Warwick Three Cape Ladies 2005

  • 90 Wine
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Warwick Three Cape Ladies 2005 Front Label
Warwick Three Cape Ladies 2005 Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2005

Size
750ML

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Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

Each component distinctly displays its own qualities. This vintage shows great ripe red and black berry flavors on the nose as well as Mocha flavors. The Pinotage is soft and sweet while the Merlot and Shiraz offers a subtle spiciness. The Cabernet Sauvignon is the backbone of the blend with well balanced, smooth tannins that will do well with cellaring. Full on the palate with good length on the finish. This blend brings the best of Pinotage to the classic French varieties.

Professional Ratings

  • 90
    The union of Pinotage, Cabernet, Shiraz and Merlot showcases the best of each grape, offering blackberry, spice and mocha on the nose and flavors of ripe red fruit, pepper and cedar on the palate. Pinotage makes a soft and subtle show here, adding fruity heft without the angles. An elegant wine with a lot of personality.

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Warwick

Warwick Estate

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Warwick Estate, South Africa
Warwick Estate Winery Video

Situated on the northern border of the Stellenbosch wine region, along the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain, Warwick Wine Estate has a long history of producing some of South Africa's finest and most acclaimed wines. 

The classic red wine portfolio is led by two blends, the 'Reserve' and the 'Three Cape Ladies.'

The 'First Lady' range immortalises the legacy and irrepressible personality of Norma Ratcliffe - one of the Cape's first female winemakers who guided Warwick to acclaim since producing the estate’s first wine in 1984. Fondly known now as South Africa's 'First Lady' in the South African wine industry, Norma was an innovator by nature; which she had to be in a male dominated industry and was never scared to be the first at anything. In 1989 she became the first female winemaker to be inducted into the Cape Winemakers Guild and became its first female chairperson in 1993.

Having released award-winning wines vintage after vintage, Warwick was eventually sold to San Francisco-based Eileses Capital in 2017, and CEO Christiane von Arnim – a 'First Lady' in wine in her own right - was entrusted with taking Norma's legacy into the future. JD Pretorius (Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year 2014 and Cape Winemakers’ Guild Member since 2018) joined Warwick as Cellar-master in 2019, heading up the vineyards and cellar and was tasked with translating the wonderful terroir of Warwick Wine estate into wine for the world to enjoy and connect over.

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With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.

How to Serve Red Wine

A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.

How Long Does Red Wine Last?

Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.

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With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.

Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.

South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.

EPC15730_2005 Item# 102207

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