Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Black currants, boysenberries, cocoa and bay leaves on the nose. Some orange rind, too. It’s medium- to full-bodied, fine-grained and polished. Classy cedar undertones linger on a long and elegant finish. 85% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc, 6% petit verdot and 3% merlot.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Glenelly 2021 Stellenbosch Lady May is a Bordeaux blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot, matured for a total of 24 months in oak, finishing with 70% new barrels. Thanks to the excellent 2021 vintage and cool ripening conditions, the wine shows black fruit, dusty tannins over a mid-weight mouthfeel. The vineyard’s granite soils and cooler conditions shape firmness and structure.
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.