2021

Chateau Pontet Canet Four Vintage Vertical Unpicked – Comparing and Contrasting Their 2020 to 2023 Releases…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

In the early 18th century, the north of the Médoc peninsular offered exciting investment opportunities for the high society of the time, and Jean-François de Pontet figured prominently among the aristocrats of the day and among the high-ranking magistrates that shaped the vast horizons of the new Médoc vineyards. The Pontet-Canet vineyard, located in the commune of Pauillac right next door to famous neighbour Chateau Mouton Rothschild, covers 81 hectares (200 acres). It is made up of around one hundred plots and 800,000 vines looking out over the Gironde estuary. At the heart of the Pontet-Canet terroir known as the “plateau”, a gentle broad outcrop of Garonne gravel soil dating from the Günz era that sits on a bedrock of limestone – prime terroir for producing elegant yet robust Bordeaux reds.

Pontet Canet is located on prime Pauillac terroir next to some illustrious neighbours.

At Pontet Canet their biodynamic approach has, in the Tesseron’s view – the current owners – brought a new dimension to their wines. It has given them “greater depth while producing more precise and silky tannins. The length of flavour on the palate has also gained in minerality. Our wines are purer and more vibrant.”

So, as one of the top cult Cru Classe wines of the moment, I thought I’d compare and contrast four current vintages customers might be tempted to buy.

Vintage Highlights:

2020 Vintage

The winter was mild, continuing into spring, which was also very wet. There was dry and warm weather for the early flowering in the second half of May. This was followed by very warm and, importantly, arid conditions from 18th June to 11th August. There were then heavy, rapid thunderstorms, often overnight, which dropped huge volumes of water on the Left Bank, but less on the Right Bank. Harvest was dry and very warm, with only intermittent rain after 20th September. From early October, it turned very wet again. Now firmly remembered as an “années solaires.”

2021 Vintage

Bordeaux 2021 will be remembered as an extremely mixed vintage. The challenges faced by producers were very localised and much depended on each individual vigneron’s decisions at key moments. These challenges were: a warm spring; a very rainy spring and early summer; mildew; a cool July and early August; hail; rain in September; and, finally, rot. Yet, despite this litany of problems, many producers were much more positive than they had dared hope during the season. Of course, 2021 is not a warm and sunny (or hot) vintage in the vein of 2018, 2019 and 2020. The harvest was only possible towards the end of September and into October for the Cabernet Sauvignon. But the best wines seem to have captured a natural and classic freshness, elegance, and weightless finesse – for some palates, a welcome contrast to the power of the preceding years. However, the wines were probably still over priced at En-primeur.

2022 Vintage

The word was out early that the Bordelais felt they had something special in 2022, long before the world’s wine merchants arrived to make their own assessments at En-primeur. Heatwaves and drought are not usually parents to high-quality wines. However, the wines in barrel confounded merchants’ expectations, with most agreeing that the 2022 vintage was indeed a special one across Bordeaux. Despite the lack of water, the vines did not seem to suffer terribly, remaining in leaf and in good health right up to the harvest. The berries were small and so yields were restricted. All varieties were beautifully ripe, so much so that some properties felt no need to produce any second wines, many opting rather to increase the proportion of press wine in the final blend, such was its quality. Predictably, release prices were very high!

2023 Vintage

In Bordeaux as in many top wine producing regions of the world, it’s a recurring curse to be the vintage that follows a truly exceptional year like 2022. Consider 2001 and how it was overshadowed by 2000; or 2006 by 2005; or more recently, 2021 by 2020. Overlooked they may have been, but these vintages have since proven themselves to offer years of joyful drinking. It would be a great shame if 2023 sat undiscovered in the shadow of the superb 2022s, with early tastings at various top châteaux revealing it to be indeed a delightful, opulent, fruit laden vintage. While the vintage doesn’t quite have the density and power of the 2022’s, there are many examples of superb Cabernet Sauvignon on the Left Bank and wonderful Merlot, particularly from St Emilion’s limestone. The wines have purity and transparency, beautiful freshness, and a charming immediacy with more intensity than the 2021’s. Prices were more modest but were of course coming down from previous highs in 2022, which somewhat mitigated the markets enthusiasm to buy this charming vintage.

Chateau Pontet Canet 2020, Pauillac, 13.5% Abv.

Dense dark and plush, packed full of blue and black berry fruits, hints of cherry kirsch liquor and brown breakfast toast on the nose. Texture is plush and creamy, with a medium weight and a fine-grained tannin, finishing with a melange of black berry fruits, vanilla spice and delicate soft acids. Undoubtedly rich, opulent and ripe without being hedonistic. Drink now to 2040+.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Pontet Canet 2021, Pauillac, 13% Abv.

A much tighter broodier aromatics with graphite and iodine, pithy black cherry and saline creme de cassis and a dusting of Pauillac gravel minerality. The texture is light, silky and delicate with dry sultry tannins and a very elegant, stony, black fruited finish with a kiss of cedar spice. Light touch, polished but still very seductive. Drink now until 2036+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Pontet Canet 2022, Pauillac, 14.5% Abv.

From 2022 in a new bespoke branded lighter bottle that still looks the part. The nose shows plush blueberry crumble, black plum and black cherry confit with a kiss of vanilla pod spice. Sweet fruited with a fine powdery chalky tannin texture, the concentration is notable, the finish long, dry and mouth coating but certainly lacking no freshness. This is undoubtably a very impressive wine but priced accordingly! Drink now to 2045+.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Pontet Canet 2023, Pauillac, 13.5% Abv. (Barrel Sample)

A budding fresh barrel sample, interestingly, this bottle is a little further on its journey from examples tasted at En-primeur week. The fruits are dense and ripe, the aromatics unctuous, beautifully layered with black berry compote, salted caramel, warm blueberry crumble and hints of mocha and warm brown toast. The savoury, brûléed hint follows to the plush, dense, opulent palate that shows fine grained tannins, a weightless concentration and a pinpoint fine tannin structure. A bold, ripe Pauillac style expressing the opulence and hedonist nature of the 2023 vintage. Drink now to 2045+.

(Wine Safari Score: 94-96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Capensis – The South African Chardonnay Specialist Redefining Premium Quality Chardonnay in South Africa…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Capensis, meaning “from the Cape,” is a relatively new prestige winery in the Cape that has emerged as a quality leader in bringing South Africa back to the forefront of world-class Chardonnay production. South Africa’s Western Cape can be called both the oldest wine region of the New World and the newest wine region of the Old World and Capensis skilfully combines these two facets — the oldest and the newest — of Western Cape winemaking. It embodies the unparalleled quality that comes from old vines planted in some of the oldest soils in the world, and it represents the young energy of a new generation of winemakers focused on making world-class wines with the help of state-of-the-art techniques.

With the end of apartheid in 1994 and the opening of the world export market, South Africa’s remarkable wine-growing potential slowly became better known outside the country. To realize this potential, top viticulturists brought in by the owners, Jackson Family Wines from California, began researching and selecting the best grape varieties for each site’s soils and mesoclimate. In the search for the best Chardonnay sites, the focus of Capensis has been on the Stellenbosch, Overberg, and Robertson regions in the Western Cape. Philosophically, Capensis say they are not limited to these regions – “the only limitation is the quality of the individual vineyard site.”

Capensis Head Winemaker, Graham Weerts

The Capensis Chardonnays are now made at their new South African winery fully owned by Barbara Banke of Jackson Family Wines in USA after South African partner Anthony Beck’s share was recently bought out and is produced from vineyards that were expertly sourced by renowned viticulturalist Rosa Kruger. The wine, since its maiden Capensis vintage in 2013, has always been produced by Graham Weerts, from vineyards located in Stellenbosch, the Overberg, and the Robertson region. Graham was of course based on the West Coast of the USA for many years, commuting back and forth during vintage time, but over our breakfast tasting at the end of 2024, he assured me that he is well and truly settled back in South Africa overseeing all the Capensis winemaking as well as the new Swartland Dalkeith Winery project, who’s new white release and maiden Syrah red release will be reviewed on the Fine Wine Safari in the coming weeks.

The Stellenbosch estate of Fijnbosch sits at 527 metres (1,729 feet) in elevation on clay soils on the high-elevation, steep terrain slopes of the Groot Drakenstein mountains in the Banghoek Valley with fynbos surrounding the vines, contributing to the Chardonnay’s exceptional natural acidity and complexity. The Kaaimansgat vineyards planted on Granitic soils in the Overberg, lie at an elevation of 757 metres (2,484 feet). Impressively remote and resting up in the mountains of the Overberg, the Kaaimansgat vineyards literally translate to “crocodile’s lair” and have long been used in world class examples of Chardonnay by producers such as Bouchard Finlayson and Leeu Passant.

Situated at 174 metres or 571 feet in elevation, rooted in blistered limestone soil, the 16 rows of vines in the E. Bruwer vineyard in Robertson produce grapes that contribute a rich texture to the Capensis Chardonnay, with abundant notes of peach and other yellow orchard fruits. The vines are trained in a method typically referred to as single cordon sprawl, which suits the site, which was primarily planted to Chardonnay Clone 95. Select additional vineyards located in the Helderberg and the Klein Karoo make up the total grape material available to Graham Weerts at harvest time.

Capensis Silene Chardonnay 2020, WO Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv. 

Wonderfully floral stone fruits laced with lemon and lime peel, white blossom and grapefruit confit over dusty stony granite. The palate boast fresh citrus fruits, fresh pineapple chunks, grapefruit preserve and delicate biscuit leesy notes on the finish. Super elegant, mouth watering and deliciously fresh, pure and precise. 

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Capensis Silene Chardonnay 2022, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv. 

Sourced predominantly from younger own vineyard Banghoek Valley grapes. Vinified with the same philosophy as Capensis, fermented in oak, a small portion of 25-28% new oak with maturation for closer to 11 months on full gross lees. The aromatics are pure and bright, laced with lemon and lime cordial, dried herbs, lemon grass and a pithy grapefruit hint. Beautiful breadth and depth on the palate with a bold intensity, fabulous green and yellow citrus fruit concentration finishing with a silky, delicate lacy persistence. Light touch but very classy.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Capensis Chardonnay 2017, WO Western Cape, 14% Abv. 

Another very well made, focused, but incredibly intense expression of Chardonnay that is simply brimming with smoky minerality, lemon and lime confit, crushed granite, green citrus, honeycomb, and vanilla pod spice. Beautiful balance, massive intensity of fruit concentration, and a truly delicious symmetry of acid and bright citrus fruit. Very impressive from a great vintage.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Capensis Chardonnay 2018, WO Western Cape, 14% Abv. 

50%+ Fijnbosch farm fruit in the blend normally. Displays complex aromatics of savoury waxy lemons, pineapple, wet straw, grilled nuts, vanilla pod, lime cordial and a fine, stony vein of minerality. The palate shows a notable intensity of green and yellow citrus fruits, lovely translucent purity and a powerful but energetic length. Youthful, vibrant and very impressive.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Capensis Chardonnay 2021, WO Western Cape, 13.5% Abv. 

Blend of Fijnbosch, Barrydale (Klein Karoo), Robertson and Kaaimansgat fruit. Similar oaking regime with 32-33% new oak and multiple passage barrels. The aromatics show a fabulous lemon blossom and herby, savoury depth with green melon, lemon pastille and a beautifully integrated delicate oak spice that’s almost an afterthought. The texture is world class, polished, sleek, refined and incredibly crystalline and pure. A beautiful expression from a top-class producer.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Capensis Fijnbosch Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2019, WO Western Cape, 13.5% Abv. 

Only three barrels of this maiden vintage Fijnbosch were produced. The aromatics reveal a deliciously attractive tangy, sweet and sour white and yellow citrus fruits that are firmly under-pinned by a seriously taut minerality. But the concentration with beautiful precision on the palate is phenomenal, combining intensity of fruit with harmonious balance and textural elegance. Such class and pedigree on display here that leverages the finest qualities of higher altitude cool climate Chardonnay.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Capensis Fijnbosch Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2020, 14.5% Abv. 

Total 130 x 12 cases made from a blend of all Chardonnay blocks on the Fijnbosch farm. Mostly sold cellar door, this wine showcases the property and its true terroir of Tukulu and Hutton soils with a sandstone overlay. The aromatics show beautiful lemon oil, sweet herbs, waxy Granny Smith apples and grapefruit confit notes with underlying savoury, leesy nuances. Plush, textural, and mouth-wateringly tangy, this wine shows punchy intensity, a piercing depth but also the most seductive, harmonious balance. Wow, what a wine!

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Capensis Wines are imported into the UK by Jackson Family Wines distributor, John E. Fells. The recommended retail prices are:

Capensis ‘Silene’ Chardonnay 2022, Stellenbosch (new vintage UK release) @ GBP £35pb

Capensis Chardonnay 2021, Western Cape (new vintage UK release) @ GBP £95pb

Capensis ‘Fijnbosch’ Chardonnay 2020, Stellenbosch (new vintage UK release) @ GBP £200pb

Holding Up a Spotlight to the Raats Jasper Red Blend in a Vintage 2021-2022 Taste Off….

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

As probably the most consistently highly scored Cape Bordeaux red blends from South Africa, Bruwer Raats has earned a global reputation for excellence with his MR de Compostella Cuvee. A wine that has never scored less than 93/100 points from any global critic since its maiden release in 2004, the more recent vintages have all graduated to a 95+ point spectrum of grandeur as the wines push the boundaries of quality and precision with every new release. 

However, on the odd occasion the MR de Compostella is declassified and not released, most of the component parts are normally blended into Bruwer’s unofficial second wine, the Jasper Red Blend. First created in 2010 when the MR was not produced, the wine proved so popular that it developed a life of its own in the market as a mini-MR for shoppers on a slightly tighter budget. The MR was only declassified a second time in 2019 and the Jasper Red Blend sold out in quick time again as you’d expect. The Jasper has however been produced every year since 2010.

So, with the 2021 vintage now being rated as one of the best quality red wine harvests in a decade or more, I decided to indulge in a little second wine taste-off between the Raats Jasper 2021 and the new current release 2022, both very accomplished wines. With a retail price well under £30 per bottle, this is a wine that over delivers vintage after vintage… which certainly makes it worth seeking out! 

Raats Jasper Red Blend 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

I had the opportunity to taste the impressive Raats Jasper Red Blend several times during Bruwer Raats November tour of the UK to launch the Jasper Big Brother, MR de Compostella 2022. This impressive wine is a blend of 53% Cabernet Franc, 20% Malbec, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, all arrange in a most tight knit, harmonious assemblage. With the 2021 vintage reputation preceding the wine, this expression of Jasper has got to be one of the most eye-catching Cape Bordeaux Blends produced in SA. The fragrant lift from the 53% Cabernet Franc sets the tone for the wine, layered with black currant, sweet cedar, earthy red currant and lead pencil mineral spice. But it’s on the palate that the fireworks really kick off, tight grained and fabulously fresh, with silky sleek tannins, a weightless concentration of red and black berry fruits and a finish so electrically charge with tart bright acids that the sensors blow a fuse. The harmony and balance are simply astounding, combining with approachability, accessibility and a silky, finessed finish. If I was going to introduce a keen novice to the potential of affordable South African red wine classics, this Jasper Red Blend 2021 would be close to the top of my list. Drink now and over the next 10 to 15 years. (17,000 bottles produced.)

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Raats Jasper Red Blend 2022, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

As always, the follow up act to a vintage like 2021 is a pretty daunting affair. But then I realise that Bruwer Raats is the king of pulling rabbits out of the hat, happy to declare high quality wines from off vintages and equally declassify wines from vintages like 2010 and 2019 that were fairly lauded in the Cape winelands. With the 2022 Jasper, a blend of 49% Cabernet Franc, 35% Malbec, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, we encounter an incredibly plush, luscious, approachable red blend brimming with earthy red berry fruits, aromatics of violets and sweet lavender, dried baking herbs and subtle notes of graphite and lead pencil. On the palate, the wine is medium bodied and plush, soft textured but also fleshy, creamy and deliciously accessible boasting toasty notes of black currant, damson plum and sour black cherries. A very compact and complete wine on release, this cuvee might not rise to the heights of the 2021, but in a funny kind of way, consumers desiring instant enjoyment now may actually love the 2022’s creamy opulence more than the bracing acid structure of the 2021. This wine simply gets better and better every vintage. Well done Bruwer!

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Raats Family Wines and MR de Compostella Wines are imported into the UK by Alliance Wines.

Tasting the Iconic Grand Cru 2021 Burgundy Releases from Pierre Millemann Wines…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Pierre Millemann grew up between Anjou and Alsace where his grandparents lived and where he spent all his holidays. His father and grandfather, both wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs, quickly started transmitting their passion to him. Pierre started studying in Paris. During his first internship, he met René Renou, an important figure in the wine industry, soon becoming his mentor. Fascinated by the development of the vine, Pierre understood very quickly that the concept of “terroir” was the key. This is why he went to work in the vineyards and cellars, first in Germany, and then at Chateau Carbonnieux in Pessac-Léognan, and finally at Champagne Charles Heidsieck.

He went back to university to perfect his knowledge, obtaining a Diploma in Oenology and then a National Diploma of Oenology from Dijon. Pierre continued to gain experience, occupying several winemaking positions around France, but it was in the Jura, where he worked as a cellar master, that he met his wife Stephanie, and the mother of his daughter, Charlotte. 

Tasting with Charlotte Millemann

In 2003, thanks to their joint experiences and the very positive results obtained at the estates where they collaborated, Pierre and Stéphanie founded their own oenology consultancy. In constant search for new techniques, Pierre completed his training with a master’s degree in Oenology Research in Dijon, and then started training future oenologists at the University of Burgundy, as a part-time lecturer. The family now works together with the best estates in Burgundy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and the United States, and recently, Charlotte joined the family business and started training with her father.

After nearly two decades of consulting, Pierre started his own eponymous label in 2017, dedicated to making single barrels of the greatest Grand Cru Burgundies. While his portfolio has grown slowly over the years, his iconic Millemann signature wines represent not only incredible rarity but also encapsulate a unique set of winemaking skills that guarantees the utmost quality which is manifest in every single bottle of wine released. The choice of the parcels is made with the greatest of care from specially selected grapes, which Pierre has designed, defined and structured an oenological approach that is the most faithful to the terroir and his own biodynamic principles and winemaking vision.

Pierre Millemann Corton Renardes Grand Cru 2021, 13.5%

Lifted perfumed aromatics with hints of dried herbs, thyme, dried mint leaf and notes of red cherry, raspberry herbal tea and a stony limestone minerality. Incredible tension and frame, the structure is bold and linear with seamless mineral tannins with a warming, spicy undertone of cherry and cranberry purity. Incredible power, elegance and precision. A very substantial expression of Corton Grand Cru.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Pierre Millemann Latricieres-Chambertin Grand Cru 2021, 13% Abv.

This Grand Cru reveals a deep, dense, dark broody nose with a smoky allure and hints of sweet sappy sandalwood, red plum, red currant jelly and spicy red apple with a pronounced mineral limestone foundation. Beautifully tangy and rich fruited with a sweet and sour red plummy depth, incredible tension and focus with polished marble tannins and cool, fresh crystalline acids. Wonderful focus, power and intensity with a substantial depth and frame.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Pierre Millemann Clos de La Roche Grand Cru 2021, 14% Abv. 

A beautifully expressive wine full of perfumed aromatics with hints of violets, rose petals, cherry, black currant and exotic hints of musk. The palate is super polished and seamless, with firm but velvety tannins, creamy black saline fruits and a laser-like precision. Deliciously stony, mineral and classical with a regal black fruited balance and finesse. A truly astonishing wine.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Pierre Millemann Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 2021, 13% Abv. 

A big wine that is now beautifully settled in bottle, exhibiting a dark broody expression with earthy notes of red and black plum, with brûléed hints of black currant compote, warm brown toast and raspberry nuances. Full bodied, there is big power and intensity on the palate with saline blue and black fruits, an energetic invigorating freshness, and a delicately earthy, savoury finish. Impressive concentration and intensity with the trademark Millemann seamless textural precision and focus.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Tasting in Nuits Saint Georges with Charlotte Millemann in November 2023.

Pierre Millemann Chambertin Grand Cru 2021, 13% Abv. 

This Rolls Royce of a wine displays a delicate perfumed nose with subtle earthy hints, pressed violets, blood orange and pomegranate hints over a dusty crushed limestone mineral prominence. The palate shows notes of salinity and black currant earthiness, subtle leafy sappy spice complexity, silky fine-grained tannins and an elegant, sumptuous persistence. Delightfully earthy, intense but also very softly spoken. True class.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Pierre Millemann Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2021, 13.5% Abv. 

A crystalline lemon-yellow colour leads you to a seductive aromatics of lemon oil, lime pith, lemon grass and a delicately smoky struck flint intensity underpinning a sleek, saline intense mouthfeel that shows a keen juxtaposition between minerality and piercing fruit concentration. The texture is silky, fresh and simply dreamy, seductive and incredibly alluring. Such brilliance, invigorating purity with true fine wine classicism.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

(Wines tasted in November 2023 at Pierre Millemann Wines in Nuits Saint Georges and again in bottle in London on the 15th May 2024.)

The Pierre Millemann Wines are imported into the UK exclusively by Musigny.Wine

Contact: Andrew@musigny.wine

An Exceptional De Mour Bordeaux Selection For a New Generation of Bordeaux Drinkers Produced by Winemaking Talent Jean Michel Garcion Reviewed and Rated…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

There are very few moments of the year that are more suited to drinking fine Bordeaux reds than in the chilly winter months and for the past several decades, the big name, big ticket Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux reds from the Medoc have dominated the media column inches with their hundreds of years of history and famous Chateaux names used to seduce consumers. While the wines are often exceptional in quality, their big-ticket pricing when offered En-primeur through negociants have resulted in a large number of consumers being left behind with the wrong messaging. In reality, with the influence of longer and warmer summers in recent years, the true quality of affordable Bordeaux wine has never been better, and that’s before you encounter a winemaking genius like De Mour group winemaker, Jean Michel Garcion.

The De Schepper family now owns five wine estates in Bordeaux as well as the De Mour negociant firm that is tasked with distributing the wines, more often than not, direct to international merchants and retailers. In my experience of tasting and reviewing their wines for the past decade, this is a firm that prides itself on its values, based on human expertise passed down through generations, technical mastery of all stages in the winemaking process, as well as upmarket product ranges developed via exclusive partnerships. All of the family’s estates have obtained ISOO 14001 and HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) certification and Jean Michel’s focus is firmly on maintaining a constantly high quality at all price points.

I recently selected four exciting wines from the De Mour portfolio which are not represented by other Bordeaux negociants, giving De Mour total control over their own pricing, distribution methods, and sales and marketing, offering real tangible benefits to a new generation of Bordeaux consumers. The family purchased their fifth estate in 2004, Chateau Lacombe Cadiot, a handsome Bordeaux Supérieur estate located in Ludon, increasing the total area under vines to 55 hectares. After recently updating the Fine Wine Safari vertical tasting notes on their superb flagship winery, Chateau La Croizille, situated between Chateaux Troplong Mondot and Tertre Roteboeuf, and bordering on their other Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé property, Chateau Tour Baladoz, I thought I would highlight some of the other exceptional wines in their range.

Chateau Tour Baladoz 2021 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, 13.5% Abv.

I first tasted the 2021 Chateau Tour Baladoz at En-primeur time in 2022 as an unfinished barrel sample, and then again as a finished bottled wine, in September 2023 at the winery with winemaker Jean Michel Garcion. Revisiting the wine in September 2024, after another year in bottle, has benefitted the wine immeasurably. A classical right bank blend of 85% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc but with an exotic 5% sprinkling of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Carménère and Malbec, the aromatics reveal a sophisticated wine with an enticing heady perfume of pressed violets, moist tobacco leaf, blue and black berry fruits, gravel and graphite, and a piercing maritime crème de cassis intensity with a distinctive salted toffee and vanilla pod spice kiss from the 70% new French oak used for 15 months of maturation. On the palate, the wine has fleshed out and gained impressive weight since last tasted, coating the mouth with luxurious creamy fine-grained tannins, sweet black currant, black cherry, and mulberry fruits, finishing with a concentrated, hedonistic Merlot opulence. Once again, this wine shows that superior terroir combined with a striking winemaking prowess, can negate difficult vintage conditions. A very classy wine indeed, to drink on release until 2034+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Lacombe Cadiot

The Chateau Lacombe Cadiot 2020 is another impressive Bordeaux Supérieur made by Jean Michel Garcion and is sourced from a 15-hectare vineyard bringing together a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot from vines that are on average 25 years old and grown on classic loam and clay soils in Ludon-Médoc, just down the road from the famous Chateau Cantemerle Cru Classé Haut Medoc estate. The wine was matured for 12 months after fermentation, 60% in oak barrels including 25% new oak, and the remainder was aged in vats. This is certainly a wine with a pedigree, with the previous 2019 vintage scoring 97/100 in the Decanter World Wine Awards blind tastings as well as an admirable ‘sighted’ 94/100 on A Fine Wine Safari.

Chateau Lacombe Cadiot 2020, AOC Bordeaux Supérieur, 14% Abv.

This is a striking wine that displays a dense, dark, opaque purple black colour in the glass. On the nose, this succulent Merlot laden blend offers up rich aromatics of perfumed violets, lilac, bay leaf spice, sweet blackberries, salted black liquorice and black cherry before notes of ripe black plums and freshly baked blueberry crumble. Medium to full bodied in the mouth, the palate revels in the creamy plushness and ample ripeness of the 2020 vintage, framed by a lively, accessible core of black currant fruits, black raspberries, and a sappy cinnamon spice on the finish. The tannins are sweet and rounded yet ever present, charming, and generous, adding a delicate frame to the expressive fruit concentration. A delightfully well-proportioned wine that showcases Jean Michel’s masterful winemaking experience that has, for a large part, been fine-tuned over many vintages in Saint-Emilion and Pomerol. Hence, the right bank similarities with this Médoc expression are no coincidence. Drink on release and over the next 5 to 8+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Nativus 2019, AOC Bordeaux, 15.5% Abv. 

This 100% Merlot red boasts a rich, heady aromatics packed with lilac, Parma violets, savoury black currants, tobacco leaf, black breakfast tea, pink musk and hints of warm blueberry crumble. There are overt notions of rich sweet oak which is incredibly well integrated into the fabric of the wine, balanced by the plush, opulent black plum and black cherry fruit concentration. Full, broad, and fleshy, the mouthfeel is comfortingly dense and creamy, revealing sweet ripe tannins and a soft caressing low acid elegance. A powerful Bordeaux red expression that offers a plush, hedonistic fruit gravitas over structured minerality and classicism. Enjoy with a nice chunk of cote de boeuf for the full fireworks! From 2024 to 2030+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Lady de Mour 2022, AOC Margaux, 12.5% Abv.

The 2022 Lady de Mour is produced from premium grapes grown in Arsac in the Margaux appellation on gravelly sand and gravel clay soils. The vines are on average 22+ years of age and planted to mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. In the 2022 cuvee, the blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot that is aged for between 12 to 18 months in French oak barriques with normally a 30% new oak portion. The high-density plantings at 10,000 vines per hectare yield a wine that that is beautifully intense, floral, and perfumed, revealing notes of Parma violets, rose petals, black cherry pastille and pink musk over blue and black berry fruits, purple rock candy, and subtle notes of cherry cola. Regarded as one of the finest vintages on the left bank in almost a decade, this 2022 speaks confidently of Margaux’s textural complexity, weightless concentration, and supreme elegance, with a palate packed full of sweet crème de cassis, tart blueberries, and black cherries dusted with a salted caramel and vanilla pod spice. Undeniable seductive and fabulously harmonious, boasting an impressive fruit balance with the silkiest of tannins. This is undoubtably another masterclass in precision winemaking from Jean Michel Garcion. Drink now and over the next 6 to 8+ years.

Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The wines from the De Schepper family are available through their own in-house negociant, De Mour. Contact Anthony Crameri to find out more about all available labels, vintages, and ex-cellar pricing.

Contact: anthony_crameri@orange.fr 

The Meerlust Estate Reaches New Heights of Quality with Their Eye Catching 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Release…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Stellenbosch is Cabernet country and while much of the focus of the Meerlust Estate inevitably revolves around their flagship Meerlust Rubicon icon Cape Bordeaux Blend, this 2021 red is undoubtedly the finest expression of pure Cabernet Sauvignon I have ever tasted from the Meerlust winery. Perhaps produced somewhat as an almost after thought decades ago, this new release Cabernet Sauvignon is every bit as chiselled, refined and considered as the Meerlust Rubicon itself.

Produced from grapes coming from vineyards on mostly shale soils near to the river, this incredibly pure, intense wine was aged in 50% new French oak barriques adding the perfect gloss to this stunning single cultivar wine. The Meerlust single cultivar Merlot was often highly hyped by followers in the past partly because this wine became previous winemaker Giorgio Dalla Cia’s own pet project for many years in the 1990s. Finally, it seems Cabernet Sauvignon’s time has arrived. The “Kingdom of Cabernet” triumphs once again.

Meerlust Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 13.7% Abv.

The colour in the glass is dark and inky with an alluring opaque black plum core and the aromatics are intricately perfumed and lifted with notes of sweet violets, salty crème de cassis, tart black cherry, spicy black plum and warm buttered brown breakfast toast over hints of dried baking herbs, graphite, chai tea and delicately sappy, leafy nuances. While incredibly focused, taut, and fresh on the palate, the fruit ripeness is simply pitch perfect, combining intensely concentrated notes of black currant and damson plum fruits with an electrically charged acidity that adds verve and vigour to the mouthfeel while remaining classically structured, linear, and mineral driven in essence. This is an incredibly accomplished pure Cabernet Sauvignon that firmly tips its hat to a ripe yet fresh vintage that stylistically you could easily see in top Bordeaux left bank Cabernet Sauvignon dominated wines. What energy, focus and intensity! Wim Truter has certainly made the most of this superb, slightly atypically cool, fresh Cape vintage. Incredibly good value, this is a mesmerising wine to drink from 2025 to 2040+, so don’t miss out!

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Meerlust Estate wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Maison Marques et Domaines (MMD).

Adam Mason Spinning His Vinous Magic Again at Franschhoek Boutique Winery Terre Paisible – Tasting a Pair of their Latest Releases… 

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The premium Terre Paisible winery project in the Franschhoek Valley gathers pace and with consulting winemaker Adam Mason with his hand firmly on the rudder, this is definitely a winery brand to watch. With grapes for their Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay sourced from their own premium vineyards in the valley, quality has been steadily heading upwards.

Their 2021 Chardonnay was an impressively Burgundian-styled cool climate expression garnering numerous global accolades. Likewise, Adam’s super suave 2021 red Cape Bordeaux blend made from bought in fruit from several premium sites from around Stellenbosch, bears testament to the incredible quality of the 2021 vintage. I had a snapshot tasting of the full unfinished range in South Africa in March with Adam but recently tasted the below completed pair of wines in London, including the follow up 2022 Chardonnay Vigne d’Or.

Terre Paisible Vigne d’Or Chardonnay 2022, WO Franschhoek, 13% Abv.

The Terre Paisible Vigne d’Or Chardonnay 2022 is a distinctive assemblage of grapes all from their own Franschhoek Valley vineyards, fermented and matured for 9 months in 500 litre neutral French oak barrels. The aromatics offer up expressive notes of white flowers, pickled cucumber, baked Golden Delicious apples, warm custard, and Key Lime pie together with subtle salted caramel and grapefruit confit nuances. On the palate the oaking is sympathetic and beautifully integrated allowing crystalline lemon and lime fruit notes to shine through. The wine has impressive concentration and a focused fruit intensity which is caressed by fresh tangy acids and a delicately pithy mineral finish. This is an exceptionally well-made wine that stylistically marries the best notions of white Burgundy with the opulence of a Californian-styled Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. Drink it on release and over 3 to 5 years.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Terre Paisible Vigne d’Or Red Blend 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.

Consultant winemaker Adam Mason (of Klein Constantia fame) certainly got the opportunity to flex his winemaking expertise with this new release from one of the greatest Cape vintages in the past two decades, and this 2021 Terre Paisible Red Blend surely stands as one of the most exciting new red wines from the Cape in recent years. This noble expression draws on the finest fruit from the Stellenbosch region to deliver a fragrant expression with lifted aromatics of crème de cassis, pressed violets, potpourri, cherry tobacco, and sweet plums with hints of sappy cedar spice. Dense and generous but supple in the mouth, this wine shows an incredibly layered texture with a fresh seamless core of salted plums, blueberry, and black currant, all energised by a crisp, vibrant acidity and a sleek, powdery mineral tannin mouthfeel that’s polished and suitably tight knit. Simply wonderful to witness such inspired winemaking in an iconic vintage like 2021. Drink on release but preferably over the next 5 to 12+ years. A real triumph from Adam Mason.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Exploring the Exciting New Elgin Releases from Iona Vineyards with Rob Macdonald…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Andrew Gunn’s middle daughter has been living with her partner Rob Macdonald in Brixton for the past 9 years, but they are both heading back to the Cape to take up positions within the family business. Rob looks set to take care of a portion of sales and marketing duties in the Cape, but before he headed off down south, I caught up with him in London to take a look at some of their new 2024 releases. 

The 2022 vintage experienced a typical cold Elgin winter, with snow on the high mountain peaks and above average rainfall, which enabled good vine dormancy. Spring was characterised by cold and wet conditions, resulting in later bud break. The cold, wet and windy conditions continued into October and November causing uneven flowering resulting in smaller berries that have good concentrated flavours. From January to April Elgin experienced exceptional weather for the ripening of quality grapes.

Iona Monopole Pinot Noir 2022, WO Elgin Highlands, 13.8% Abv.

An incredibly pure and perfumed aromatics greet you with a fragrant embrace, showing lifted notes of cranberry and bramble berries, cracked red peppercorns, wild strawberry and red currant fruits. Wonderfully delicate and intricate on the palate, the purity and precision of fruit is once again front and foremost in the mind with a pithy bramble berry spice, silky black raspberry and cherry fruits before stony, mineral, fine-grained tannins coat the palate. The mouthfeel and textural harmony on the wine are next level, enlivened by bright tangy acids and a long, mouthwatering, juicy fruited finish with just the faintest of savoury, earthy nuances. A wine that tastes slightly riper than previous vintages but also more complete in many ways. Very classy indeed. Drink now to 2030+. 

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Iona Monopole Fynbos Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2022, WO Elgin Highlands, 12.5% Abv.

A blend of CY95 and CY 96 clones planted in 2003 on gravel beds with underlying clay. One sniff of this wine reveals something quite distinguished and complex indeed, with teasing aromatics that carry off a showy interplay between bright yellow citrus, lemon lime notes and a vibrant stone fruit complexity that hides intricate Burgundian nutty, vanilla pod and cinnamon wood spice hints. Indeed, the nose is so seductive its hard to move past it to the palate! The first sip is fresh and vibrant, deeply seeded with a stony limestone’esque minerality and a bright grapefruit and lemon citrus fruit intensity. Texturally near perfect in the mouth, the balance and harmony simply exquisite. An incredibly fresh, complex, and seductive Chardonnay with fruit purity that trumpets the very finest terroir notes of Elgin. Drink now and over the next 8 to 10+ years. 

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Iona Monopole Chardonnay 2022, WO Elgin Highlands, 12.9% Abv.

A blend of the four single Chardonnay vineyards on the estate including large portions of Kloof, Kraal, F4 and Fynbos, from vines planted in 2003 and 2009. On the nose, the aromatics are seductively picante and spicy, dusty, and mineral, laden with top notes of crushed gravel, subtle struck flint reduction, lemon cordial, grated limes, and subtle white pear pastille nuances. The palate shows a deliciously tangy acidity over a subtle savoury, leesy, phenolic lemon peel pithiness. This is a very grown up, mineral driven Chardonnay that trades on a nutty, stony, pithy citrus intensity rather than overt fruit and oak spice notes. Tense, lean and linear in frame, this is a very sophisticated offering that Old World Burgundian Chardonnay lovers will savour. Drink on release an over 4 to 5+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Iona Monopole Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2022, WO Elgin Highlands, 13.1% Abv.

Made from Sauvignon Blanc fermented with indigenous wild yeasts in large oak barrels results in an incredibly complex expression of this cultivar. Cool climate Elgin is indeed a true home for this variety and this 2022 expression is a rich, bold interpretation with aromatics packed with ripe heady, savoury aromatics of lemon biscuits and savoury lees, delicate black currant leaf, mint leaf and mojito syrup before rock salt, fresh fennel root and bruised green mango nuances. The palate is intense, focused, and incredibly vibrant, simply brimming with a delicious sweet and sour acidity, sweet gooseberry, stem ginger and finishing with a delicately grassy, fig preserve complexity. The richness and glycerol, textured mouthfeel is to die for and the finish, so long you lose sight of it crossing the finishing line. Savoury and slightly wild, this wine opens up a proverbial pandora’s box of exoticism, intrigue and excitement for the Sauvignon Blanc cultivar. Drink now on release and over the next 5 to 8+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW) 

Iona Solace Syrah 2021, WO Elgin, 13.6% Abv.

Sourced from Syrah vineyards planted in 2003 on Rosie Gunn’s Brocha farm just down the road from the main Iona winery, this 2.5-hectare site planted on fertile Tukulu soils with a rich vein of gravel, clay and sand, make for a wine with power and depth but also elegance, freshness and pure varietal character. True to form, the aromatics on this fabulous 2021 red are vibrant and pure, with pristine notes of black raspberries, black currants and bramble berries that gently melt into more spicy, peppery, red berry hints showing strawberry compote, melted tar, and salty red liquorice. The 2021 vintage was an exceptional year and the fresh, energetic palate on this wine personifies the tension, pristine purity, and intensity a winemaker simply dreams about achieving in a truly great Cape vintage. Drink on release to enjoy this wine’s youthful Syrah electricity, or cellar for 10 to 15 years.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The wines of Iona are imported into the UK by Alliance Wines.

Paradigm Shifting New Wave Wines – Tasting Chris Groenewald’s New Terracura Winery 2024 Edition Releases…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The Smiley / Terracura winery project has been one of the funkiest, new wave, experimental projects on the South African wine scene for the past few years. With former winemaker Ryan Mostert moving to London to work in the on-trade, step in multi-talented Chris Groenewald, the once barman, sommelier, wine importer, and distributor to take over the winemaking reins. With plenty of wine trade experience behind him as well as a DipWSET diploma, since 2022, Chris has taken a shared ownership in the Terracura winery project along with original founder and investor, Michael Roets. With the old Swartland winery facility abandoned for storage, the wines are now made in a customised warehouse facility in Parrow, northeast of Cape Town.

 With a lot of enthusiasm and effort, Chris Groenewald and Michael Roets have successfully resurrected this once favoured natty wine cult brand in the local Cape market and have now taken these highly accomplished wines with a difference, back into the international market once again, partnering with UK distributor and keen purveyor of South African wines, Woodwinters. If the quality I tasted across the range with Chris is anything to go by, you can expect this well-conceived wine brand to go from strength to strength.

Winemaker Chris Groenewald

Smiley Fresh White V1 NV, WO Western Cape, 12.5% Abv. 

An impressive blend made up of 82% Chenin Blanc and 18% Grenache Blanc, 60% from 2022 and 40% coming from a combination of vintages from 2016 to 2021. A clean, fresh style, with all the sweet tangy bruised yellow orchard fruit notes that point to the Swartland combined with exhilarating notes of tangerine and yellow grapefruit confit. The palate shows a beautiful balance, a creamy glycerol texture and complex sweet pear notes on a long vibrant finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Smiley Fresh White V2 NV, WO Western Cape, 11.5% Abv. 

A blend of 46% Chenin Blanc, 15% Colombar, 9% Clairette Blanche, 9% Sauvignon Blanc, 9% Semillon, 6% Grenache and 6% Palomino with 52% of the wine coming from the 2023 vintage and 48% from 2022, all with circa 10% skin contact employed. Plenty of lift and exotic spice on this white with aromatic layers stem ginger, ripe quince, crystallised fig, green banana peel and bruised yellow orchard fruits. Cool and fine on the palate, the acids are tangy and the mouthfeel, sleek, harmonious and glycerol despite the meagre 11.5% Abv. Deliciously vibrant and energetic with a mouthwatering freshness on the finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Silvervis Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Swartland, 13.5% Abv. 

67% of grapes sourced from the higher altitude Sky old vine Chenin Blanc vineyard that sits on deep decomposed Granite soils (kept on their skins for three days) and 33% from the Kweperfontein old vine vineyard Chenin Blanc planted in 1964 on the Waterval farm in the Paardeberg, which was kept on its skins for five days. Shows complex aromatics of fynbos, wet straw, lemon oil and yellow golden delicious apple fruits before white pear, honied peaches and a rich textural mouthfeel with soft tangy acids, spicy ginger and gentle salty Granitic mineral undertones. Very impressive expression.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Smiley White NV V6, WO Western Cape, 12% Abv. 

A blend of 86% Chenin Blanc and 14% Grenache Blanc, from vintages spanning 2016 to 2021 (60%) and 40% from 2022, employing 20% skin contact, 3% maderised wine and 1% fermented under flor in old barrels. Maturation vessels include stainless sleet, demijohns, old barrels, and concrete egg. Notions of sweet and savoury with a lovely freshness, notes of orange blossom, ginger, nectarine, sour plum and pineapple wedges with a stony liquid minerality beneath. Lovely balance, elegance and bright tangy mouthwatering acids and a honied, peachy intense savoury finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Speciale 2023, WO Western Cape, 12.02% Abv.

Made from a blend of 67% Chenin Blanc and 33% Clairette Blanche. The Clairette Blanche saw whole bunch maceration for 3 days and the Chenin Blanc seven days skin maceration. Aged 12 months under flor in a single 300 litre barrel, the aromatics are rich and exotic with a subtle spicy maritime salinity, a sweet sappy fatty complexity, green apple puree, kerosene, and earthy, savoury cedar spice nuances. Rich and fresh in the mouth, there is a polished bright tangy mouthfeel with zippy acids and a soft, waxy citrus peel and yellow orchard fruit pithy intensity. Long, exotic, and delicately sappy but dry on the finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Smiley Red NV V6, WO Western Cape, 13.5% Abv.

A blend of 45% Syrah and equal parts Touriga Nacional, Grenche, and Cinsault all from the 2021 vintage despite its NV certification. Combination of large old oak and concrete eggs used for maturation. Dark black fruited nose with hints of black currant, coffee beans, fynbos, black olive and savoury meaty nuances. Texture is soft and fleshy with a savoury sweet and sour plummy mocha choc powder spiciness and a delicately mineral, pink musk laden finish. Accessible with creamy powdery tannins and a very friendly seductive length.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Smiley Fresh Red V1 NV, WO Western Cape, 12.5% Abv. 

Made from a blend of 43% Cinsault, 31% Syrah and 26% Carignan, 69% of the wine from 2023 and 31% from the 2021 vintage. Whole bunch fermented except for 50% destemmed Cinsault portion. A rich plummy bramble berry character permeates the glass with hints of raspberry compote and stewed strawberry fruits with a sweet and sour tangy acidity, sour red plum, quince, dried herbs, and exotic sappy peppery wood spice hints on the finish. Generous, mouthwatering and thoroughly delicious.

(Wine Safari Score: 89/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Terracura Syrah 2015, WO Swartland, 12.5% Abv. 

A wine with almost 10 years age from three terroirs… Granite, Schist, and Iron soils, aged in concrete eggs and a few old oak barrels. Complex and savoury on the nose, the aromatics are not without freshness and savoury, sappy red and black berry fruits, fynbos, black chocolate cocoa notes, and delicate black olive tapenade nuances. The mouthfeel is creamy and mouth coating with lactic chocolate hints and black plum fruits, fine grained spicy tannins and a mineral laden savoury meaty finish. Decidedly old world in style, this will appeal to the legions of Rhone Rangers out there. Drink now and over the next 3 to 5+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Smiley and Terracura range of wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Woodwinters Wines. Email: Andrew@woodwinters.com for trade and retail prices. (The wines range in retail price from circa £23 for the Smiley White V6, £25 for the Speciale 2023, £30 for the Silvervis.)

Franschhoek Valley’s Stony Brook Vineyards’ Current Releases Rated and Reviewed Including their Sensational New Ghost Gum 2021…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The unique mesoclimate at Stony Brook Vineyards seems naturally suited to growing red Bordeaux varieties. There is plenty of sunshine to allow the grapes ample ripeness, while the cool night-time temperatures seal in the acidity and increase the potential for hangtime on the vine. With each vintage of The Max red blend, the aim is to craft a wine that has good ageing potential as well as rich, harmonious flavours that allow the wine to be enjoyed in its youth.

The two blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon grown on Stony Brook used for the Ghost Gum red make up the complementary components for this exceptional wine. Extremely well-drained soils ensure maximum concentration and intensity with the bunches harvested by hand at full ripeness, before being hand-sorted and undergoing a cold macerated for 4 days prior to fermentation. The 2021 vintage also produced some of the finest fruit quality that Stony Brook have seen from their Cabernet vineyards.

I visited Craig McNaught at the Stony Brook farm in March 2024 and had an opportunity to taste a selection of their excellent wines. Franschhoek Valley is undoubtedly riding high on a new era of premium quality as producers focus on the best grapes the valley can produce rather than trying to buy in grapes from neighbouring Paarl and Stellenbosch for their top cuvees. Indeed, the days of Franschhoek Valley looking to join the Paarl region seem well and truly a thing of the past as producers like Stony Brook and others push the quality of WO Franschhoek origin grapes ever higher. 

Stony Brook Vineyards Camissa 2020, WO Franschhoek, 14.5% Abv.

2.0g/l RS | 6.0g/l TA | 3.48pH

Camissa means ‘sweet water for all’ in Kora, the Khoi language of the Cape, and is only produced every few years when the blend changes with each release. The 2020 edition is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot made from fruit all sourced in the Franschhoek Valley, which is then matured in 30% new French oak barriques for 24 months before bottling. The 2020 offers up soft toned fragrant aromatics of violets and dried herbs, sweet cedar, red currants and cranberry fruits alongside generous notes of chocolate praline, tannery leather, graphite and freshly brewed breakfast tea. The palate is fleshy and creamy textured, medium bodied with a plush harmonious mouthfeel with supple soft tannins and delicately fresh, integrated acids. Plenty of accomplished winemaking on display here for a wine that definitely over delivers at its price point. Enjoy this delicious red blend on release and over the next 5 to 8+ years. 

(Wine Safari Score: 91/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Stony Brook Vineyards The Max 2019, WO Franschhoek, 14% Abv.

2.1g/l RS | 5.9g/l TA | 3.48pH

The Max 2019 is an illustrious Cape Bordeaux Blend featuring 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot and 14% Petit Verdot in a classical ‘left bank’ expression that was matured in 50% new French oak barriques for 26 months before blending and bottling. From a powerful vintage, this blend is a wonderfully soft fulsome wine with alluring aromatics of ripe black plum, black chai tea, dried tobacco leaf, sweet herbs, gun smoke, salty black currant, and hints of sweet blueberry rock candy. The palate displays a textural depth and generosity that is incredibly seductive and inviting. The acids are taut, bright, and steely but are embraced by moreish sweet and sour black cherry and black plum fruits, with subtle hints of graphite and blue berries in the background. An intricate wine with a serious stature but an amiable finish. Enjoy now and over the next 3 to 8+ years. The perfect alternative to your ‘mid-week’ Claret. 

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Stony Brook Ghost Gum Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, WO Franschhoek, 14.5% Abv.

2.2g/l RS | 6.0g/l TA | 3.48pH

The 2021 Ghost Gum Cabernet Sauvignon is yet another stunning expression from one of the best red wine vintages the Cape winelands have seen since 2017, 2015 and 2009. The aromatics are delightfully vibrant and fragrant revealing notes of violets, sage, potpourri, sweet black currant, black cherries, and subtle notes of cedar spice, tilled earth and a dusty granitic minerality. In the mouth, the wine is luxuriously rich, fleshy, and textural, coating the palate with creamy crème de cassis, stewed black plum fruits and sweet, dense, silky tannins all underpinned by sumptuously soft integrated acids. An incredibly harmonious wine with a finessed balance and a pristine black fruited concentration kissed with a hint of chocolate praline and spearmint on the finish. A triumphant wine for the Franschhoek fine wine scene. Drink on release and over the next 10 to 15+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The wines of Stony Brook Vineyards are exclusively imported into the UK by specialist merchant Museum Wines.