2006 Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon

• By Stephen Tanzer
  March/April 2009, IWC Issue #143, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Thelema Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch) Login and sign up and see review text.

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  2/3/2010, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (THELEMA Cabernet Sauvignon) Cabernet Sauvignon Dear Friends, Let's turn our attention to Cabernet Sauvignon and the quasi-reincarnation of mid-1980's Heitz Martha's Vineyard... ...except it's not from Napa - it's from South Africa. From one of the iconic wineries of the Cape, this wine has become a standard-bearer in ZA akin to something like Montelena or Ridge Monte Bello. Now that the vines are 20-25 years old, Thelema is really on to something. This property, on a windswept ridge a few kilometers from Stellenbosch (in the golden zone for the varietal) commands the utmost respect. They are a Cabernet specialist with designs on the best their country has to offer and they are doing it the right way - natural yeast, vintage reflection and an abstinence of 100% new oak (Thelema uses between 20-40% new oak depending on the vintage and the remainder 3-5 year old). The soil is nearly solid decomposed granite and the intense minerality yields a unique estate example that requires 4-6 years of cellaring and is reminiscent of the above mentioned Napa classic. The "Cabernet Sauvignon" is the wine that made them famous and it remains their flagship example. The 2006 is another in a long line of success stories at Thelema and it should only get better. Wild whiffs of mint, dense red berries and earth mixed with a touch of Criollo greet the taster and the palate does not let up for minutes (especially if you allow it to breath for 1-2 hours). There is a sense that this very big wine is still a "real" beverage - it is not manipulated or manufactured. It is of its place but still has the intensity, depth and extractive that most California Cabernet enthusiasts look for. Make no mistake, this is a very big wine but it has an element of surprise that is not the norm: Keep in mind this is their flagship Cabernet and it's still only $26+. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as an exemplary value in New World Cabernet Sauvignon. ONE SHIPMENT ONLY at this price. (on a side note, there's a community TN with a mention of chemical notes in this wine but it's not what I've found in the multiple bottles I've sampled over the last three months - none at all (I've tried four different bottles). I am certain that is the exception rather than the rule. I would check all the community notes but be sure you are looking at the correct wine. This is not "The Mint", which is more of an experimental example that does not possess the classic qualities of the "Cabernet Sauvignon"): 2006 Thelema "Cabernet Sauvignon" (Stellenbosch) Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA SA9000