, tobacco. Palate shows a lot of finesse with structure and fruit perfectly integrated. Lots of cedar, graphite, spice, clove, smoke. Blackcurrant, plum, sweet cherry. Very bright, fine tannin, great acidity. Really beautiful and harmonious. A very much Bordeaux styled blend from Stellenbosch. Would love to hold more for another couple years.
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Tra il rubino ed il granato. Molto autenticamente bordolese al naso, ricco di mirtillo, scatola di sigaroi, grafite, ma anche pepe, cenere, incenso, china. Ricco, equilibrato, fresco, stupefacente nell’interpretazione rigorosa del riferimento. Lungo il finale di menta e cacao
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Comes across a bit riper compared to the bottle we drank in SA in January but this is still impressively made. Bordeaux meets Stellebosch. The fruit is dark and concentrated and stays on the palate forever. There's all the classic Bordeaux flavored of cassis, lead pencil and tobacco. Will certainly keep for at least another decade.
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Terrific. A Bordeaux-like blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this smells and tastes like a traditional claret. There's lead pencil shavings (even though I have never tasted lead pencil shavings), cedar notes and lovely, subtle cassis on the back end of the palate. Balanced, structured with a good density and length. Something I'd buy for my own cellar. Last dinner on our trip, Four Season the Westcliff, Johannesburg, SA.
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Dark garnet with brick rim. Expressive nose of dark fruit, earth and oak with a bit of the tell tale burnt rubber smell of Stellenbosh. On the palate this is nice and tame, well aged albeit a bit modern with generous oak. Overtly modern but in a nice way. Very enjoyable CabSav.
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Palate seems more diluted this time, there's a bouquet of cedar, pencil shaving, dark fruit with some earth, palate is quite smooth with a medium finish
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Very Bordeaux like nose, nice mix of rocks, dark cherry and herbal black raspberry, palate is elegant, smooth and delicious, some cedar, earth, dark fruit and a chocolate filled finish plenty of acidity keeping this fresh through out. Ws rating way off on this ..
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Big Bottle Festival (Cellars Hohenort): Aromas of charcuterie, roasted meat, leather and some dark fruits. Already showing some early development, the wine is elegant, with stringy, sinewy tannins with enough acid to support it. Good length but is not over-exciting, feeling a little ponderous.
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Good and fairly complex bouquet. A lot of oak. Altogether a complete wine with good cassis, soft bitterness and refinement. Classical style with refinement.
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Caroline Wine Shop - Pessac/Graves and South Africa Comparison (Carolines Wine Shop): 39 CS, 31 CF, 30 Mer; Deep red to a wide orange rim; the nose shows some volatile notes along with toasty new oak and spice complexed by savoury hung game and marmite elements. A soft entry this feels more New World, slightly extracted with warm, generous alcohol, dried black currant and plum. The tannins are resolved and supple; whilst a cedar and savoury edge push to Old World, it lacks a more linear shape. However, the wine is fleshy and luxurious with chocolate on the medium to long finish and underpinned by a lively, fresh acidity.
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This is a merlot-cabernet blend. It has a lovely, precise nose – very focussed, with rather minerally black fruits. Very nice on the palate: very focussed and very elegant. Very much in a French style, which makes me wonder just how south African it is.
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Retailer tasting (@ AW): Deep bouquet with good oak, black fruits like cassis, but also some chocolate. Very full bodied with a firm dose of oak, but in good balance with the fruit. The tannin is firm and soft at the same time. Good bitterness. This wine has a good future ahead. Although already nice it will improve in 2-4 years imho.
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12/30/2022 - Frankie63 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dried out cork. But once solved, beautiful mature wine. Definitely not over the top. Dark red color, lots of tertiary notes. Good balance, love it.
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6/11/2022 - Lype Likes this wine:
Cassis and clean earthy scents on the nose, the palate is ripe but fresh and lively, strong cassis flavors are complemented by fresh red fruit, red bell pepper and leafy feel. Good matching acidity and resolved tannins make this nicely harmonious. This vintage sits comfortably on its plateau of maturity and is very enjoyable now, an excellent showing.
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5/26/2022 - rwilk_2000 wrote: 90 Points
Drinking beautifully. Fully mature, subtle wine. Never had a nearly 20 year old SA cab. No need to aerate, typical SA vegetal characteristics totally gone. Was a joy to drink.
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3/5/2021 - Redbordo wrote: 90 Points
Still drinking ok but soft corks can be a problem with this vintage
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7/26/2020 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (39%), Cabernet Franc (31%) and Merlot (30%) from Helderberg. Aged for 13 months in 300-liter oak barrels (90% new). 13,5% alcohol, <2,5 g/l residual sugar, 5,9 g/l acidity and pH 3,65.
Somewhat translucent and slightly evolved dark cherry red color. Savory, somewhat evolved nose with an air of a classic Bordeaux. Attractive aromas of wizened blackcurrants, some woody notes of pencil shavings, light beef jerky tones, a little bit of tobacco, herbaceous hints of bell pepper and chipotle and an autumnal touch of leaves. The wine is somewhat lighter and drier than Morgensters 2001 and 2008 tasted alongside, but not one bit less impressive. Quite intense and wonderfully layered flavors of ripe blackcurrants, cooked bell pepper, some tobacco, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of gamey meat and a bittersweet touch of dark chocolate. The structure relies more on the high acidity than on the almost-fully resolved, silky tannins. The finish is long, complex and gently grippy with dry, savory flavors of black raspberries, some sweeter dark plums, a little bit of sweet blackcurrant marmalade, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of bell pepper.
A beautiful, harmonious and very classic South African red. There's quite a bit of ripeness here, but the wine is nevertheless remarkably savory, fine-tuned and all in all thoroughly Bordelais in feel. Although I would've enjoyed a bit more tannic action here, the wine is nevertheless wonderfully balanced with layers upon layers of flavors. I love it how the wine has a somewhat new world feel to it, yet is more dry than sweet-toned, has quite modest level of alcohol for the style and especially the nose could fool one into believing this is a classic Bordeaux red. Most likely the wine will not just keep, but also improve for a few years more, but it is drinking beautifully right now and is in no need of further aging. A bargain at 36€. Outstanding stuff.
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11/21/2017 - Rezy13 wrote:
Tuesday Night Double Blind $50+: Dark core; nose shows big dark fruit, smoky, ashy, tobacco, bitter chocolate; black currant, dark cherry, big but juicy, good drinkability; tasty.
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11/16/2017 - Bandreas wrote:
Tasted at La Colombe; Exquisite and deep nose of dark berries, faint tannin. Ripe, rich and very satisfying.
Harmonious and long; this was the best wine of the whole tasting and one of the best red wines tasted while in South Africa. Will still last 8-10 years.
Excellent and a perfect match with the food.
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10/1/2017 - cab blends wrote: 87 Points
Non blind:
The age is showing in the one. both body and color. It is thinning a little.
Similar to the 2012 in many ways. Tannins 6.5/10 and less body than the Lourens valley 2004
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3/8/2017 - Alexroy wrote: 93 Points
Plums, white pepper, red fruit on nose. Smooth, mid weight, dark fruit, medium to long, lovely balance.
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12/31/2016 - PT insurgent wrote:
Superb bottle of wine. Dense nose of graphite, mint, tobacco, blackcurrant, plum, cherry, tobacco.
Palate shows a lot of finesse with structure and fruit perfectly integrated. Lots of cedar, graphite, spice, clove, smoke. Blackcurrant, plum, sweet cherry. Very bright, fine tannin, great acidity.
Really beautiful and harmonious. A very much Bordeaux styled blend from Stellenbosch. Would love to hold more for another couple years.
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10/23/2016 - Alexroy wrote: 93 Points
Day 2. Nose, precise, pencil lead, menthol, cherries. Smooth, dark fruit, complex, balanced. Fantastic.
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8/20/2016 - Alexroy wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 1 hour, takes time to open up an lose the SA burnt rubber. Spicy dark fruit nose. Dark rounded fruit, sherbet, complex, interesting.
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6/20/2016 - Ludi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tra il rubino ed il granato. Molto autenticamente bordolese al naso, ricco di mirtillo, scatola di sigaroi, grafite, ma anche pepe, cenere, incenso, china. Ricco, equilibrato, fresco, stupefacente nell’interpretazione rigorosa del riferimento. Lungo il finale di menta e cacao
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4/9/2016 - Alexroy wrote: 92 Points
Smoke, green leaves, spice, menthol, lead pencils, on nose. Complex, long, integrated tannins, nice acidity. Red fruit, sherbet, sharp red currents.
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3/19/2016 - Alexroy wrote: 92 Points
Spicy, sherbet, dark fruit, pencil lead. Medium to long. Nice tannic balance. Quality wine.
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2/5/2016 - pbaek wrote:
Comes across a bit riper compared to the bottle we drank in SA in January but this is still impressively made. Bordeaux meets Stellebosch. The fruit is dark and concentrated and stays on the palate forever. There's all the classic Bordeaux flavored of cassis, lead pencil and tobacco. Will certainly keep for at least another decade.
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1/2/2016 - pbaek wrote:
Terrific. A Bordeaux-like blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this smells and tastes like a traditional claret. There's lead pencil shavings (even though I have never tasted lead pencil shavings), cedar notes and lovely, subtle cassis on the back end of the palate. Balanced, structured with a good density and length. Something I'd buy for my own cellar. Last dinner on our trip, Four Season the Westcliff, Johannesburg, SA.
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2/27/2015 - Collector1855 wrote: 91 Points
Dark garnet with brick rim. Expressive nose of dark fruit, earth and oak with a bit of the tell tale burnt rubber smell of Stellenbosh. On the palate this is nice and tame, well aged albeit a bit modern with generous oak. Overtly modern but in a nice way. Very enjoyable CabSav.
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12/27/2013 - eoinhharkins Likes this wine: 91 Points
Palate seems more diluted this time, there's a bouquet of cedar, pencil shaving, dark fruit with some earth, palate is quite smooth with a medium finish
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5/4/2013 - eoinhharkins Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very Bordeaux like nose, nice mix of rocks, dark cherry and herbal black raspberry, palate is elegant, smooth and delicious, some cedar, earth, dark fruit and a chocolate filled finish plenty of acidity keeping this fresh through out. Ws rating way off on this ..
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8/24/2012 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 87 Points
Big Bottle Festival (Cellars Hohenort): Aromas of charcuterie, roasted meat, leather and some dark fruits. Already showing some early development, the wine is elegant, with stringy, sinewy tannins with enough acid to support it. Good length but is not over-exciting, feeling a little ponderous.
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11/22/2008 - Wrighty wrote: 89 Points
Decanter Fine Wine Encounter (Landmark Hotel, London): A little pencil/cedar. Blackcurrant. Palate is lean.
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3/21/2008 - Zweder wrote: 88 Points
Good and fairly complex bouquet. A lot of oak. Altogether a complete wine with good cassis, soft bitterness and refinement. Classical style with refinement.
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2/28/2008 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 91 Points
Caroline Wine Shop - Pessac/Graves and South Africa Comparison (Carolines Wine Shop): 39 CS, 31 CF, 30 Mer; Deep red to a wide orange rim; the nose shows some volatile notes along with toasty new oak and spice complexed by savoury hung game and marmite elements.
A soft entry this feels more New World, slightly extracted with warm, generous alcohol, dried black currant and plum. The tannins are resolved and supple; whilst a cedar and savoury edge push to Old World, it lacks a more linear shape. However, the wine is fleshy and luxurious with chocolate on the medium to long finish and underpinned by a lively, fresh acidity.
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2/25/2008 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 90 Points
This is a merlot-cabernet blend. It has a lovely, precise nose – very focussed, with rather minerally black fruits. Very nice on the palate: very focussed and very elegant. Very much in a French style, which makes me wonder just how south African it is.
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11/11/2007 - Zweder wrote: 88 Points
Retailer tasting (@ AW): Deep bouquet with good oak, black fruits like cassis, but also some chocolate. Very full bodied with a firm dose of oak, but in good balance with the fruit. The tannin is firm and soft at the same time. Good bitterness. This wine has a good future ahead. Although already nice it will improve in 2-4 years imho.
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