Winemaker Notes
The spectacular 2018 vintage of our expressive De Toren Fusion V is out of this world. With its phenomenal aroma and depth of flavour, it perfectly imparts the identity of this vintage in the 2018 blend of this superlative Bordeaux styled wine.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Mulberries, dark cherries, dried herbs, cedar and cloves on the nose. Full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins. Structured and compact. Still needs time. Sustainable.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made from a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec, 15% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Fusion V displays a deep ruby core and magenta rim. Giving up aromas of dusty plum, leather, dried tobacco, baked earth and black cherry skin, the nose is enticing, structured and delightful. Medium to full-bodied, the mouthfeel is still tight with the fruit components being front and center and should develop seductive tertiary expressions over the next five to eight years. With a balanced structure and buttressing tannic lift, the wine glides to an elongated finish that will show better with bottle age. While it’s drinkable upon release, I will find this more pleasing after some time in the cellar. Rating:91+
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Wine Spectator
A polished red, silky in texture and offering hints of bay leaf and milled black pepper, alongside ripe black currant and baked black plum flavors. The enticing profile enmeshes the fine and creamy tannic frame and lingers on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
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Wine & Spirits
A blend of 50 percent cabernet sauvignon with malbec, cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot, this is a powerful wine, the fruit trending towards black plum juice. Its powerful acidity gives it enough lift, allowing some of the savory aspects to show through in the middle. A few years of time in the cellar will give the oak time to settle behind the peppery aspects, setting up a fine pairing with grilled pork.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
South Africa’s most famous wine-producing district, Stellenbosch, surrounds the historic town with the same name; fine winemaking here dates back to the late 1600s. Its valleys of granite, sandstone and alluvial loam soils between the towering blue-grey mountains of Stellenbosch, Simonsberg and Helderberg have the capacity to produce beautiful wines from many varieties. The climate is warm Mediterranean, tempered by the cool Atlantic air of nearby False Bay.
Perhaps most well-known for its Pinotage and Bordeaux blends, Stellenbosch also produces noteworthy wines from Syrah, Chenin blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc. The district’s wards—Banghoek, Bottelary, Devon Valley, Jonkershoek Valley, Papegaaiberg, Polkadraai Hills and Simonsberg-Stellenbosch—all produce distinctive wines from vines with relatively low yields.