Malbec

Nearing a Decade of Brilliance with the Van Biljon Cinq Cape Bordeaux Blend Made by Chris Keet….

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

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

Winshaw Vineyards Becoming a Leading Producer of Premium Single Cultivar Malbec in South Africa…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

While Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc have carved out an enviable quality offering from specialist premium producers in the Cape wine regions of Stellenbosch and Paarl, another cultivar has joined the party of late, showing an incredible affinity to the local terroir and climatic conditions. This cultivar is Malbec of course and there are roughly 450 to 490 hectares of Malbec currently planted. This represents a significant increase from the 40 hectares planted in the 1990s. The Swartland, Paarl, and Stellenbosch regions in the Western Cape currently account for about three-quarters of the total Malbec plantings.

A particular favourite among consumers in the UK, there is simply no holding back the success of single cultivar Malbec wines whether from Argentina or indeed South Africa. Handled correctly and vinified with care and attention, some very attractive, rich, fruit forward Malbec wines are being produced in South Africa and Winshaw Vineyards are becoming a leader in this new(ish) premium single varietal category. The 2024 vintage should hit the UK retail market in the Autumn of 2025 and retail for approximately £26.99 per bottle and I tasted a bottle on my recent trip to the Cape. 

Winshaw Vineyards next door to Vergenoegd Low and Meerlust Estate.

Winshaw Vineyards Malbec 2024, WO Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv. 

A beautifully composed, well constructed fine wine from the Winshaw’s boasts a delicious aromatics of sweet mulberries and damson plum, black berries, and black cherries laced Christmas spices, cinnamon and vanilla pod. Dense, fleshy and creamy, the palate shows a delicious black berry breadth punctuated by a complexing sapidity, leafy black currant depth and a long savoury leesy finish. Malbec lovers will be smitten once again! Drink now to 2030+.

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

Revisiting Two Seductive 2020s from De Toren Private Cellar – Tasting their Book XVII Cape Bordeaux Blend and Patronus Malbec… 

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

With a bottle of 2021 Book XVII from De Toren winery waiting to be tasted and reviewed, I thought I’d revisit a couple of their 2020 releases to recalibrate my palate. The Book XVII Cape Bordeaux Blend was born from a pursuit of excellence blended with a passion for craftsmanship, isolating the very best that nature has to offer, commencing with the maiden 2010 vintage release. The name Book XVII was inspired by one of the first pieces of literature dedicated solely to wine and extreme viticulture methods written over two millennia ago by Roman philosopher, Pliny the Elder. 15 years later, the Book XVII blend has become an integral part of the De Toren icon wine range, with this unique super premium red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec born from a desire to craft a wine that could stand confidently amongst some of the greatest premium red wines in the world. The result of this devotion to precision is an incredibly limited production of a mere 6 barrels and an irresistible, lush red blend with a hedonistic depth and impressive purity and complexity. 

Book XVII is the result of 20 years’ exhaustive recording and analysis of countless vineyard variables in the Polkadraai Hills, from soil composition and weather conditions to oceanographic influences. With modern viticulture methods, bold experimental winemaking, and masterful use of various Bordeaux barriques, Book XVII now ranks among the top Cape Bordeaux Blend expressions produced in the Cape winelands. Unashamedly luxurious, ripe and hedonistic in style, this wine has never looked to mimic anything else produced in the Cape, and as a result, has comfortably cultivated a loyal consumer following both at home and internationally. 

De Toren Book XVII 2020 Bordeaux Blend, WO Stellenbosch, 15.15% Abv.

2.7g/l RS | 5.4g/l TA | 3.59pH

It is always fascinating cracking another vintage of one of De Toren’s icon wines as I have seen, in person, the attention to detail that is performed both in the vineyards and in the winery to capture the purest essence of quality from their exceptional Polkadraai Hills vineyards in Stellenbosch. The 2020 release is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, and 19% Cabernet Franc that was aged for 22 months in 100% new 225 litre French oak barrels. This impressive 2020 Bordeaux Blend is another opulent and generously constructed red with alluring aromatics of dusty crushed granite, freshly shaved cedar wood spice, wet tobacco leaves over hints of dried violets, black currant herbal tea, black cherry and a spicy capsicum note. Surprisingly mineral and restrained on the nose, the palate is a little more upfront and fleshier but with all components of fruit, acid and tannin so meticulously integrated so as to present a wonderfully synergistic red blend with a seamless transition between the sweet inky black berry fruits, the spicy cedar and tobacco complexity, and a fine-grained mineral-laden dry tannin finish. Incredibly youthful still and deserving of further time in the cellar, this is nevertheless a very impressive premium red wine honed for the most sophisticated of global connoisseurs. Drink now after a decant and over the next 10 to 15+ years.

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

Two of De Toren’s three ultra-premium wines along with their Black Lion Syrah.

De Toren Patronus Malbec 2020, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.

Created to try and craft one of the most exceptional expressions of this grape cultivar in the Cape winelands, this bold hedonistic ultra-premium red is made from decades-old Malbec vines in the Polkadraai Hills, with individual bunches hand-picked and then individual berries selected. Three distinct vessels were used for whole berry fermentation, each chosen to highlight the opulence, purity and typicity of premium Malbec. Predominantly matured in new French oak barrels, the results on the 2020 are suitably impressive. The aromatics resonate with plush, ripe, intense notes of blue berry and black berry fruits, sappy mulberries, and black plum with delicate undertones of vanilla pod spice, complex cedar oak and exotic Christmas spices. The palate shows the accessible opulence of the 2020 vintage, broad, deep, and powerful under a creamy, concentrated fleshy textured veil of velvety tannins and soft, integrated acids. Opulent and hedonistic in every sense of the word, this is an incredibly impressive expression of Malbec, the grape that is currently having a massive love affair with the Cape’s terroir. Drink now on release or cellar for 10 to 15+ years.

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

The Vilafonte Winery Releases An Accomplished Trio of New Premium Vintage 2022 Expressions… 

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Regardless of who you speak to, the general consensus is that the 2022 vintage conditions in the Cape reverted back to more “normal” conditions after the unusually cool and extended harvest of 2021. But like many good vintages that follow great vintages, the resulting wines have to work that much harder to capture the imagination of fine wine consumers. At Vilafonte, the team have delivered another exceptionally fine trio of wines that has something for everyone. 

A cool wet October and November 2021 saw above average rainfall leading to vigorous growth in the vineyards which required extra work to manage canopies. January and February 2022 saw multiple heat spikes in keeping with more ‘normal’ vintage conditions in the Cape. There was some variable ripening across cultivars and plots ultimately leading to a fairly late, drawn-out harvest season which began nine days later than predicted and which lasted for over four weeks from February 19th until March 17th. The resulting wines show density and concentration rather than heaviness with well integrated harmonious acids.

The approachability of the Seriously Old Dirt blend makes this wine a perennial favourite with fine wine lovers looking for exceptional quality and value without compromising fruit, structure or power. The Series C is also another stand out Cape Bordeaux Blend that celebrates the incredible quality of Cape Cabernet Sauvignon. But if it’s sheer hedonism you are after, the Series M is once again a dead ringer for an opulent, showy, Right Bank Merlot dominated Bordeaux blend. With a 1st of November release date for all three wines, these are definitely wines you’re going to want to make space for in your cellar. 

Seriously Old Dirt by Vilafonte 2022, WO Western Cape, 13.5% Abv.

After the rich, fresh, characterful wine of 2021, the Seriously Old Dirt 2022 blend has certainly turned out to be another impressive creation from the dedicated Vilafonte team. A dark opaque purple black plum colour in the glass, the wine offers up bold notes of mint leaf, violets, crème de cassis, black cherries, dried thyme herbs, cigar wrapper, and hints of chocolate peppermint crisp. Medium bodied with a rich, spicy, fleshy palate, this wine has certainly carved out a name for itself based not so much on branding but more on innate quality and true value for money. The mouthfeel is delicately spicy, alluring, and supple with notes of dark blackberries, fresh peppermint tea, vanilla pod, and sweet Christmas spices that linger long on the palate, framed by picante, mineral spicy graphite tannins. This is undoubtedly an impressive second wine fashioned after the famous left bank Bordeaux expressions, and also shares the similar trait of often putting bigger Grand Vin expressions to shame. Always seamless, and nearly always the complete deal, this is THE go to wine for so many Bordeaux lovers around the world! Drink on release and over 8 to 10 years.

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

Vilafonte Series C 2022, WO Paarl, 14.5% Abv.

Vintage variation at wineries like Vilafonte often means little, but for the market, 2021 was the vintage of the decade to buy and covet. Like 1996 followed and surpassed 1995 in Bordeaux, could this plush and opulent 2022 excel in the shadow of the iconic 2021 Series C cuvee? In the recent months, all the 2022s I have tasted are every bit the equal of many of the 2021 wines, showing concentration, balance and freshness. Always the benchmark cuvee of the Vilafonte winery, the Series C 2022, a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 10% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Franc, presents itself as a rich, opulent expression packed full of salted black liquorice, sweet black berries, warm blueberry crumble and subtle aromatics of vanilla pod and cedar wood spice. The initial approach on the palate is classical and restrained, showing drying tannins and classical granitic mineral undertones but the texture is like silk, seamless, sultry and beautifully balanced with a big punchy concentration on the finish.This is high pedigree Cabernet Sauvignon done extremely well in a global context. Drink on release to 2040+.

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

Vilafonte Series M 2022, WO Paarl, 14% Abv.

The Series M 2022 is a blend of 40% Merlot, 39% Malbec, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Fabulously dark, rich, and opaque, this inky Merlot based blend once again boasts a sold Right Bank Bordeaux styling, with aromatics packed full of dried herbs, potpourri, spiced black plums, mulberries, and blueberry hints with a top note of graphite and gunpowder smoke. But it’s on the palate that the fireworks really light up the sky, with a cool, creamy, super fine-grained tannin texture, a picante spicy granitic minerality over plush black berry fruits and a pithy black cherry complexity. The top 2022 reds show softer, more integrated acids than the 2021 vintage but also a creamier, fleshier, more sumptuous mouthfeel with impressive generosity and an accessibility. This is another beautiful Series M expression that bridges the stylistic paradigm of Right Bank Bordeaux and New World fruit-driven opulence. Drink on release until 2038+.

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

The Vilafonte Wines are imported into the UK by wine merchant John E. Fells.

http://www.fells.co.uk

Vilafonte Release a Seductive Series M Cape Bordeaux Blend from the Uniquely Cool and Classical 2021 Vintage…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Exceptional vintages have the ability to yield exceptional wines. Just think of 2000, 2005, 2009 and especially 2010 in Bordeaux, and perhaps 2004, 2009, 2015, and 2017 in the Cape. Without doubt, 2021 was another extraordinary vintage with ample winter rains followed by an unusually cold and wet spring and early summer. In an era of global warming and extreme weather events, getting a vintage like 2021 in the Cape must surely be a winemaker’s dream. So many I have talked to have described making wines that they feel they may never get the opportunity to make again due to the unusually cool, slow ripening conditions.

At Vilafonte in Paarl, flowering was largely even with good fruit-set, boding well for not only a healthy crop but also an ample crop. Early season growing temperatures were cool to moderate, warming gradually towards ripening, with a lack of February / March heatwaves a very noteworthy feature of the vintage. Berries were supple-skinned, bursting with flavour, showing a vibrant freshness and bold tannin structures. Harvest began on February 11th under mild weather conditions that continued for the remainder of the season. The resulting wines show a piercingly perfumed intensity, deep inky colours, sophistication and poise.

Vilafonte Series M 2021, WO Paarl, 14% Abv.

The 2021 Series M is a blend of 41% Merlot, 35% Malbec, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc that spent 22 months in French oak barrels with a 26% new oak portion. The aromatics are enticing and alluring, offering up notes of dark berries, exotic Asian spices, plum compote, black liquorice, graphite and wood smoke with subtle dried bay leaf nuances. Despite being dominated by Merlot and Malbec, the Series M often boasts a structure more in common with Cabernet Sauvignon blends, but in the cooler 2021 vintage, this wine remains very much in a Bordeaux right bank leaning style boasting precociously sumptuous notes of supple black currant fruits, mulberries, black plum with hints of cocoa powder, chargrilled charcuterie and pithy blood orange peel. Beautifully plump and opulent in the mouth, the tannins are velvety, supple and sweet, enveloping the palate and finishing with incisive saline acids and complex notions of baked blackberries, preserved plums and star anise. A wonderfully complete wine that already offers abundant pleasure in its youth. Drink on release and over the next 10 to 15+ years.

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

Vilafonte wines are imported into the UK and are available to trade on allocation from importer John E Fells, and are available retail from specialist South African merchant Museum Wines.

http://www.museumwines.co.uk

Another Stand Out Malbec 2022 Release From the Quality Focused Winshaw Vineyards Winery in Stellenbosch…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Brothers Pierre and John Philip (JP) Winshaw released some beautiful wines with their maiden 2017 Charles and Bill Winshaw Cape Red Blends, and subsequent releases have also followed suit with striking quality, impressive fruit selection and wonderfully precise winemaking. They visited the UK to launch their winery brand in 2023 and from the very first moment, critics were seduced by the intensity, purity and overall appeal of their delicious wines.

A particular favourite of consumers in the UK, there is simply no holding back the success of single cultivar Malbec wines whether from Argentina or indeed South Africa. Handled correctly and vinified with care and attention, some very attractive, fruit forward Malbec wines are able to be created in South Africa and Winshaw Vineyards, along with the likes of Vilafonte in Paarl and Doolhof in Wellington, are becoming leaders in the category. The 2022 vintage should hit the UK retail market in mid-2024 and retail for approximately £26pb.

Winshaw Vineyards Malbec 2022, WO Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv.

The sumptuous 2022 Winshaw Vineyards Malbec continues almost exactly where the 2021 left off despite the vintages being fairly different in overall character. Made from MC71 clone vineyards planted in 2001, these 21-year-old vines are really starting to hit their stride, producing wines with great depth, breadth and character, suitable for single cultivar bottlings as well as making an attractive blending partner within the Charles and Bill Winshaw cuvees. The aromatics show wonderfully spicy, picante dark broody black berry fruit aromatics with lashings of black currant, black cherry, mocha chocolate and chargrilled meat nuances. The palate texture is plush, seductively inviting and delightfully accessible, with beautifully silky soft sweet tannins, sleek, cool spicy blue and black berry fruits, with hints of crème de cassis, cherry kirsch liquor and a slightly sappy, plummy finish that is suitably bright and attractively mouthwatering. This elegant Malbec is sure to be as big a hit with customers as previous vintages, but be warned, quantities produced are once again very small. Drink now and over the next 4 to 6+ years.

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

The Winshaw Vineyards wines are imported exclusively into the UK by specialist South African merchant Museum Wines.

Polkadraai Hills On the Rise – Another Impressive De Toren Edition Z Release from the 2019 Vintage…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Many producers said that rain and cooler conditions in some South African regions at the end of February and early March 2019 might have hampered some later ripening red grape varieties, but for earlier ripening Merlot based wines, quality was excellent and the finished bottled wines at De Toren are really starting to shine. The cool daytime conditions (and especially nights) of December and January meant that the earlier varieties ripened with lovely vital acidities and great fruit freshness, mostly at lower alcohol levels. But as always, the precision viticulture at De Toren delivered excellent quality fruit with very consistent results.

De Toren Edition Z 2019, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

This big bold De Toren Edition Z is another opulent, fleshy expression very much in the style of an expressive, generous Right Bank Merlot based blend. The aromatics are rich and powerful, packed full of sweet perfumed violets, stewed black plums, warm blueberry pie, salty cassis and melted black liquorice thoughtfully complimented by hints of sweet cedary oak and a vanilla pod dusting. The medium to full-bodied wine coats the palate with an intensity and concentration of dark berry fruits, dried thyme, black cherry confit, and subtle tarry, black currant notes that linger on the creamy, softly tannic persistent finish. This is a beautifully accomplished Cape Bordeaux red blend that offers seductive drinking now and the power and poise to age beneficially for at least 8 to 10 years.

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

The De Toren Wines are imported into the UK by The Wine Treasury and Edition Z retails for circa £42pb.

De Toren Wines Releases Their Patronus Malbec 2021 That Rivals Many of the World’s Greatest Malbec Reds…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Born from a desire to craft one of the finest ultra-premium Malbec wines in the world, comes the distinct De Toren Patronus made from several decade old Malbec vineyards in the Polkadraai Hills of Stellenbosch. A super premium expression priced at R3,666 per bottle cellar door (£160), this wine unashamedly puts its trust in precision viticulture to challenge, head on, some of the most famous benchmark premium Malbec’s produced primarily by wineries in Mendoza, Argentina.

Some may think that South Africa has no right to muscle in on yet another international variety and produce expressions that annoyingly, clearly rival some of the world’s other great examples. But South Africa has a knack of doing this… with Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand & Loire), Chenin Blanc (Loire Valley), Syrah (Rhone), Cabernet Sauvignon (Bordeaux and Napa Valley), Cabernet Franc (Loire Valley), and now Malbec (Mendoza and Cahors). All these examples go a long way to illustrate how exceptional and versatile the multiple vineyard terroirs in the Cape truly are. After tasting the Patronus 2021, you may now also have to add Malbec to your long South African shopping list!

De Toren Patronus Malbec 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.

This 2021 Malbec from De Toren is one of the few superstar expressions of premium Malbec produced in South Africa where you get to witness the true majesty and opulence of this cultivar delivered with full impact concentration and kaleidoscopic aromatics. Beautifully seductive in its youth, the nose boasts a broad array of floral magic… pressed violets and rose petal perfume accompanied by smoky layers of cigar ash, cocoa powder, crushed granite minerality, and spicy cedar oak nuances all supported by plush, sumptuous raspberry, sappy black currant and sweet cherry tobacco hints. The medium-bodied palate is soft, supple and powdery with sweet fine-grained creamy tannins that melt into layer upon layer of sweet mulberry, black berry compote and pomegranate fruits, all wonderfully framed and shaped by refreshing, lively energetic acids. This is an exceptionally well balance expression of Malbec that follows a path of elegance and precision and delivers a beautifully long, vibrant, expressive finish. Drink this beauty on release after an hours decant and over the next 10 to 15+ years.

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

The De Toren wines are imported into the UK by The Wine Treasury and are available from specialist merchants like Museum Wines.

An Unusually Cool Vintage Yields An Exceptional Wine – Tasting the New MR de Compostella 2021 Cape Bordeaux Blend…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 3 Comments

Every vintage, critics and avid collectors watch out for the one or two wines that will ‘move the market’. A few years ago, it was the 100-point Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2015, and this year it was possibly the Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2020 or the Taaibosch Crescendo 2020. However, every year there are a handful of classical Bordeaux Blend cuvees that offer up candidates for most profound wine of the vintage and in 2021, we seem to be spoilt for choice. An incredibly cool, long, and slow maturing vintage, Lukas van Loggerenberg commented to me recently that he thought it was possibly the longest and latest harvest on record since the fabled 1997 vintage that saw late ripening cultivars like Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot being harvested into late May.

Most producers thought that the late, slow harvest was definitely worth the wait. Consumers can really look forward to remarkable wines from the 2021 crop with the cooler weather conditions enabling producers to harvest their grapes at exactly the right time, with viticulturists and winemakers especially excited about the good colour extraction, low pH levels and high natural acidity in cases where vineyards were managed effectively – which all points to exceptional quality premium wines.

The MR de Compostella 2020 was also released to phenomenal mainstream acclaim (and another 97/100-point scorcher from Neal Martin), but I have it on good authority that other well know critics have openly acknowledged that they perhaps underscored the 2020 MR vintage. With 2019 being declassified into a turbo charged Raats Jasper Red Blend, Bruwer and Mzokhona have stood steadfastly behind their draconian tasting and selection process for the component parts of the MR de Compostella final blend.

Tasting with Bruwer Raats in July in London with the next generation, Daneel Raats.

The 2021 vintage is, in Bruwer’s own words, the finest vintage of MR that he feels he has made to date. The rest is up to the consumers and the critics to agree or disagree. With samples in hand, I took on the taste challenge and opened a bottle of 2021 ahead of its impending commercial merchant release at the end of October in the UK.

MR de Compostella 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

1.9g/l RS | 5.85g/l TA | 3.59pH

The MR de Compostella from Bruwer Raats and Mzokhona Mvemve possesses one of the most successful critical track records out of almost any red wine produced in South Africa let alone just in the Cape Bordeaux Blend category. The newest 2021 release astonishingly takes this wine to yet another higher niveau of quality with a blend of 26% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Malbec, 20% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Made from vines aged between 9 and 22 years old, all grown on deep decomposed dolomitic granite soils with table mountain sandstone, the aromatics are wonderfully bold and exuberant displaying seductive notes of blackberries, crème de cassis, violets, sweet cherry tobacco, black cherries and tart black plum. The lifted perfumed intensity is incredibly pure and piercing with salty liquorice, cedar spice and beautifully detailed maritime oyster shell nuances. In the mouth, the concentration and focused steely intensity is astounding – tart, bright and architecturally soaring, shaping this wine into a powerful, linear, multi-dimensional masterpiece. Packed full of salty cassis, tart plum and black currant, the tightly wound core of power, refined extraction and polished marble tannins leave you in no doubt that this harmonious, vibrant beauty is a spellbinding, timeless classic in the making. If you wanted just one wine to convince an international fine wine connoisseur of the true greatness of South Africa’s finest terroirs and winemaking, you have found your candidate! Simply an incredible wine. Drink this beauty from 2024 and savour over the next 30+ years. But you might need more than just one or two cases in your cellar!!

(Wine Safari Score: 99/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

MR de Compostella and Raats Family Wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Alliance Wines and is sold retail by specialist South African fine wine merchant Museum Wines. Retail will be circa £70 per bottle for the 2021.

Vilafonte’s Seriously Old Dirt 2021 Bordeaux Blend Represents Another Impressive Fine Wine Release…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The Seriously Old Dirt brand and winery is certainly a project that has finally come of age. With production topping over 200,000 bottles per year already and the brand being given its own dedicated winery and dedicated winemaker in the form of Arlene Mains, owner Mike Ratcliffe has empowered this venture to continue growing not only in terms of quantity but also quality.

The 2021 vintage was another very fine red vintage with the harvest taking place roughly two weeks later than average owing to the unusually cold and wet conditions experienced in spring which delayed bud-break. Ample rains continued into early summer with flowering largely healthy and even, boding well for an abundant crop.

Seriously Old Dirt’s winemaker Arlene Mains.

2021 was also noteworthy for its lack of heatwaves that normally occur in February and March in the Cape. Berries were healthy, vibrant and flavourful with freshness and bold tannins. Harvest began in the second week of February with mild weather conditions prevailing for the remainder of the season.

Vilafonté Seriously Old Dirt 2021 Red Blend, WO Western Cape, 13.5% Abv.

The 2021 Seriously Old Dirt is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 2% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc and shows a bright and piercing black cherry coloured core with an enticing ruby red rim. The aromatics are wonderfully seductive showing attractive notes of ripe mulberry, pressed violets, sun raisined black cherries, smoky wood embers, dried herbs and subtle earthy black currant nuances. Given time in the glass, the wine unfurls to reveal a complex savoury earthiness underpinned by sleek plush velvety tannins, soft sumptuous acids and a seamless core of red and black berry fruits with a definite Cabernet crème de cassis signature note. This is an incredibly fine-tuned, focused red blend from a great vintage that is silky and soft textured with incredible length and persistence. Devotees of Seriously Old Dirt are in for a thrilling treat this vintage as this exceptional wine will allow immediate drinking but will also reward 6 to 8+ years of extra cellaring.

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

The wines of Vilafonte are imported into the UK exclusively by agent John E. Fells and sold by leading South African fine wine retailers like Museum Wines. The Seriously Old Dirt retails for circa £29 per bottle.