Winemaker Notes
The Crescendo is a true reflection of the terroir from which its grapes originate and is characteristic of wine made in the historic region of Stellenbosch. It is the Cabernet Franc in particular, where the purity of the fruit is amplified by the site on which it is grown. Notes of white pepper, clove and red berries give this wine delightful aromatics to pleasure the senses. The tension in the wine lends itself to an elegant finish, bringing together the various elements in a gentle fashion culminating in this well-polished wine.
Blend: 65% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is the maiden release from a new project, a resurrection of sorts of the famed Cordoba Crescendo wines of the late 1990s. A blend of 65% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is dense and concentrated yet balanced and pure. It takes time to fully express in the glass now, but with patience it reveals enticing aromas of brambly berry, black currant, blackberry leaf, crushed violet, graphite and pencil shavings. The medium-weight palate shows a seam of purity, with a granitic minerality that weaves throughout the ripe berry fruits and lands with a saline kiss on the long close. Built for aging; enjoy 2027–2041.
Cellar Selection -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 65% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Crescendo Red Blend begins with notions of red bell pepper, blackcurrant bud and wild cherry skin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is fresh, ripe and herbaceous, with notes of cedar and cigar spice and an herbaceous, red-fruited finish. The wine rested for 13 months in 30% new French oak barrels. For those who enjoy Cabernet Franc and are not afraid of the green pepper notes, you'll enjoy this expression. Give it a try. Rating:90+
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.