Winemaker Notes
De Toren Z comprises a symphonic blend of five Bordeaux varietals. This Right-Bank Bordeaux-style blend showcases aromas of red fruits, mulberries and blueberries. You’ll find it tantalizingly soft on the tongue. A pure and soft integration of oak, lends a creamy finish with a hint of aniseed on the nose. It follows through perfectly on the palate, revealing juicy-red fruit. The integrated, complex and finely knit tannins of this Merlot-dominant blend finish of velvety, yet the blend is vibrant and expressive. The magnificent 2015 vintage of this blend, recently awarded a spectacular 94 & 93 Points, by Wine Enthusiast & Platter’s Wine Guide respectively, and is even more phenomenal, elegant and balanced than before. This wine is a very versatile food pairing wine due to its great acidity and weight. It works exceptionally well with very fine spicy foods. Its aromas of mulberries and blueberries perfectly complements rich fish, lamb, duck, beef and poultry.
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.