Stark-Conde Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
-
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
After 18 months barrel maturation the blend was assembled and put back to barrels for a further 4 months integration. Bottled unfined and unfiltered after 22 months barrel maturation.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Broad and rich, with a loamy underlay to the mulled black currant, roasted fig and singed mesquite notes. There's also a nice backdrop of spice and tobacco, with well-buried acidity on the finish. Rock-solid. Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2013 through 2020. 1,524 cases made.
-
Wine Enthusiast
A solid Cab at an attractive price. There's a lot going on in this sturctured and well-balanced wine. Aromas of black currant and licorice dominate the nose alongside secondary glimmers of black pepper and crushed violets, all framed with a sweet oak streak. Flavors of juicy black raspberry linger well into the finish, which gradually fades into gorgeous white pepper spice.
Other Vintages
2019-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Spirits
Wine &
- Decanter
-
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine
- Decanter
-
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Dunnuck
Jeb
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine
-
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
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.