Not hugely changed since 2017 bottle. Lovely deep ruby. Classic really, tons of blackcurrant and berry fruits. Great intensity. Plenty of secondary flavours, bit of coffee, tar or licorice, some warm spices. Nicely balanced, good length. Fine tannins now very well resolved. Drinking very well now, fully mature but life ahead still.
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Still lovely deep ruby. Classic really, tons of blackcurrant and berry fruits. Great intensity. Plenty of secondary flavours, bit of coffee, tar or licorice, some warm spices. Nicely balanced, good length. Plenty fine tannins but well resolved. Drinking very well now but no panic.
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Regular dinner group (@ My place): Red berries, sweet licorice, cigars, beautiful balance between acidity and sweetness and mild tannin. The wine is fully mature now and really beautiful.
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Ten years on, still brilliant and delicous. Great classic cab-nose with cedar, tobacco, currants and dark chocolate. In great balance and drinkingphase now but should last for at least five years.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #112; South Africa (@ RvD): In the bouquet a beautiful and mature wine with dark berries, sweet spices, vanilla, oak and cinnamon. On the palate chocolate, red berries, beautifully integrated oak, sweet spices, good acidity, some mineral impressions, mild and pleasant tannin and pleasant bitterness in the finish. Concentrated wine.
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Deep red colour. Rich, ripe fruits on nose along with a touch of sweet musk. Green pepper and white peppercorns in flavour along with a touch of richness from the oak. Medium finish. Smooth and very enjoyable.
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Weekly tasting group #199; New years tasting with some young and mature wines (@ My place): Bouquet with sweet and ripe dark forest fruits, raspberry, sweet licorice root, other sweet spices like vanilla and cinnamon. In fact everything comes back on the palate in a harmonious way. Very ripe fruits, a firm amount of vanilla, chocolate and beautiful acidity. Round and soft tannin with a pleasant bite. Completely ready now and no hurry either. Have a few more, so there will be a follow up.
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Huge creamy raspberry notes. Surprised by the amount of fruit compared to my last one a couple of years ago. No real sense of place, didn't scream South Africa but it was an easily enjoyable bottle that raised a few eyebrows around the table.
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Creamy cedarnotes, luxurious and seductive mouthfeel, black cherries, blueberry-puree, grilled meat, smoke, oriental spices, really soft and rounded. Yet, it showes marcelous depth and energy. This is a glorious New-World-CS!
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Drinking perfectly now. Tobacco, chocolate, herbs and red berries (raspberries). Great balance, soft and sandy tannins and good lenght. This is my favourite cab from SA along with Thelema and Kanonkop.
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Open and decanted for sediment. Red with slight brown. Toasty oak, liquorice and white pepper on the nose. Fresh taste - dark fruits, green pepper - bright acid. Medium to long finish with medium tannins. Good wine and still only mid-life.
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Drinking well now. Tannins and oak well integrated but the alc is a bit lifted. Black fruit still prevalant with some nice herbal tertiary notes. Acidity holding it all together. Medium finish but very smooth and easy drinking.
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Deep red colour. Soft tannins, powerful and long. I really like this Bordaux-like wine. Ones opened, it's pleasent for many hours, lots of different smells, really complex, goes with red meat-dish, cheese and chocolate. Enjoy!
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Deep dark purple and obviously not fined as is was fairly opaque (though didn't throw and sentiment). It's in a great spot right now with lots of dark fruit and huge smokiness with a little game and dry,woody,aromatic bush (what's the South African version of garrique?). Tannins are well integrated and everything is well balanced. A well done and serious wine that makes me think don melchor goes to hermitage.
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Zuid-Afrika proeverij met de Dordtse wijnclub (Bij Peter thuis): Donkerrood, paars van kleur. Volle, zwoele geur van zwart fruit, kruiden, cederhout en tabak. Dikke, geconcentreerde smaak met zwarte bes, mokka, espresso en ceder. Zijdezachte afdronk, met soepele tannines. Wat een verleidelijk glas wijn!!!
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Not very new world. Much more like a rich modern bordeaux. Layers and layers of complexity, oak has become integrated (no more vanilla overtones), good dark fruit, cocoa on the mid palate, great finish. Not austere, not a big bruiser, this is a ground rules double dead straight to center field.
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- Garnet color. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Linear texture with a medium finish - Austere, very balanced. Decanted several hours, and had opened up, but tannins are not strong. Superior.
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Vibrant nose showing cassis and dark fruit. Rather powerful palate, delivering smooth dark cassis toned fruit with a hint of oak. Firm and smooth tannins. Good acidic structure and balance. This is just a very solid, clean and good cabernet,improving with more airtime. Could certainly benefit from some more years in the cellar, but drinking nicely now.
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Regular dinner group (@ PZ): See also previous notes. As extra I wrote down that this bottle also showed brown spiced biscuit and chocolate. Concentrated and beautifully balanced wine. Young maturity now and potential for at least another 5 years.
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Platter tasting (By UG): The bouquet with dark fruits and exclusive oak is not really expressive at the moment. In the start there is a firm amount of sweetness. Later a lot of ripe dark fruits and soft but powerful tannin. A firm dose of oak in the taste as well. A mouth full of concentrated wine. Compared to the 2004, this wine can use a few years of ageing.
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Youthful and expressive bouquet with black berries and good oak. On the palate a lot of black fruits, good acidity and firm tannin and bitterness. Full bodied and a long finish. Needs at least another 3 - 4 years to reach maturity stage. 91+ (And before posting this, I read don_quichotte's note and yes what he writes makes sense; getting this wine completely blind I first thought it was an Australian wine, having some austere characteristics of an old world wine.)
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nice solid cab, good dark fruits, big and rich but smooth and easy to drink. chocolate, creamy. i am not sure honestly if this will get a ton better with age.
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full, thick with an abundance of acidity & enough tannin to make me think that at least another year of aging is needed. Black fruits, black tea, vanilla, & some brambliness. Quite good now, has the potential to get to a 93+
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Grab Bag Tasting @ my place (Netherlands): Blueberry-jam, cherry-pie with gobs of cream, milkchocolate, warm damp earth. Roasted peppers, gingerbread, patisserie. Tightly-knit and with lots of stuffing, still very young but already extremely enjoyable. 17.5/20
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Very strange experience with this. Upon opening, this is a big rich South African Cab, with hints of that SA smokey thing going on, with very upfront dark fruits and a large structured wine. Was very excited. 92-93 Corked it at about 4/5ths full, as we were just tasting it, and tried the next night, and this was a disapointment. Still a solid Cab, but all the interesting flavors and nuances of the wine disappeared. Was kind of every day. Strange experience, and not sure what to make of it. 87-89
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Washington Wine Tasting w/ Steven Tanzer (Palace Kitchen, Seattle, WA): The nose of this wine was very Bordeaux-like. Nice pencil shavings, and tobacco aromas complimented the dark fruits. The palate was primarily currant and cherry flavors, but this wine turned slightly Port-like at the finish. Some heat showed up as the finish began to tail off. This wine was a real surprise, and was pretty fun to analyze.
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Minty and elegant, touches of bell pepper or medicinal. But my, what a refined, nice cabernet. Lively and lovely to drink. Apperently "Bookin'-howd's-klooof."
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2/23/2024 - cannym Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not hugely changed since 2017 bottle. Lovely deep ruby. Classic really, tons of blackcurrant and berry fruits. Great intensity. Plenty of secondary flavours, bit of coffee, tar or licorice, some warm spices. Nicely balanced, good length. Fine tannins now very well resolved. Drinking very well now, fully mature but life ahead still.
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3/5/2023 - Peter Spijker Likes this wine: 91 Points
No detailed note made.
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10/15/2019 - Peech Likes this wine: 91 Points
nice nose of graphite, some ripe fruit, smoke, cedar, and woodsy notes. A little sweet on the palate. Drinking well now.
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6/28/2017 - Johehn Likes this wine: 92 Points
Underbar kraft i denna CS. En riktigt fin upplevelse till middagen, dock utan noteringar...
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5/12/2017 - cannym Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still lovely deep ruby. Classic really, tons of blackcurrant and berry fruits. Great intensity. Plenty of secondary flavours, bit of coffee, tar or licorice, some warm spices. Nicely balanced, good length. Plenty fine tannins but well resolved. Drinking very well now but no panic.
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4/22/2017 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Regular dinner group (@ My place): Red berries, sweet licorice, cigars, beautiful balance between acidity and sweetness and mild tannin. The wine is fully mature now and really beautiful.
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12/31/2016 - rs Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ten years on, still brilliant and delicous. Great classic cab-nose with cedar, tobacco, currants and dark chocolate. In great balance and drinkingphase now but should last for at least five years.
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11/27/2016 - Alexroy wrote: 94 Points
Powerful, dark fruit. Lovely.
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10/12/2016 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #112; South Africa (@ RvD): In the bouquet a beautiful and mature wine with dark berries, sweet spices, vanilla, oak and cinnamon. On the palate chocolate, red berries, beautifully integrated oak, sweet spices, good acidity, some mineral impressions, mild and pleasant tannin and pleasant bitterness in the finish. Concentrated wine.
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3/7/2016 - Rob_Sutherland Likes this wine: 90 Points
Like the others, very nice Cab with no sense of place. Still very enjoyable.
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1/22/2016 - Peck Likes this wine: 92 Points
Agree
Favourite top SA wine
With everything close to Bordeaux
But not really there
P
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1/16/2016 - rjsmall Likes this wine:
Deep red colour. Rich, ripe fruits on nose along with a touch of sweet musk. Green pepper and white peppercorns in flavour along with a touch of richness from the oak. Medium finish. Smooth and very enjoyable.
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1/4/2016 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Weekly tasting group #199; New years tasting with some young and mature wines (@ My place): Bouquet with sweet and ripe dark forest fruits, raspberry, sweet licorice root, other sweet spices like vanilla and cinnamon. In fact everything comes back on the palate in a harmonious way. Very ripe fruits, a firm amount of vanilla, chocolate and beautiful acidity. Round and soft tannin with a pleasant bite. Completely ready now and no hurry either. Have a few more, so there will be a follow up.
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7/23/2015 - Rob_Sutherland wrote: 91 Points
Huge creamy raspberry notes. Surprised by the amount of fruit compared to my last one a couple of years ago. No real sense of place, didn't scream South Africa but it was an easily enjoyable bottle that raised a few eyebrows around the table.
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7/11/2015 - jkoenen wrote: 93 Points
Creamy cedarnotes, luxurious and seductive mouthfeel, black cherries, blueberry-puree, grilled meat, smoke, oriental spices, really soft and rounded. Yet, it showes marcelous depth and energy. This is a glorious New-World-CS!
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1/3/2015 - rs Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking perfectly now. Tobacco, chocolate, herbs and red berries (raspberries). Great balance, soft and sandy tannins and good lenght. This is my favourite cab from SA along with Thelema and Kanonkop.
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8/17/2014 - rjsmall Likes this wine:
Open and decanted for sediment. Red with slight brown. Toasty oak, liquorice and white pepper on the nose. Fresh taste - dark fruits, green pepper - bright acid. Medium to long finish with medium tannins. Good wine and still only mid-life.
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5/2/2014 - Badamf Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking well now. Tannins and oak well integrated but the alc is a bit lifted. Black fruit still prevalant with some nice herbal tertiary notes. Acidity holding it all together. Medium finish but very smooth and easy drinking.
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2/14/2014 - Alexroy wrote: 93 Points
Dark fruit, spice on nose. Full flavour, strong mixed fruit, complex, fairly long.
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12/21/2013 - Johehn wrote: 92 Points
Deep red colour. Soft tannins, powerful and long. I really like this Bordaux-like wine. Ones opened, it's pleasent for many hours, lots of different smells, really complex, goes with red meat-dish, cheese and chocolate. Enjoy!
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11/10/2013 - Rob_Sutherland Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep dark purple and obviously not fined as is was fairly opaque (though didn't throw and sentiment). It's in a great spot right now with lots of dark fruit and huge smokiness with a little game and dry,woody,aromatic bush (what's the South African version of garrique?). Tannins are well integrated and everything is well balanced. A well done and serious wine that makes me think don melchor goes to hermitage.
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2/2/2013 - Insignia98 Likes this wine: 93 Points
real and honest cab, very elegant finish.
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11/23/2012 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Boekenhoutskloof Winemakers dinner. (@ Bottles; Sas van Gent, Netherlands): Beautiful fruits and a bit more acidity than other vintages. Very full bodied and a long finsh. Beautifully soft in many ways. See also my other TN's in CT.
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10/12/2012 - Strikermax wrote: 94 Points
Zuid-Afrika proeverij met de Dordtse wijnclub (Bij Peter thuis): Donkerrood, paars van kleur. Volle, zwoele geur van zwart fruit, kruiden, cederhout en tabak. Dikke, geconcentreerde smaak met zwarte bes, mokka, espresso en ceder. Zijdezachte afdronk, met soepele tannines. Wat een verleidelijk glas wijn!!!
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6/18/2012 - Rob_Sutherland wrote: 92 Points
Not very new world. Much more like a rich modern bordeaux. Layers and layers of complexity, oak has become integrated (no more vanilla overtones), good dark fruit, cocoa on the mid palate, great finish. Not austere, not a big bruiser, this is a ground rules double dead straight to center field.
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1/22/2012 - 1512tnw wrote: 92 Points
- Garnet color. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Linear texture with a medium finish - Austere, very balanced. Decanted several hours, and had opened up, but tannins are not strong. Superior.
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10/27/2011 - Henman wrote: 91 Points
Vibrant nose showing cassis and dark fruit. Rather powerful palate, delivering smooth dark cassis toned fruit with a hint of oak. Firm and smooth tannins. Good acidic structure and balance. This is just a very solid, clean and good cabernet,improving with more airtime. Could certainly benefit from some more years in the cellar, but drinking nicely now.
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10/1/2011 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Regular dinner group (@ PZ): See also previous notes. As extra I wrote down that this bottle also showed brown spiced biscuit and chocolate. Concentrated and beautifully balanced wine. Young maturity now and potential for at least another 5 years.
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4/9/2011 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Platter tasting (By UG): The bouquet with dark fruits and exclusive oak is not really expressive at the moment. In the start there is a firm amount of sweetness. Later a lot of ripe dark fruits and soft but powerful tannin. A firm dose of oak in the taste as well. A mouth full of concentrated wine. Compared to the 2004, this wine can use a few years of ageing.
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3/10/2011 - pomelo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Superbe cabernet. À revoir dans quatre ou cinq ans.
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1/21/2011 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Youthful and expressive bouquet with black berries and good oak. On the palate a lot of black fruits, good acidity and firm tannin and bitterness. Full bodied and a long finish. Needs at least another 3 - 4 years to reach maturity stage. 91+ (And before posting this, I read don_quichotte's note and yes what he writes makes sense; getting this wine completely blind I first thought it was an Australian wine, having some austere characteristics of an old world wine.)
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12/25/2010 - cpsmith33 wrote: 90 Points
nice solid cab, good dark fruits, big and rich but smooth and easy to drink. chocolate, creamy. i am not sure honestly if this will get a ton better with age.
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11/7/2010 - Rob_Sutherland wrote: 91 Points
full, thick with an abundance of acidity & enough tannin to make me think that at least another year of aging is needed. Black fruits, black tea, vanilla, & some brambliness. Quite good now, has the potential to get to a 93+
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5/18/2010 - hutch wrote: 90 Points
Vineyard Brands 2008 Burgs and Friends (Legal Seafoods, Boston): Big rich style, but well balanced. Some tannins. Quite nice.
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3/30/2010 - don_quichotte wrote: 89 Points
Nice, fruity and rich sort of cab. Somewhere in between a Pauillac and a Ben Glaetzer, if that makes sense.
Not my cup of tea, though
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3/29/2010 - jkoenen wrote: 90 Points
Grab Bag Tasting @ my place (Netherlands): Blueberry-jam, cherry-pie with gobs of cream, milkchocolate, warm damp earth. Roasted peppers, gingerbread, patisserie. Tightly-knit and with lots of stuffing, still very young but already extremely enjoyable. 17.5/20
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11/28/2009 - hutch wrote: 90 Points
Very strange experience with this. Upon opening, this is a big rich South African Cab, with hints of that SA smokey thing going on, with very upfront dark fruits and a large structured wine. Was very excited. 92-93
Corked it at about 4/5ths full, as we were just tasting it, and tried the next night, and this was a disapointment. Still a solid Cab, but all the interesting flavors and nuances of the wine disappeared. Was kind of every day. Strange experience, and not sure what to make of it. 87-89
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7/27/2009 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Staff Tasting: South Africa (Waterford Wines Milwaukee): Wow. red raspberry fruit and a hint of thai coconut curry sweetness. singing aromatics. very nice structure. Ben call's out reference to '80s Napa Cab.
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7/24/2009 - last chance wrote: 90 Points
Washington Wine Tasting w/ Steven Tanzer (Palace Kitchen, Seattle, WA): The nose of this wine was very Bordeaux-like. Nice pencil shavings, and tobacco aromas complimented the dark fruits. The palate was primarily currant and cherry flavors, but this wine turned slightly Port-like at the finish. Some heat showed up as the finish began to tail off. This wine was a real surprise, and was pretty fun to analyze.
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6/18/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Maybe I am a moron but after drinking my second bottle in two days I have to say that I think this is one of the best cab sauvs I have had all year.
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6/17/2009 - nzinkgraf wrote:
South Africa: aromatic cassis and green. bakers chocolate on the nose. lively acid across the palate. texturally, very memorable on the palate.
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4/7/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Minty and elegant, touches of bell pepper or medicinal. But my, what a refined, nice cabernet. Lively and lovely to drink. Apperently "Bookin'-howd's-klooof."
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