Winemaker Notes
A complex and serious wine showing layered aromas of cedar wood, blackcurrants, blue berries, tea leaves and graphite on the nose. Subtle oak spice and savoury notes add further complexity. The palate is rich and full bodied, with pin-point balance between fruit and oak. The elegant and refined tannin structure is supported by intense flavours of cassis, cured meat and tomato stew. A lingering finish completes a true Cape classic wine!
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon has a lovely bouquet with red plum, incense, clove and white pepper scents, all very well- defined. The oak here is seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with granular tannins, a healthy dash of black pepper, a slightly bitter edge and balsamic hints toward the finish. This still needs a couple more years in bottle. It's just a baby.
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.
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.