Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
In complete contrast, I feel that Thelema is far more adept with that other noble Bordeaux variety. The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for 18 months in 45% new oak and has a very succinct nose of ripe red berries, wild hedgerow and a touch of cedar all with very fine definition. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, supple tannins. It has good acidity and a lovely caressing, ironically Saint Emilion-like finish. This is a superb Cabernet Sauvignon drinking beautifully now. Drink now-2016.
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Wine Enthusiast
There's a prominent herbal streak to the nose of this wine, but it's not jarring thanks to the suport of rich black cherry and black currant fruit core. The savory herbs, menthol and licorice herbaceousness continues through to the palate, where again it's matched by equally intense dark fruit flavors and a mouthwatering finish. Silky wood-spice accents the long finish. Drink now - 2014.
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Wine Spectator
A supple, old-school style, with an alluring mint note leading the way for mulled plum, fig and spice notes, followed by a suave cocoa powder hint on the finish. Stylish, but has the stuffing to age nicely. Drink now through 2014. 400 cases imported.
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.
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.