Winemaker Notes
This is a stunning expression of a superb vintage as well as terroir. At first, the richness of the wine is experienced as aromas of dense blackberry and plum notes with cedar shavings adding complexity. As the wine opens, one gets to experience many additional layers of depth, expressed as dark, sour cherry, a spiciness of tobacco with a hint of aniseed. The acidity is well balanced extenuating not only the core of fruit but also the graphite aftertaste. A full-bodied, mouth-coating tannin structure frames the wine while an appetizing fruit sweetness complement the mineral (chalky) finish leaving a lasting impression.
Blend: 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 13% Malbec, 12% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Richly fragrant, this powerful red offers aromas and flavors of green olive tapenade and cassis, plus accents of dried dill, bay leaf, hoisin sauce and singed alder, all enmeshed with sculpted tannins. Theres a taut, tightly meshed feel today, but this is long and balanced, with a creamy edge to the tannins as they firm the spiced finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2028 through 2038. 6,500 cases made, 654 cases imported.
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.