Winemaker Notes
A strict selection of the finest grapes and the best performing barrels ensures consistent excellence. The wine was patiently matured in 34% new French oak for 24 months. This classic blend emanates intensity and grace.
Blend: 48% Cabernet Franc, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 46% Cabernet Franc, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, the 2019 Warwick Estate Reserve (Trilogy) expresses a lighter style due to the challenging vintage. The wine is more floral and finessed than previous vintages, showcasing a lighter, softer and more gentle expression that didn’t need as much overt oak, as the wine possesses a delicate and compact frame. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is balanced, focused and still tight. I get the sense that it was crafted with a thoughtful approach to keep the sincerity of the wine’s natural expression in harmony. The wine glides to an elegant and precise finish. This may be the lightest expression of this bottling that I’ve seen in years. While it may not be as generous as previous vintages, this vintage does possess all of the elegance and grace to keep me coming back for more. The wine rested in about one-third new French oak for two years before bottling.
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James Suckling
Aromas of ripe black fruit, dark chocolate, licorice, cedar and wet earth. Full-bodied with chewy tannins. Structured and rich, with a deep core of ripe fruit and a lingering, creamy finish. A blend of 48% Cabernet Franc, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot.
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Wine Spectator
A rich, full-bodied red, with loam and tar notes underscoring flavors of blackberry coulis, crème de cassis, fig cake and dried mint. Firmed by fine, chewy tannins, with the fruit and mineral lingering on the finish. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2029.
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.