Winemaker Notes
The 2022 MR de Compostella is a barrel selection from all five varieties, which are assessed blind and undergo trial blends. Those chosen blends are then evaluated against the previous five vintages. This has a gorgeous bouquet, quite understated at first, opening with red fruit, briar and a touch of wild rosemary mixed with potpourri. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, tensile and brimming with energy. A touch of black pepper and brown spices emerges as this fans out wonderfully toward the slightly wet stone mineral finish.
Pair with well-aged sirloin, rib-eye, filet mignon and hard cheeses.
Blend: 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 20% Malbec, 9% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A full-bodied, sophisticated red blend that exudes complex notes of blackcurrants, blackberries, sage, pencil shavings and whole nutmeg. Very fresh, just-ripe black fruit. Firm, chalky and well-framed with a filled-in midpalate and fine-grained tannins that spread across the palate. 44% cabernet sauvignon, 23% cabernet franc, 20% malbec, 9% merlot and 4% petit verdot. Try from 2026.
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Vinous
The 2022 MR de Compostella is a barrel selection from all five varieties, which are assessed blind and undergo trial blends. Those chosen blends are then evaluated against the previous five vintages. This has a gorgeous bouquet, quite understated at first, opening with red fruit, briar and a touch of wild mint mixed with potpourri. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, tensile and brimming with energy. A touch of black pepper and brown spices emerges as this fans out wonderfully toward the slightly medicinal finish.
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.