The Winshaw brothers, Pierre and JP, are well known for combining traditional beef and chicken farming with grape growing on their prestigious Stellenbosch property Klein Welmoed, selling fruit from their 50 hectares of vines to some of Stellenbosch’s most notable producers as well as making their own wines under their superb Winshaw Vineyards label.
Alongside a premium range of Cape Bordeaux blends, the line-up also includes a delicious straight talking varietal Malbec and a pristine pure fruited Cabernet Sauvignon. The two red blends honour their great-grandfather Dr William Charles Winshaw, founder of Stellenbosch Farmers Winery (SFW), and their grandfather Bill, another key figure in the history of the SFW. With a growing collector following in both South Africa as well as in the UK, their wines still represent excellent value for money in an over heated fine wine market. The 2021 blends are certainly not to be missed.
Winshaw Vineyards Charles Winshaw 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv.
This impressive Cape Bordeaux blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 17% Merlot is incredibly complex and intricate displaying aromatics of dried potpourri, spicy red currant, earthy black berries, dried herbs, hints of charcoal, graphite and dusty granitic spice. The palate is medium bodied and incredibly harmonious with fine grained mineral tannins and a bright, crunchy acidity that adds plenty of vitality and energy. This is a delightful text book Cape Bordeaux blend with notable precision, tension and accessible drinkability. Drink now to 2040+.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Winshaw Vineyards Bill Winshaw 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.
This beautifully styled Bordeaux blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 20% Malbec, 20% Merlot was matured for 12 months in used French oak barrels. The aromatics are elegantly perfumed, brimming with fragrant violets, sandalwood, dried thyme and a vibrant melange of red and black berries with a sappy, cedar spice complexity. This Cabernet Franc lead blend is incredibly sleek and lithe, silky textured with fine grained powdery tannins underpinned by deliciously bright vivacious acids and a real persistence of black berry, red currant and pithy brambly fruits with a granitic liquid minerality that punctuates the seamless finish. This is true class personified. Drink now to 2040+.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Winshaw Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.
The focus of all Winshaw red blends is based around either Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc, but with this pure Cabernet Sauvignon that was matured for 12 months in French oak barrels, of which 30% were new, the essence of Stellenbosch terroir is laid bare to see. The aromatics are archetypal, revealing lifted perfumed notes of pressed violets, sweet black cherries, crème de cassis over subtle notes of dried herbs, wet tobacco, and subtle graphite hints. On the palate, the sumptuous, fleshy opulence of the warm and dry 2022 vintage are expressed with ripe glycerol layers of black berry fruits, black plum and delicately tart mulberry hints that fades into more savoury, earthy cedar spice nuances. The texture is dense, plush and mouth filling, retaining enough acid vibrancy to invigorate the soft, creamy, compact mineral tannins and carry the wine to an accessible, sleek well-balanced finish. An impressive expression of pure Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon that you can drink now and over the next 8 to 10+ years.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Winshaw Vineyards wines are imported into the UK by South African specialist merchant Museum Wines.
The Tesseron family, owners of Château Pontet-Canet and Tesseron Cognac, purchased Pym-Rae, a 7.5-hectare vineyard at Mount Veeder in Napa Valley, in January 2016. Named by late actor Robin Williams after his children, the vineyard’s limestone soil and 550 metre altitude bring depth and freshness to the wines. Using a natural, vineyard-focused approach and adapting certain biodynamic practices, the Tesseron family produces distinctly plush, opulent wines from this unique terroir.
The 2021 vintage reveals grapes of great concentration, developed during a dry yet steady season, which allowed for a beautiful balance between ripeness and freshness. In the vineyard, there was low intervention: nature guided the vines with precision. The harvest unfolded calmly, offering grapes of great intensity. At Pym-Rae, this vintage unveils the power of its Napa Valley terroir, shaped by the balance between tension and control.
The wines are typically a composite blend mirroring vineyard plantings which currently stand at 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and are made by winemaker Jérôme Ledit who previously worked with the Tesseron family at Château Pontet-Canet in Bordeaux. Michel Rolland serves as consultant.
Tesseron Estate Pym-Rae 2021, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley, 15% Abv.
Aged 50% in new oak barrels and 50% in concrete vats, the 2021 vintage displays fragrant blue and black berry fruit aromatics with hints of Christmas spices, chocolate praline and sweet hoisin plum sauce nuances. Classical elegance on the palate with silky fine tannins, notes of graphite and liquid minerality alongside ripe red and black berry fruits, black cherries, creme de cassis and a spicy, pithy plum skin phenolics on the delicately saline finish. Drink from 2026 to 2038+.
Klein Constantia, established in 1685, is renowned as one of the world’s most beautiful wine estates, nestled on the upper foothills of the Constantiaberg with views across False Bay. Originally part of Constantia, the 146-hectare estate, it boasts decomposed granite soils and cool ocean breezes, ideal for producing premium South African wines, including the celebrated natural sweet wine, Vin de Constance. Historically favoured by notable figures such as Napoleon, Baudelaire, European royalty, and global presidents, Vin de Constance continues to captivate discerning palates worldwide with its unwavering commitment to quality.
The 2022 vintage stood out for its intensity and precision, shaped by a late start and a condensed harvest window. Warm, dry conditions dominated the season, with minimal rainfall and increased sun exposure contributing to excellent ripening. The growing season brought some pressure due to wind and heat, but balanced canopy growth and careful vineyard management delivered fruit of exceptional quality. Temperatures remained steady throughout harvest, avoiding the intense heat spikes often seen in late summer in the Cape.
Tasting with head winemaker Matt Day.
I recently joined head winemaker and cellar master Matt Day at Klein Constantia to taste not only the phenomenal new release 2022 Vin de Constance, but also to run through a number of impressive back vintages.
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2014, WO Constantia
Deliciously fresh and vibrant, the wine saw a two-week maceration on skins before 36 months in barrel. The aromatics are packed with peaches, apricot, dried orchard fruits, freshly baked fruit pastries, and marmalade jam nuances. The palate is delightfully fresh and zippy, beautifully balancing sweetness and a tangy acid freshness. Lovey focus showing a delicate toffee apple sweetness and a seductive, salty, tarte tatin finish. A wine of beauty that is maturing exceptionally well. Drink now to 2040+.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Klein Constantia fermentation cellar.
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2017, WO Constantia
Cool and elegant with the aromatics displaying a pithy, citrusy freshness with hints of toffee apples, dried apricots, and peach puree notes. The palate is full and glycerol, dense, enticingly sweet and peachy with a creamy, opulent finish. Great weight and sweetness but very well balanced. Drink now to 2045+.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2021, WO Constantia
An incredibly accomplished Vin de Constance, the 2021 is impressively taut, bright, and nervy, showing pithy citrus and a crunchy white peach freshness. There is incredible tension and an acid frame of note with underlying hints of passionfruit, peach, guava, and marmalade depth. An astounding density and freshness with balance, focus and length. Power packed but oh so elegant. A true classic. Drink now to 2060+.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2022, WO Constantia, 13.5% Abv.
Coming from a warmer shorter season, the final wine was blended from 18 batches (normally around 25). The 2022 Vin de Constance shows aromatics of freshly melted honey, barley sugar, boiled sweets, passionfruit confit, quince, a gentle sapidity and apple puree nuances with hints of savoury freshly baked apple strudel notes on the nose. The palate is incredibly dense, compact, and tight knit, quite weighty and full bodied in texture, but also incredibly creamy and picante, sweet and plush after an incredible 36 months in 4,200 litre wooden foudre, boasting notes of dried mango, nectarine, lychee, and white peach. This is an impactful Vin de Constance that displays both power and intensity alongside a regal elegance and freshness that bestows the wine with an incredible harmony and balance. Drink on release and over the next 40+ years.
For the past few years, Bordeaux negociants have been supplementing their wine businesses by offering their distribution expertise acquired globally over many decades, to distribute alternative premium fine wines from around the world. CVBG have been one of the largest proponents of the “Beyond Bordeaux” wine category and accordingly, host an impressive fine wine tasting for the trade in London annually. Below are a selection of my scores from the 2025 offerings.
The impressive tasting of Beyond Bordeaux hosted in London by Negociant CVBG Dourthe.
Massetino 2023, IGT Toscana, 15% Abv.
Plush, exotic and lifted with aromatics of cherry kirsch liquor, cassis, sour plum and subtle brûléed vanilla nuances. Super sleek polished texture showing overt stony mineral tannins with a picante, grippy extract on the finish. Plenty of tension belies the 15% alcohol.
Deep dark broody aromatics full of macerated black berries, damson plum and black cherry compote with a dusting of brûléed vanilla pod spice. Fleshy and silky soft, fulsome but also very characterful with a classical weightless concentration and elegance. A very polished expression.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Marques de Riscal Tapias 2022, Rioja DOC, 15% Abv.
Shows dense layers of black berry, damson plum and ripe wild strawberry. Ripe tight core with muscle but also precision. The oak is still dominant now but should integrate further and age gracefully.
(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
F. ALGUEIRA Dolio 2021, Ribera Sacra, 13% Abv.
Layered aromatics with dark bramble berry fruits, a graphite dusting, crushed stones and a hint of smoky reduction. Sleek and precise with a savoury plummy sweet – sour ripeness neatly tucked between bright linear acids and fine chalky tannins.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Chateau Cheval Blanc Petit Cheval Bordeaux Blanc 2023, 13.5% Abv.
A 73% Sauvignon Blanc and 17% Semillon blend, this new release shows a juicy opulent crystalline aromatics full of vibrant yellow grapefruit citrus, fresh fennel, ripe gooseberries and lemon grass spice. Deliciously full with a harmonious texture that’s mouth coating, almost creamy, finishing with a delicious purity and clarity. Superb.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Cheval des Andes 2022, Mendoza, 14%Abv.
Cool integrated perfumed aromatics offering a classy balance and purity of blueberry, cassis and damson plum. Beautifully fine grained displaying a polished texture. A true class act with superb balance.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Errazuriz Sena 2023, Valle de Aconcagua, 13.5% Abv.
Beautifully aromatic perfumed fragrance of violets, white blossom and hints of saline cassis, black cherry and ripe blueberries. Seamless and silky, but also delightfully vibrant and fresh with a piercing black fruit concentration while remaining classically light on its feet. Very classy expression.
Enticingly fresh aromatics with delightful tertiary hints of freshly brewed tea and sous bois, bold orange and pomegranate nuances. Sleek, soft and very pure, this balances savoury red berry fruits and a bramble berry intensity with citrus, orange vermouth spices and blood orange notes on a very sleek polished finish. Wow. Impressive.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Tasting with Ernie Loosen.
Dr Loosen Wines:
From 130 year old seven hectare plots of Riesling from Ernie Loosen’s Great Grandfather (out of a total 40 hectares in Wehlener Sonnenuhr) Being the 2nd biggest holdings after JJ Prum.
Riesling Dry 2019, 12.5% – 95+/100
Riesling Kabinett 2019, 9.5% – 97/100
Riesling Auslese 2019, 9.5% – 98/100
L’Aventure Optimus 2022 Red Blend – 95/100
L’Aventure Cote A Cote 2022 – 95+/100
L’Aventure Estate Reserve 2022 – 97+/100
Verite La Muse 2022, Sonoma County, 14.5% Abv.
Mostly Merlot, wood spice, black berry, plum pip, with smoky graphite and crushed gravel. Super sleek and polished, seamless, showing sappy leafy black fruits, cedar spice, black tea and a spicy grippy finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Verite La Joie 2022, Sonoma County, 14.5% Abv.
Tightly packed with cedar, spice, chai tea, graphite and real mineral presence. Fruits are dark, taut and full of tension, acids are crisp but with a marble like polish. Tight, classical and serious.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Verite Le Desir 2022, Sonoma County, 14.5% Abv.
Tight dark and broody, this is a classy, tight black fruited expression, offering up hints of aromatic complexity. Red berries, sweet cedar and red currant fruits with a lurking leafy, red cherry intensity. Sublime balance and harmony.
(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Beautiful blend of Cabernet vineyards from Spring Mountain with 3% Merlot for extra interest. Delicious black currant, black forest gateau, plums and blueberry compote. Lovely balance with impressive balance and fleshy generosity.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Inglenook Blancaneaux 2023, Napa Valley, 13.7% Abv.
40% Viognier with Roussanne and Marsanne. Lovely cool precision, stony minerality with smoky flinty reduction, spice and dried herbs. Mouth coating, intense but good freshness.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Napa Valley, 14.1% Abv.
Small warmer vintage with slightly higher yields than 2021, showing blue and black berries, cassis, dried herbs and sweet cedar spice. A harmonious palate showing restraint with intensity and concentration, silky balance and a blueberry, black currant finish. Classical but impressive intensity.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Inglenook Rubicon 2022, 14.3% Abv.
85% Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot – Sweet herbs, sappy cedar, saline black currant, with black and blueberry, liquorice and creamy, graphite tannins. Full, powerful, incredibly complete.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Coonawarra, 13.5% Abv.
Quite an ethereal, musky, dusty Cabernet aromatics with blueberry, cassies, black cherry and black berry rock candy. Sublime balance, silky soft tannins with a creamy velvety mouthfeel, tangy acids and a salty black berry fruited finish. The oak is almost imperceptible. Very classy.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay 2023, 12.5% Abv.
Lovely lemon and lime intensity spiced up by a complexing, well judged smoky reduction. Crisp, crystalline, deliciously lean. This is a truly delicious, grown up fine wine Chardonnay.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2022, 14.5% Abv.
Restrained subdued aromatics, with hints of liquorice, blue and black berry and a spicy, granitic, mineral grippy finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds RWT Bin 789 Barossa Shiraz 2023, 14.5% Abv.
Sweet and exotic aromatics full of black berry, hoisin plum sauce, sweet Christmas spices and a smoky savoury depth with very dry, mineral grippy tannins. Very serious.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Abv.
Subtle aromatics of black berry, dried mint leaf, chocolate peppermint crisp and sweet dried herbs. Full and creamy, powdery chalky tannins, a cool tangy acidity and a long, focused finish. Very precise.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, 14.5% Abv.
Sweeter black fruits, mulberry and damson plum, over tilled earth, graphite and chai tea. Dense, complex and textural, pinpoint, focused and tight grained. Dusty chalky tannins, liquid minerals and a picante, pithy finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds Grange 2021, 14.5% Abv.
Beautiful aromatics of incense, plum sauce, black cherry, and sweet Christmas spices with a kiss of salty black liquorice. Full in the mouth with a textured, grippy tannin frame, plenty of chalky minerality and an unctuous, fleshy, grippy finish. Plenty of premium winemaking on display here.
(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Cloudburst Chardonnay 2023, Margaret River
Fabulous lemon lime intensity with an intricate smoky reductive vein. Wet stones, lemon grass and fabulous depth. Cool classy and restrained, this is top drawer cool climate Chardonnay.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Margaret River
A vibrant, distinctive terroir driven expression that oozes terroir… wet stone minerality, tea leaf, graphite, black currant leaf, tobacco and kelp. Deliciously maritime, saline and focused with amazing energy and inner character. Wow!
(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Yalumba Florita Riesling 2015, Clare Valley, 12.3% Abv.
Lemon cordial, lime confit, white flowers and hints of butter, ginger and passion fruit crunch. Dry, pristine, very classy!
(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Jim Barry The Armagh 2022, Clare Valley, 14% Abv.
An incredibly fragrant aromatics, fully perfumed with rose petal, incense, rose hip, tangerine peel, pink musk, talc, red peppercorns and vibrant red berry fruits. Incredibly cool sleek and silky, this is Armagh elegance at the next level. Fabulous purity, weightless concentration and spectacular elegance. Wow!
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Yalumba The Octavius Old Vine Shiraz 2020, Barossa Valley, 14.5% Abv.
Dark broody black and blue berry fruits, beautifully complex, integrated aromatics of black currant, liquorice and salted caramel. Incredibly harmonious and balanced, this is a sublime Barossa expression.
There are now so many famous names producing incredible red and white wines in the Swartland. The region has gone well and truly global with trade wine buyers and fine wine collectors snapping up the top offerings, all of which are now becoming quite tightly allocated. While most of the “young gun” growers and Swartland “Rhone Rangers” are now heading into their 50s, Jasper Wickens still represents a younger generation of vignerons that are pushing the boundaries of quality and terroir vintage after vintage.
Every new release from Jasper is eye opening and head turning, as collectors and enthusiasts are increasingly seduced by his wine’s incredible quality at still very modest prices – a true rarity in the world of collectable fine wines. Of all Jasper’s wines, no new releases are more anticipated that his old vine 1982 Chenin Blanc and 1963 Semillon. I recently tasted Jasper’s 2023 releases along side his 2023 Swerwer Chenin Blanc. I was not disappointed!
JC Wickens Swerwer Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.
2023 was an incredibly concentrated and power packed vintage in the Swartland especially for white wines and this Chenin Blanc from Jasper Wickens is a super charged classic. The aromatics are supremely rich and expressive, laced with wet straw, white peach, clementine and tangerine fruits over subtle honied lemon tea notes. The white peach and tangerine fruits continue on the palate that shows impressive concentration alongside a vibrant freshness, all harmoniously interwoven together with incredible purity and precision. At this price, this is a must buy Chenin! Drink now to 2034+.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
JC Wickens Wolwekop Single Vineyard Old Vine Semillon 2023, WO Swartland, 12.5% Abv.
Tasting the big-name premium producers of the Swartland has become a lucrative business for some of the world’s leading wine critics with no shortage of big scores being bestowed on said wines. However, almost all of them are guilty of merely paying lip service to the great single vineyard Old Vine wines of Jasper Wickens, most notably his Wolwekop Semillon that is harvested from a special vineyard that was planted in 1963 and which offers up, vintage after vintage, incredibly detailed, intense, focused, fresh Semillon whites that rival and often surpass anything produced in South Africa. Jasper is of course on a stellar run being awarded 97/100 for his eye catching 2021 and 96/100 for his deliciously accomplished 2022.
This 2023 turns the volume up once again and delivers a most melodious expression of this noble cultivar. Bright crystalline yellow gold in the glass, the aromatics of this new release are incredibly pure, fresh and focused showing notes of lemon grass, waxy lemon peel, white peach and hints of green apple all underpinned by a wonderfully dusty decomposed Granite Paardeberg minerality. With more in common with fresher vintages, there are no oily, lanolin nuances yet but rather fresher lemon and lime white citrus characters, Japanese green tea and a crystalline brightness with pinpoint purity. Seamless and harmonious in the mouth, the sleek lemon citrus intensity is pure and bright, supported by an incredibly well integrated tangy acidity that adds frame and definition to the long, stony, mineral finish. The oak influence is imperceptible and the focus and carry on the finish is mouthwatering and moreish. A fabulous wine that underlines the concentration and fruit power of the 2023 vintage in the Swartland. Drink from 2026 to 2038+.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
JC Wickens Tiernes Single Vineyard Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.
The wonderful thing about an accomplished old vine cuvee like Tiernes is its sheer depth, intensity and presence. Imposing in the glass, this 2023 shows all the muscle and flesh neighbour Eben Sadie was so profusive about with his entire range of old vine whites and reds from 2023. The aromatics simply soar like an eagle – plush, complex and packed full of waxy lemon and white citrus, white peach, dried herbs, and intense savoury leesy nuances. The palate is rich but classically restrained, reined in by a fresh tangy acidity that frames an incredibly broad, fleshy, expansive mouthfeel that is also incredibly focused, harmonious, and seamless, yet wonderfully effusive, showing dried peach, quince, and garrigue spice, before the archetypal wet stone granitic minerality closes out the finish. The clear standout elements of most top 2023 Paardeberg whites are their muscle, fruit power, and understated depth and intensity. Not in a loud and shouty style, nor in a big and brash manner – this wine simply strolls into the room silently and commands your attention. What not to love about an old vine Paardeberg Chenin Blanc from such a distinguished single vineyard? This is undoubtedly a wine to seek out and buy on release. Drink from 2026 to 2040+.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Jasper Wickens wines are imported into the UK by specialist South African merchant Museum Wines. Single vineyard wines sell for £150 IB per 6 on release.
It’s that time of year again! Tasting the unique micro expressions from some of South Africa’s top producers is no easy task. It used to be a real expose of some really unique wine styles of the ever evolving South African wine industry, but now, it feels like producers are evolving, maturing, and certainly playing it a little safer. Is that a bad thing? No, not at all!
Speaking to tasters, collectors (at the tasting) and producers, the feeling was very much that ALL wines were impressive and worthy of praise. But, many did feel that the innovation had been slightly dialled down in the name of premiumisation and in order to offer the wider global fine wine market a unique selection of wines that can be offered to incredibly fussy international merchants and collectors in a congested fine wine market place – wines that can’t be compared and contrasted to anything already available on the market.
Some will reflect on these wines and feel that they are not sufficiently “different” from the regular cuvées offered on the commercial market, but one has to bare in mind that many of the buyers engaging in the CWG auction are not in a viable position to access workable / commercial quantities of wines from these top producers now that European allocations have become so tightly controlled and limited. The CWG breaks that mould and expands the market for South African fine wine, bringing some incredibly high quality wines to a wider, new generation of collectors and connoisseurs. That alone should surely be celebrated. I for one remain a MASSIVE fan of the CWG concept and auction process and encourage enthusiasts to buy with confidence whether bidding directly or buying through a merchant channel like Bordeaux Index.
Scores at the doors…
AA Badenhorst Family Wines ‘Out Of The Strong Comes Forth Freshness’ Carignan 2024 – 93+/100
The Saldanha Wine & Spirit Co. Saldanha Pale Dry SEA, SALT, SAND AND WIND N.V. – 95/100
Ataraxia ‘Sympathy For The Pinot’ Pinot Noir 2024 – 94/100
La Croizille is a wonderfully situated Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé Chateau that was acquired by the Belgian De Schepper – De Mour family in 1996 and whose wines are sold mostly in the Benelux. The 5 hectares of vines belonging to the Château benefit from the same remarkable soils, on the borders of the clay-limestone plateau of Saint-Emilion in the commune of Saint-Laurent des Combes, as famous chateaux such as Tetre Roteboeuf, Rocheyron and Troplong Mondot.
After 1996, the De Schepper family commenced on a large investment spree, bringing the estate into the modern winemaking era, combining its sought-after terroir with high-end technology and traditional know-how to create a wine with great opulence, finesse, modernity, and personality under the watchful eye of highly respected head winemaker and technical director, Jean-Michel Garcion.
Technical Director Jean Michel Garcion
I have been following their wines since I was introduced to the chateau in 2014 when I travelled to Bordeaux to run the 30th Bordeaux Marathon, and I can confirm that all the hard work and focus applied by Jean Michel and his team has paid off handsomely with both Chateau La Croizille and the neighbouring property, Chateau Tour Baladoz, also owned by the De Schepper family, being upgraded from Saint Emilion Grand Cru status up to the Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé classification commencing with the 2022 vintage. A hard earned and well-deserved recognition of the continuity of excellence at these two high quality Chateaux.
The Chateau La Croizille on the limestone cote.
So to celebrate this momentous reclassification, I have updated my vertical tasting notes for La Croizille to include not only all the bottles I retasted at the Chateau in September 2023, but also fittingly, to include the latest 2023 Grand Cru Classé vintage release that will be bottled next year. These are wines to seek out, drink and add to your cellar collection while they still offer excellent value for money in the context of the region’s premium Saint Emilion reds.
Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2007, 13% Abv.
The vineyards on the clay-limestone plateau yielded a spectacularly good offering in 2007. Notes of polished mahogany, earth, tannery leather, cherry kirsch liqueur and black current rise out of the glass. Wonderful berry concentration, elegance and subtle evolution are hallmarks on this expertly crafted wine. It will be hard not to finish the bottle once you open this beauty. Drink now to 2030+.
Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2010, 13% Abv.
From this epic vintage, notes of polished mahogany, boot polish, black cherry kirsch liquer and black current confit rise imperiously out of the glass. Wonderful concentration, elegance and freshness are all wrapped together with a most expertly integrated lick of new French oak. This is everything you would want from an iconic vintage and a real testament to winemaker Jean-Michel’s true skills. Drink now to 2035+. (Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted December 2017.
A blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, like the 2012, this is another impressive vintage showing fabulous depth and complexity with time in the glass albeit from one of the greatest ever vintages bestowed upon Bordeaux! Dense, dark and opaque in the glass, the aromatics boast exotic notes of cherry kirsch liquor, molasses, demerara sugar and black plum. This is, as expected, a very complex, sophisticated expression, with ripeness and plenty of dry extract, chalky mineral tannins and great underlying power whilst retaining a seductive, spicy, seductive finesse. You’d really want to have some of this in your cellar.
Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2011, 13% Abv.
The 2011 shows attractive floral perfume aromatics, polished oak, cherry confit, cherry liquer and saline black current leaf intensity. Superb concentration, sleek textured elegance and freshness and a smattering of the most attractive French oak vanilla spice notes. A noble and impressive follow up to the 2010 and a wine that will happily grace the tables of the most discerning connoisseurs. Drink now to 2029+.
Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2012, 13% Abv.
A dark cherry black opaque colour greets the drinker. Initially, the nose is broody and closed. But a little glass swirling and coaxing starts to elicit some of the more classical elements of the bouquet… black berry, black cherry pith, cassis, dusty limestone minerality, hints of graphite and a gloss of buttered brown toast. The oaking is almost imperceptible, revealing a very restrained and quite classical expression from this “drinking” Bordeaux vintage. The palate has all the sleekness, suppleness, and accessibility that you’d expect from a 2012. A soft fine-grained texture with polished powdery tannins, chalky grip and spicy, plummy, peppery black cherry and black berry fruit. It’s all packed into a very classical, medium bodied parcel, that delivers pleasure now but also suggest it is structured enough to be holding back a few surprises in reserve for drinkers in 5 to 8 years’ time. (Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted December 2017.
Another great vintage from the Chateau, this 2012 shows seductive aromatics of damson plum, juniper and black cherry with hints of liquorice and melted tar. The palate offers the friendly face of generous, opulent, succulent Merlot while retaining a tight knit textural elegance and focus. With just a hint of nutty, savoury tertiary development on the finish, this is undoubtedly a wine that is standing the test of time and defying its age. Great to drink now but certainly no rush.
Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2014, 13% Abv.
This wine is ripe and rich with beautifully plush classical right bank allure and a soft textured, elegant cassis pastille fruit concentration. A complex wine already in its youth, the layers of mocha, cocoa powder spice and sweet damson plum coat the tongue and thrill the palate. This wine has real depth of fruit, vibrant freshness, and superb length. A class act from some of the best terroir in St Emilion.
Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2015, 13% Abv.
The neighbour of Francois Mitjavile’s Chateau Tertre Roteboeuf, La Croizille is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. True to the vintage, this wine has a spectacularly profound quality, and indeed the 2015 La Croizille could be among their greatest ever vintages produced. Certainly on par with the epic 2005, 2009 and 2010, the 2015 has a nose that is seductively perfumed, lifted out of the ordinary by cherry blossoms and an exotic undertone of cherry kirsch liqueur. The caramelized oak notes tease like sprinkles on a chocolate cake! The palate too is dark, dense, powerful, and packed full of opulent exotic flavours of Chinese plum sauce, tart cherry confit, sweet cassis and vanilla pod spice. The balance is exceptional, spreading broad and wide across the palate. This is right bank Bordeaux at its seductive, classical best. Plump yet fresh, dense, sweet fruited and gravelly, yet never losing focus. Oh, and the finish goes on and on like a Duracell bunny! What an impressive wine. (Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted December 2017.
From another warm ripe harvest, 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon blend shows impressive classicism and restraint with dark broody notes of juniper and ripe sloe berries, black cherry, and cassis with a pronounced maritime, kelpy salinity. The palate is generously soft textured and elegant, supremely supple yet fresh, showing that this wine is in a very happy place at the moment. Slightly reined in again on the finish, it’s an impressive creation that will appeal to a broad church of Bordeaux lovers.
Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2016, 14% Abv.
The 2016 Château La Croizille has a dense, opulent profuse blueberry fruited nose, high-toned and showy, with all the mineral limestone complexity of its prestigious neighbours such as Tertre Roteboeuf, Troplong Mondot and Rocheyron. The palate is showing some elegant restraint and class with sweet ripe tannins, surly brambly red and black fruits, and an earthy, foresty, rather masculine, slightly introspective finish. So seductive and noble, this wine speaks of great St Emilion terroir with very intelligent winemaking. A superb effort. (Wine Safari Score: 93-95/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasting of barrel sample at En-primeur April 2017.
This is of course a great vintage and on great terroir, iconic wines are produced. This 2016 speaks with a quiet confidence, fabulously focused and intense. On the nose there is a clearly defined purity, clarity, and precision that combines ripeness and restraint, fruit intensity and minerality. A superbly precise wine with pinpoint tannins, a silky finesse, pithy black currant, and black cherry fruits framed by a smoky, chalky mineral tannin veil on the finish. Very impressive indeed.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted in bottle September 2023.
Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2018, 14.5% Abv.
Wonderfully complex aromatics of stewed black cherries, black orchard fruit compote, with hints of liquorice, wood smoke and graphite. The palate is opulent and densely fruited with a pronounced air of ripeness, warmth and sweet fruit, impressively layered in the mouth. On the finish, the flamboyance is reined in, retaining a seamlessly creamy texture but without and obtrusive sweetness. Drink now to 2035+.
Chateau La Croizille 2019 Saint Emilion Grand Cru (Barrel Sample)
Plush, broadly aromatic but beautifully soft toned with dulcet notes pink musk, purple rock candy and black currant with a fabulously generous glycerol concentration, harmonious breadth and depth and a subtle, vanilla dusted, brûléed blueberry muffin finish. Delicious expression. Power with elegance.
Chateau La Croizille 2020, Saint Emilion Grand Cru, 14.5% Abv.
The 2020 vintage comes from another warm ripe solar harvest year, and this wine shows impressive depth and breadth of texture, with dark broody notes of cherry kirsch liquor, juniper and ripe sloe berries, rose petals, black cherries, blueberries, and black currant with a signature limestone maritime salinity. The palate is generously soft textured, broad but elegant, supremely supple yet impressively fresh with exotic layers of black currant and salty black liquorice. A remarkably elegant, pure and accessible expression with real gravitas that shows a true sense of Saint Emilion limestone terroir. Drink now to 2035+.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Chateau La Croizille 2021, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe, 13.5% Abv.
A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Bordeaux vintage has been pulled up by some critics for producing wines on the left bank offering lighter, more elegant accessible wines, many patently for earlier drinking. But on the right bank, and especially on top of the limestone Côte in Saint Emilion, some exceptional expressions were produced. With illustrious neighbours Troplong Mondot and Le Tertre Roteboeuf making noteworthy wines, La Croizille joins the party with another seriously delicious wine, the last vintage produced before being reclassified as an illustrious Grand Cru Classé. Dark and opaque in the glass, the rim is vibrant and bright, with aromatics packed with black plums, earthy black currants and macerated black cherries, intermingling with floral hints of violets, lilac, sweet Asian spices, vanilla pod and hoisin plum sauce. The texture is fabulously luxurious and sleek, medium bodied and beautifully polished with soft silky sumptuous tannins underpinned by well-integrated tangy acids. This is a majestic Saint Emilion that offers an abundance of finesse, elegance, and accessible class in keeping with a finer boned, classical vintage. Many consumers, however, will look at the 2021s as a welcomed return to greater vintage restraint and classism. Drink now and over the next 15+ years.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Chateau La Croizille 2023, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé (Barrel Sample)
Rich, dark and broody with aromatics of purple rock candy, violets, creme de cassis and black cherry confit. The palate is bold and dense, packed full of fleshy, textured fruit extract, dry velvety tannins, and tangy acids, all intelligently coaxed and caressed into a seriously powerful right bank expression that immediately shows its terroir pedigree.
Chateau La Croizille 2024, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, 14.5% Abv. (Barrel Sample)
A beautifully dark, dense, and seductively opaque in the glass, this 2024 Saint Emilion reveals a deep black berry fruited aromatic underbelly with notes of violets, sweet cigar box, cedar spice, graphite, and blueberry compote with a subtle dusting of vanilla pod oak spice. Notably restrained on the nose, the palate shifts into a higher gear to reveal a plush, silky, harmonious palate with soft supple tannins, seamlessly integrated acids, and soft-toned black and blueberry fruits in the mouth. The extraction has been incredibly gentle, coaxing only the purest and finest characters from this reduced grape harvest. This is undoubtedly a phoenix rising from the ashes of the 2024 vintage weather chaos. A truly standout, classically restrained expression from Saint Emilion’s limestone cote.
The Van Biljon boutique winery owned by Anton and Julia Van Biljon lies on a small farm situated in the Polkadraai Hills ward of the Stellenbosch region, neighbouring other highly esteemed producers such as Reyneke Wines, Raats Family Wines and De Toren Private Cellar. The region is well known for its deep, fertile and well drained decomposed granite soils and the moderating cool sea breezes that blow in off False Bay, lying directly to the South of the winery. Meticulous viticultural practices yield pristine grapes with intense colour, concentrated fruit flavours and firm structured tannins.
The wines have been produced by Bordeaux Blend specialist winemaker Chris Keet since 2011 and during my recent trip to the Cape, I popped in to taste and was treated to a rare bottle of the maiden vintage alongside the current release 2019. Also, knowing my intense fascination with the atypical, cool, 2021 vintage conditions, I managed to persuade Anton van Biljon to dig a bottle out of storage to let me get a sneak peek at what could be Chris’s most accomplished Van Biljon Cinq cuvee to date. With plenty of chatter on the wines of Stellenbosch and specifically the stand apart premium styling of Polkadraai Hills wines in particular, I perhaps made a sturdy case for Van Biljon to include this designation on their front or back label in future, as all five components of fruit are only sourced strictly from the Polkadraai Hills Ward.
With Chris Keet at the winery in July 2025.
As one of the few “single wine wineries” in the Cape, Van Biljon’s Cinq cuvee is definitely a wine classical Bordeaux lovers should seek out. Aside from its affordable pricing under £50 per bottle, the wine must also have one of the most consistent scoring track records in Stellenbosch, with the Cinq blend usually cracking the magical 95 point mark time and time again.
Van Biljon Cinq 2011 Cape Bordeaux Blend, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.
The maiden 2011 Cinq is a blend of majority Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with supporting components of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The wine is incredibly pure and spicy with a mineral integrity, showing layers of dried herbs, thyme, mint leaf, and wet stone minerality over black berries, black cherry and black plum notes. The palate is unbelievably energetic and fresh, vibrant and supremely classy, ageing incredibly well from a vintage that was taut, linear and possibly slightly understated on release. Still showing impressive palate depth, power and stony mineral graphite tannins that are maturing and resolving beautifully, coming together to make a very impressive blend. Drink now to 2030+.
(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Van Biljon Cinq 2019 Cape Bordeaux Blend, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.
The 2019 is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec. 2019 was a more mixed vintage, cooler than 2018 but quite a muscular vintage making picking dates and extraction timings very important. There is incredible power and broody depth with aromatics full of black berry fruits, damson plums, black currant, white pepper and delicate bay leaf and sage herbal spice notes. The palate is fabulously polished, piercing and structured with a stony tannin frame, classical styling, and a finish kissed with mint leaf and chocolate peppermint crisp nuances. Really majestically power packed, compact and distinguished! Drink now to 2034+.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The micro Van Biljon Cinq production in the cellar.
Van Biljon Cinq 2021 Cape Bordeaux Blend, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.
On the eve of the Van Biljon Cinq 2020 release, I sat down with winemaker Chris Keet and persuaded him to allow me to also taste a very early pre-release sample of the 2021 Cinq blend. In keeping with this cooler, slower ripening year, the aromatics show a delicately fragrant perfume of violets and rose petals, sweet cedar, black cherry, saline creme de cassis and a pronounced undertone of graphite and granitic minerality. The oaking is already very well integrated allowing the cool, taut, linear black berry fruits to shine through on the palate. Delicately stony, this 2021 shows all the classical restraint and structure you’d expect from this cooler, slower ripening vintage, with a sinewy mid-palate tension and a tightly wound weightless concentration that seems certain to flesh out further ahead of its official release in perhaps 2026 or 2027. The Cinq 2021 is a wonderful representation of this unique Polkadraai Hills Stellenbosch vintage and definitely one to watch out for in future. I look forward to tasting this wine again on its official release.
(Wine Safari Score: 94-96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Van Biljon wines are imported into the UK by Woodwinters. Contact: andrew@woodwinters.com
Domaine Parent has long been a leading producer of premium wines in Burgundy. With a history going back many generations, Etienne Parent was rumoured to have sold wine to Thomas Jefferson back in 1787. Moving to the modern era, Domaine Parent is recognised as one of the first growers to sell their production in bottle rather than in bulk. Now run by 12th generation custodian Anne Parent, the domaine continues to produce some of the most eye-catching wines in Burgundy and specifically in Pommard.
Anne Parent has also been a trailblazer in biodynamics and a real force for strict vineyard management. Hence, the domaine has managed to stay very much at the top of the tree in the jostling for position in the village hierarchy. Her supreme confidence has led to the wines having an assertiveness, yet a true Burgundian opulence that is hard to resist. The wines are silky and plush – you really can finish a bottle with ease. From the everyday Bourgogne Pinot Noir to the mesmerising Crus of Pommard, all are hand-crafted with care and attention to detail.
The Parent label is instantly recognisable throughout the upper quality echelons of Burgundy, and the family is rightly proud of their hard-earned global reputation. In a competitive fine wine world where so many domaines have taken their eye off the ball, Anne has kept her love of the vineyard, her family history and future very much close to her. Part of this long-term planning has seen Anne bring her niece Constance Fages-Parent into the running and marketing of the domaine’s wines as preparations are slowly put in place for the next chapter in the history of this famous Burgundy winery.
Constance and Anne Parent
I recently travelled to see Anne and Constance in Burgundy to taste a selection of the newly released 2023 wines. Speaking to Anne about the new releases, she confirmed… “2023 was a generous vintage with great quality at the domaine. Perhaps not quite the gravitas of the exceptional 2022 vintage, but the wines are marked with beautiful fruit purity and opulence with accessibility.”
Tasting the 2023 wines with owner Anne Parent
The 2023 growing season brought both challenges and rewards: after a cool, rainy July, a late heatwave in August and early September ensured optimal ripeness. Harvest began in mid-September, with yields around 46–48 hl/ha and moderate alcohol levels (12.5–13.2%). Vinification was deliberately gentle, with reduced punching down and delicate extraction, restrained use of new oak, and a focus on preserving fruit purity above all.
Burgundy 2023 En-primeur Notes:
Domaine Anne Parent Monthelie Blanc 2023
Made from an AOC that is primarily 90% red / 10% white, this 2023 was picked early to retain acidity and vinified with 35% new French oak. The wine shows complex aromatics with leesy biscuit notes, a supple fleshy breadth with savoury waxy lemons and a white toast and oatmeal complexity on the finish. Really delicious. Drink from 2026 to 2034.
(Wine Safari Score: 91-92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Domaine Anne Parent Corton Grand Cru 2023
100% new French oak used with no batonnage. Incredibly taut, mineral and stony with limestone and struck flint over zesty lemon and lime fruits, tart green apple and a beautifully supple, fleshy breadth with well-integrated acids and a pronounced fruit concentration on the finish. Understated power hiding under the minerality and terroir veil. Drink from 2026 to 2036.
(Wine Safari Score: 93-94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Domaine Anne Parent Bourgogne Cote d’Or 2023
All fruit was destemmed and aged in older oak. Very intense perfumed aromatics bursting with life, boasting sweet violets, rose petals and luscious layers of raspberry and black cherry. The palate shows a fine textural breadth and equilibrium, finely balancing forest berry fruits, strawberry compote and cool, creamy mineral tannins. A truly classy Bourgogne. Drink from 2026 to 2032.
(Wine Safari Score: 90-91+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Domaine Anne Parent Bourgogne Selection Pomone 2023
100% destemmed fruit with slightly longer maceration on skins in larger 600 litre barrels. The resulting wine reveals deeper and darker aromatics laced with black cherry, damson plum and exotic cherry kirsch liquor notes. Beautifully dense and creamy texture with extra depth and opulence, plushness and mouth coating concentration. Lovely intricacy and complexity in an accessible style. Drink from 2026 to 2034+.
(Wine Safari Score: 91-92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Domaine Anne Parent Ladoix 2023
The aromatics show a beautiful melange of red and black berry fruits with intricate notes of dried herbs, potpourri and rose petals, gun-smoke and limestone minerality. Broad and beautifully dark fruited on the palate with a creamy black cherry compote concentration, plush fleshy tannins and a broad, comforting, reassuring power. Ladoix over performs once again. Drink from 2026 to 2036.
(Wine Safari Score: 91-92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Domaine Anne Parent Pommard 1er Cru Les Chaponnieres 2023
From Pinot Noir grown on brown and red clay soils that offers a more generous expression. Dark and alluring aromatics of black cherry, kirsch liquor and damson plum with an exotic sloe berry hint. The palate shows a beautiful creamy breadth and understated power with an impressive depth, powdery tannins and tangy freshness. Understated power combined with a little Pommard intrigue and intensity. Drink from 2026 to 2036+.
(Wine Safari Score: 92-93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Domaine Anne Parent Pommard 1er Cru Les Epenots 2023
40% whole bunch used with 50% new French oak from fruit grown on a lighter, finer grain of clay soils without much depth. Yields a fabulously fragrant expression bursting with life, packed full of perfumed violets, creme de cassis, black cherry and blueberry compote. The chalky candied pink musk nuances make this an incredible complex and compelling offering with seamless limestone tannins and a fantastic intense finish. A truly elegant Pommard classic. Drink from 2026 to 2036+.
(Wine Safari Score: 93-94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Domaine Anne Parent Corton Grand Cru Les Renardes 2023
From Pinot Noir grown on deep limestone soils on the hill of Corton, just above Les Bressandes. The wine is rich and expressive, full of ripe brûléed fruits, black cherries and a bramble berry savoury depth. Sleek and supple in the mouth, there is a polished accessibility, light touch elegance, bright racy acids and a long, distinguished, concentrated finish. Very classy indeed. Drink from 2026 to 2036+.
(Wine Safari Score: 93-95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Domaine Anne Parent wines are imported into the UK by Musigny Wines. The 2023 En-primeur releases are currently being offered in September 2025 by Musigny Wines. Email andrew@musigny.wine to request a 2023 EP offer and discuss an allocation.
The Glenelly Estate is a beautiful winery buried in a little corner of the Idas Valley in Stellenbosch. The property was famously bought in 2003 by Madame May de Lencquesaing of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande fame in Pauillac, Bordeaux, with a vision to transform the property into one of the preeminent fine wine producers in Stellenbosch. With vineyards planted on near virgin granitic rich soils, Glenelly Estate had the opportunity to map out a varietal path that completely suited the style of wines they were looking to make.
With May Lencquesaing celebrating her 100 birthday in 2025, I thought it would be a good time to pay another visit to the winery. With previous cellar master Luke O’Cuinneagain now settled in at Vergelegen Estate in the Helderberg after taking over from a retiring Andre van Rensberg, the mantle was passed to the talented winemaker Dirk van Zyl to pick up where Luke left off and take the Glenelly Estate into a new decade of premium wine production. Along with the below Lady May mini-vertical, Dirk also kindly let me taste through multiple barrels of the phenomenal quality 2025 vintage to plant the seed for the exciting wines to come.
Glenelly Estate Lady May Vertical: 2017 to 2021
Glenelly Estate Lady May 2017, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.
A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. The aromatics are incredibly pure and precise with finely integrated notes of herbal spice, graphite, black currant and hints of chocolate and spearmint complexity. The palate is tight and restrained, silky, focused and very tight grained, with incredible fruit concentration, a light touch mineral intensity and a notable harmony. An incredibly accomplished wine still in its shell, that’s hardly evolved in the past two years. One for the cellar!
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Tasting with Dirk van Zyl, Glenelly head winemaker and cellar master.
Glenelly Estate Lady May 2018, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.
“Simply the true essence of Bordeaux in a glass…”
A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Merlot. Incredibly restrained aromatics with intense notes of graphite, cedar spice, delicate black currant, sweet black cherry, creme de cassis complexity. So incredibly fine grained texture, pin point focus with a fantastic mineral vein. Fabulous velvety tannins but held in place by a bright steely framing acidity. This is probably one of the most accomplished reds produced in the entire 2018 vintage.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Glenelly barrel maturation cellar.
Glenelly Estate Lady May 2019, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.
A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. This shows a more classical Stellenbosch feel with layers of black currant fruits, black fruit, tilled earth, sweet tannery leather and black tea. The palate is sleek, cool, focused, quite muscular but steely and stony, with a notable underlying power and intensity but with polished corners, a creamy velvety chalky tannin grip and a well integrated acid freshness. Tangy and bright on the finish, this is a beautifully focused wine that just needs a few more years in the cellar.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Glenelly Estate Lady May 2020, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.
A blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. From a relatively warm early vintage yielding ripe, accessible, forward wines that many winemakers feel has been forgotten as the covid year. An intricate wine that offers accessibility with structure, allowing the wine to age for many years. The aromatics are intense and fresh, loaded with creme de cassis, black cherry and blueberry hints, with dried mint leaves, baking herbs, and curry leaf spice complexity. The elegance is very clear and apparent, the silky finesse and accessibility complimented by effortless tannins. This should be good to drink on release but comfortably age worthy for 15-20+ years. (32,000 bottles produced.)
(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Glenelly Estate Lady May 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.
A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Dense dark and opaque in the glass with incredibly potent and pure fruited aromatics of creme de cassis, saline black currant, cherry tobacco, grilled herbs and subtle vanilla pod spice nuances. The palate embraces power and density showing fine chalky tannins, a real black and blue fruited intensity with just the most classically restrained, harmonious and elegant finish. This is a phenomenal red wine that registers quality wise in the highest of echelons of Cape Bordeaux Blends.
(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Tasting the 2025 vintage barrels with cellar master Dirk van Zyl.
Six months on gross lees in stainless steel tank. Shows lovely clarity and purity, earthy waxy citrus, hints of lime peel, peach and grapefruit pulp. Delicious crystalline expression.
(Wine Safari Score: 91+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Glenelly Estate Chardonnay Reserve 2022, WO Stellenbosch, 12.5% Abv.
A portion of the wines was settled in tank but a portion went straight into barrel. 22% new French oak, on the lees in barrel for 10 months. 18% underwent malolactic fermentation. Shows a classy creamy lemon butter character, complex green herbs, fresh fennel, yellow grapefruit and tangy lemon cordial nuances. Very impressive purity and poise with a delightful kiss of passion fruit on the finish. Very nice.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Fermentation cellar at Glenelly
Glenelly Estate Chardonnay Reserve 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 13.1% Abv.
Six months in barrel of which 12% was new oak. Bottled beginning 2024. Aromaticly lifted with green dried baking herbs, sapidity and hints of white peach. The wine shows a fine texture and a light weight buttery citrus fruit character, with plenty of elegance and a long subtle finish. Fine boned but very classy.
(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Glenelly Estate Le Rose de May Rose 2025, WO Stellenbosch, 12.5% Abv.
Delightfully sappy and fragrant showing strawberry fruit notes with hints of red currant and red cherry fruits. The Syrah lends a linearity, focus and purity with a cool, polish finished. Lovely freshness and a finessed accessibility. Top drawer Rose.
(Wine Safari Score: 91/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The 2021 Lady May will be released in May 2026. The Glenelly wines are imported into the UK and distributed to trade by Seckford Agencies. Contact: pippa@seckfordagencies.co.uk
