The story of the Stellenbosch Cabernet Collective begins with a tale of passion and creativity. Rising out of an alluring landscape, rich history, vibrant culture and unparalleled architecture, Stellenbosch is one of South Africa’s most prominent wine producing regions and desirable tourist destinations. Today, the region has become the focus of many profoundly adept oenologists and agronomists who use their unique premium local African terroir to produce top quality Cabernet among other wines.

A love for country, community and producing fine wine has given rise to a collaborative group of 35 members that desire to see this regions Cabernet Sauvignons performing against the best on a global platform. To highlight this groups excellent work, I recently revisited South Africa’s “Vintage of the Century” and tasted through 28 excellent Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 reds from the Stellenbosch Cabernet Collective members.

Delaire Graff Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2015 – 96/100 GSMW

Smooth, sweet fruited, pure and suave. Very impressive.

Jordan The Long Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 92+/100 GSMW

Earthy, savoury black fruit. Classical.

Waterford Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 94+/100 GSMW

Black fruited, plush and sweet cedar and tobacco. Very nice.

Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2015 – 96/100 GSMW

Dark, classical and suave Cabernet Sauvignon. Super sophisticated wine.

Kanonkop Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 97/100 GSMW

Violets and perfume. Sleek blueberry and cassis magic.

Kaapzicht Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – N/S

Faulty Bottle.

Alto Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 93/100 GSMW

Cool, dusty Cabernet Sauvignon packed full of mineral and tobacco notes. Pure and full of finesse.

Neil Ellis Jonkershoek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 93/100 GSMW

Cedar and savoury spice, cherry cola and black bramble berry fruit spice.

Webersburg Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 90+/100 GSMW

Black berry and graphite melange. Sweet, plummy, savoury length.

Fleur du Cap Series Privee Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 91/100 GSMW

Leafy black fruits with sleek, polished graphite tannins.

Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 93/100 GSMW

Cool, rich and very polished with seamless black fruits and sweet mineral tannins.

Warwick Blue Lady Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 95/100 GSMW

Modern, creamy and plush with a pure fruited core and a long black cherry fruited finish. Very classy.

Oldenburg Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 94/100 GSMW

Dark, savoury sweet fruited core, showing tobacco spice and tannery leather nuances on the finish.

Mooiplaas Tabakland Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 89/100 GSMW

Riper style with notes of stewed black fruits, cedar, fruit cake and a long, plush ripe finish.

Glenelly Estate Glass Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 94/100 GSMW

Cool, sleek and spicy with classical cedar and tobacco notes and a classical, dense powerful Cabernet finish.

Villiera Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 93/100 GSMW

Full of black berry fruits and graphite minerality, earthy black currants and sweet, lithe tannins. Smart wine.

Lanzerac Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 91/100 GSMW

Dense and dark, packed with spice and freshly cut hedge row, earthy black fruits and a long sweet fruited, intense finish.

Ernie Els Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 94/100 GSMW

Reductive cassis notes, saline black currant and oyster shell , graphite, cedar spice and a complex, concentrated finish.

Bartinney Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 94/100 GSMW

Earthy savoury black fruits, plush fruit core, with notes of brûléed coffee beans, cherry confit and a long plush, opulent finish.

Spier 21 Gables Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 94+/100 GSMW

Notes of gunpowder and graphite spice. Palate is sleek, fleshy and pure fruited showing plenty of classy wine making.

Muratie Martin Melck Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 91/100 GSMW

Sweet plum and cherry tobacco notes melt into black cassis and freshly tilled earth with hints of fruit cake spice.

Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 95+/100 GSMW

Sleek, suave, classical Cabernet with masses of elegance and power, purity and very sweet, fine tannins.

Peter Falke Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 93/100 GSMW

Dusty black fruits complemented by mineral notes, black cassis, cherry and graphite spice. Very precise fruit flavours and a long sleek, focused power.

Neethlingshof Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 89/100 GSMW

Shows hints of fruit cake, cedar spice and bruised black orchard fruits.

Simonsig The Garland Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 93/100 GSMW

Cool and creamy texture with dry mineral graphite tannins, a sleek polished styling loaded with cassis, black plum and sweet fruit cake length.

Starke-Conde Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 94+/100 GSMW

Full of dark black and blue berry fruits with a creamy, plush, opulent, generous concentration. Very smart wine.

Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 91/100 GSMW

Aromatics of freshly tilled earth, tannery leather and Christmas pudding, fleshy and suave with an elegant texture, chalky tannins and a sweet and sour berry finish.

Zonnebloem Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 – 91+/100 GSMW

Dusty earthy black berry fruits resound with a hint of smoky oyster shell reduction. Impressively polished texture full of sleek mineral tannins and a restrained, pure fruit length.

This tasting was attended by over 30 private clients as well as several high profile wine journalists including Jancis Robinson OBE MW. At the end of the evening there seemed to be a solid consensus that 2015 was without doubt one of the greatest vintages Stellenbosch has ever witnessed. I look forward to doing this tasting again in a couple of years time looking at all the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignons! 🍷