Stellenbosch

Bellevue Estate Continues Its Unstoppable Rise – Tasting Their Impressive New Releases…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The Bellevue Estate in Stellenbosch is the oldest commercial producer of Pinotage in South Africa, having produced both South Africa’s first bottled and award winning Pinotage. Bellevue’s story is one of bold decisions and forward thinking. When Pieter Krige (P.K.) Morkel couldn’t find Gamay vines in 1953, he embraced a pioneering South African cultivar: Pinotage. This decision not only shaped Bellevue’s identity but also contributed to the global recognition of Pinotage as a uniquely South African wine. “We currently work with the oldest average vine age in Stellenbosch with our youngest block 25 years old and our oldest being 73 years old” explains long time winemaker Wilhelm Kritzinger.

Among the Bellevue Estate red range is a very special wine with a profound sense of place from one of the oldest commercial Pinotage vineyards in the world, planted in 1953. When the maiden 1959 vintage won trophies galore, Pieter Krige Morkel was crowned South Africa’s new ‘king of wine’. His hands-off approach then is replicated today by winemaker Wilhelm to let the grace and wisdom of the old vine vineyards shine through.

Beyond their historic Pinotage, the estate also possesses one of the five oldest Cinsault vineyards in South Africa, planted in 1952, which now forms part of their illustrious Heritage range. But in 2026, the Heritage range will be joined by their newly branded 1976 Old Vine Chenin Blanc that used to go into their Eselsgraf Reserve Chenin Blanc. Another sublime highlight is undoubtedly their phenomenal Cabernet Franc, a wine that won the Red Wine Trophy at the Michelangelo Awards with the 2022 vintage, and again last year, with the 2023. In this tasting, I review the new release 2024, and predictably, it’s business as usual. Finally, there is a reason Stellenbosch is known as the “Kingdom of Cabernet” producing some of the most exciting examples of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Cape winelands.

Bellevue Estate Eselgraf Chenin Blanc Reserve 2024, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 13% Abv. (1976)

Bright, juicy floral aromatics with green apple, green melon, rock candy and dried hay. Piercing concentration leads the charge on the palate, tangy, fleshy and delicious mouthfeel and weight supported by green apple pastille, pear and white peach. Beautiful typicity with punchy intensity.

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

Tasting with Bellevue Sales Manager Luan Aucamp.

Bellevue Estate Chenin Blanc Reserve 2025, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 13% Abv. 

Not since the release of the 2021s has there been a South African harvest that has created as much excitement among producers and consumers alike as the 2025 vintage. When you taste this stunning hand harvested bush vine Chenin Blanc you really see the vintage in all its glory, the aromatics deliciously pure, vibrant and lifted, bursting with complex layers of green apples, white peach rock candy, talcum powder, and a delicately sweet fynbos spice after its rained. The palate is pure, intense, and concentrated with a chiselled, tangy fresh acidity that coats the mouth, preparing your taste buds for bursts of Granny Smith green apple fruits with a splash of tart yellow grapefruit citrus. Crisp and pure yet crystalline and textural, this wine is like a very well-tuned orchestra with every instrument playing in perfect harmony. Drink this stunner before it sells out. 

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

Bellevue Estate Heritage Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

This delightful new 2025 Chenin Blanc definitely sings the praises of this exceptional vintage in the Cape, boasting exotic aromatics of Muscat grape jelly, green honeydew melon, white peaches, and honeysuckle over complexing hints of wet straw and savoury leesy nuances. With such a ripe concentrated vintage such as 2025, you get to experience the full breadth and depth of this Old Vine Chenin Blanc that’s expertly balanced with tangy fresh acids, a delicate sweet and sour vibrancy together with a gently Granitic mineral salinity. Supremely harmonious and balanced with a majestic textural elegance, this youthful wine should develop a real personality with a few more years in bottle. This is another superb embryonic blockbuster from Bellevue. Drink from 2027 to 2040+.

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

Bellevue Estate Pinotage 2020, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14% Abv. 

Classical aromatics of savoury earthy black berries, cured meats, tilled earth and sweet Christmas spices. Acids are bright and the red and black fruits crunchy and intense, the mid-palate sleek and savoury. Punchy, approachable, and easy drinking.

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

Bellevue Estate Malbec 2022, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv.

An exotic terroir driven aromatics laced with Buchu, fynbos and Eucalyptus complexity with black sappy berry fruits, chocolate peppermint crisp and dried herb spice. The acids are crisp and fresh, the black sappy berry fruits minty and attractive with brightness, a lifted black fruit energy and a sleek, mineral-tinged powdery tannin finish.

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

Bellevue Estate Atticus 2023 Cape Blend, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14% Abv. 

33/33/33 – new, second, 3rd fill oak barrels used for ageing the 40% Pinotage, blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The aromatics show an attractive melange of creamy sappy black berry fruits, packed with earthy dried herbs, granitic minerality and savoury meaty hints.  The acids are tangy and energetic, the red and black bramble berry fruits creamy, extracted and fine grained, finishing with serious power, minerality and length. Classy wine that punches above its weight.

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

Bellevue Estate Tumara 2023 Cape Bordeaux Blend, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14% Abv. 

The only thing possibly more exciting than a top Cabernet Sauvignon from Stellenbosch is a full throttle, five cultivar Cape Bordeaux Blend, and this 2023 is an assemblage of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The aromatics have many of the earthy, loamy, freshly tilled earth notes of the pure Cabernet Sauvignon but then reveals multiple extra layers of sweet violets, white blossoms, sweet black currants, black cherry and a delicate graphite minerality. The palate is plush, polished, and focused with a textural generosity consistent with the 2023 vintage, with all fruit brought in before the late season harvest rains. Once again, the mouthfeel is creamy, supple, and fine grained with sweet pliable tannins, soft well integrated tangy acids and a long, delicately toasty, brûléed finish. The oaking is expertly managed, marrying pure, plush fleshy fruits, leaving a sensation of hedonistic harmony and balance on the finish. A supremely well-constructed wine that also has legs for further beneficial ageing. Drink now and over the next 10 to 12+ years. Such a delight to drink.

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

Bellevue Estate Reserve Collection Pinotage 2021, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv. 

Aged in 50/50 new and second fill French oak barrels for 22 to 24 months. The aromatics are deep and broody with layers of black berry, creme de cassis, damson plum, mulberry, tilled earth, vanilla pod and sweet Christmas spices. The palate breadth and balance is impressive, dense, tight grained, harmonious and intense without losing balance and elegance. This wine ticks a lot of boxes and shows a lot of commercial appeal.

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

Long time Bellevue winemaker Wilhelm Kritzinger.

Bellevue Estate Reserve Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14% Abv. 

Aged in 60% new and 40% second fill French oak barrels, the aromatics are pure and regal, a Cabernet Sauvignon expression that shows why Stellenbosch is truly world class. Deep, dark black fruited aromatics with creme de cassis, black cherry, and spicy mulberry with Christmas spices, hints of tannery leather, black chai tea and cigar box. The acids are fresh and crystalline but tightly interwoven with structured black fruits, subtle hints of leafy, earthy dried herb spices, finishing with length and intensity and a subtle mineral undertone. Very classy indeed with plenty of stuffing for a cooler, fresher vintage.

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

Bellevue Estate Reserve Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14% Abv. 

The Bottelary ward of Stellenbosch is prime Cabernet Sauvignon country and this delightful 2023 is a very classy expression, the aromatics deep, sumptuous and complex. There is an extra dimension of ripeness and density on the 2023 nose with deep, savoury tilled earth aromatics that melt into notes of wet tobacco leaf, earthy black currant and damson plum fruits with just a hint of pressed violet perfume. In the mouth, this wine is broad and creamy with the texture of velvet that is caressed by soft silky tannins, sweet fleshy black and blue berry fruits before a dusty, wet stone graphite-laden minerality on the finish. The extraction is expertly handled offering a plush, luxurious, fleshy depth of fruit with a genuinely accessible, generous opulence. So delicious already, why keep this too long in the cellar when you can enjoy its tangy, vibrant, fleshy opulence now. Drink now to 2036+.

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

Bellevue Estate Reserve Collection Cabernet Franc 2023, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14% Abv. 

Aged in 100% New French oak for 20-21 months. Shows classic Cabernet Franc notes with great varietal typicity – cedar, spice, tree bark, dried herbs and perfumed black berry fruits. The palate is cool, crisp and distinguished with sweet baking herbs, earthy leafy spice, tea leaf, lead pencil and tangy fresh black berry fruits on the finish. Tight knit, grippy, densely fruited and quite complete for the vintage. Undoubtedly among the top expressions of Cabernet Franc in SA!

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

Bellevue Estate Reserve Collection Cabernet Franc 2024, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv. 

The Bellevue Estate’s Cabernet Franc quality is synonymous with premium quality winning multiple awards year after year. This 2024 is another outstanding example that combines the vintage condition’s translucent fruit purity and freshness with the winemaker’s pinpoint precision to yield a wine of outstanding beauty. The aromatics are stand out, supremely plush, perfumed and layered with sweet violets, sappy cedar, and cinnamon spices over hints of tea leaf, red currants and blue berries. Cool, precise, and attractively chiselled, there is a real elegant classicism to the texture, with satin soft tannins, bright lemon-like tangy acids and a long, piercing red fruited persistence on the finish. What a truly magnificent wine. Get your hands on a bottle at all costs! Drink now to 2036+.

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

Bellevue Estate Heritage Range Cinsault 2024, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 13% Abv. 

Undoubtedly, one of the most famous premium Cinsault reds produced in South Africa, this 2024 shows intricate, complex aromatics laced with rose petal, potpourri, raspberry herbal tea, red cherries, fynbos, dried herbs, dusty stony minerals and intricate Turkish delight nuances. The palate is tight knit, compact and intense, deliciously sweet fruited, incredibly concentrated and intense with a sleek, harmonious mineral texture. A phenomenal expression of old vine Cinsault that combines power, intensity, precision and purity. Simply breathtaking. Drink now to 2050+.

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

Bellevue Wine Estate Heritage Pinotage 2021, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14% Abv. 

Few Pinotage wines are as evocative as the Old Vine wines from Bellevue Estate. Incredibly deep, dense, dark black fruited aromatics reveal notes of violets, black berries, chocolate peppermint crisp, sweet raspberries, berry herbal tea and white pepper notes. On the palate there’s a pronounced menthol brightness and tart berry freshness together with delicious, sweet Christmas spices, delicate fynbos hints and exotic Asian spices. Beautifully powerful with immense drinkability and accessibility with an underlying seriousness. This is premium Pinotage… but not as you know it. Drink now to 2041+.

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

Bellevue Wine Estate Reserve Pinotage 2023, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14% Abv. 

The 2023 Reserve Pinotage is an impressively complex expression of this grape from one of South Africa’s finest proponents. The aromatics are deep and broody, revealing layers of polished mahogany, bay leaf spice, vivid black and blue berry fruits, mulberries, and subtle caramelized vanilla oak spice nuances. The palate is full, fleshy, and noticeably broad and glycerol with a vivid acid frame that balances the sweet black fruit concentration with a beautiful freshness and supple, delicately creamy tannins. A bold, fleshy, opulent style of Pinotage with plenty of character and seductive charm. Drink now to 2036+.

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

The wines of Bellevue Estate will be available in the UK soon from South African specialist merchant Museum Wines.

Stellenbosch’s Bellevue Estate Launches a Historical New Heritage Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2025…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Not only is Bellevue Estate in Stellenbosch the oldest commercial producer of Pinotage in South Africa, having produced both South Africa’s first bottled and award-winning Pinotage in 1959 from vines planted in 1953, it is also the producer of one of Stellenbosch’s most exciting Old Vine white wines – the Heritage Chenin Blanc 2025. 

This hand harvested single vineyard Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc was planted in 1976 and was barrel fermented in French oak barrels to compliment the fruit concentration, richness, and intensity of the Old Vine fruit. With only 1,088 bottles produced, this is sure to be one of the most exciting new releases on the South African market in 2026.

Bellevue Estate’s longtime winemaker, Wilhelm Kritzinger.

As I have a much bigger red and white wine multi-vintage tasting assessment on the impressive wines of the Bellevue Estate being published very soon on A Fine Wine Safari, I thought it would be suitably fitting to give this impressive new release its own individual preview. Due to be released in April/May in South Africa, if the wine gods are kind, hopefully a few bottles of this impressive wine will find their way to UK shores before selling out!

Bellevue Estate Heritage Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

This delightful 2025 Old Vine Heritage Chenin Blanc definitely sings the praises of this exceptional quality vintage in the Cape, boasting exotic aromatics of Muscat grape jelly, green honeydew melon, white peaches, green pear and honeysuckle notes over complexing savoury leesy hints and wet straw nuances. With such a ripe concentrated vintage such as 2025, you get to experience the full breadth and depth of this Old Vine Chenin Blanc that’s expertly balanced with tangy fresh acids, a delicate sweet and sour vibrancy together with a gently Granitic mineral salinity. Supremely harmonious and finely balanced with a majestic textural elegance, this youthful wine should develop an unquestionable starlight personality with a few more years in bottle. This is another superb blockbuster from the historic Bellevue Estate. Drink from 2027 to 2040+. (1,088 bottles produced.)

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

From the Fine Wine Safari Cellar – Part 8: Alheit Vineyards Radio Lazarus 2012 Versus Radio Lazarus 2017…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

In today’s archive cellar examination, we look at not one but two iconic unicorn Chenin Blanc expressions from Chris Alheit, both tasted in December 2025 – the maiden release 2012 Radio Lazarus and then Chris Alheit’s last release. The 2017 represents the final release of Radio Lazarus made from two hilltop sites with stony shale soils: one planted in 1978 at 400m, and the other in 1971 at 450m. Due to the 2015-2019 Cape drought, these old vines finally reached the end of their lifespan and were simply no longer commercially viable. Radio Lazarus is unique in that it is fermented in large clay pots of 600 litres each, made from clay collected from the bottom of the same hill.

Renowned South African Wine journalist Tim James recently wrote a fitting homage to Radio Lazarus in June 2025, commenting… “I’ve previously had bottles of the 2012 Radio Lazarus at ten years that also showed remarkable youthfulness of flavour and freshness, while having the harmony, suavity, deep complexity, and texture of maturity. A great advertisement for the longevity and development potential of fine local Chenin Blanc.”

Tim continued… “The 2012 was the maiden vintage, and the one that preceded the 2014, as all the 2013 grapes went towards the blend for that year’s Cartology. Which means, in fact, that there were only two released vintages of Radio Lazarus that came from a single vineyard on the Bottelary Hills. From 2015 to 2017, there was a contribution from a second, nearby, high-lying Chenin Blanc vineyard (a little higher, a little older, on a hill bristling with even more of the radio masts that gave the wine half of its name).”

Tim concludes, somewhat sombrely… “It wasn’t just the cruel dryness and heat that finished it off; hungry buck, confronted by barren veld, had come like never before to eat what green shoots there were.” Eight final crates of 2018 grapes were picked that year off the other, original vineyard, but no wine was commercially released. In their release notes that year, the Alheits wrote of the glimmering of pleasure in knowing that “both vineyards were on death row, due to be ripped up, and yet they lived on a few more years to make some of the loveliest wines we’ve ever had the chance to work with.”

Alheit Vineyards Radio Lazarus 2012, WO Stellenbosch

This is a truly impressive bottle of Old Vine Chenin Blanc revealing complex regal aromatics of honey and biscuity leesy nuances and a subtle reductive vein before biscuit, quince jelly and buttered white toast. But this wine just keeps on offering up more and more… camomile tea, bees wax, burnt orange peel, apple puree, and oyster shell sea breeze hints. The palate is no less impressive, densely textured, unctuous, and creamy with quince, pineapple puree, more burnt orange, beautifully glycerol and full supported by fresh tangy acids that create a vibrant energy, sweet and sour yellow plum and a kelpy, maritime finish. Wow. A true unicorn wine that’s still firing on all cylinders. Drink now but certainly no rush.

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

Alheit Vineyards Radio Lazarus 2017, WO Stellenbosch

This vintage keeps going up in everyone’s estimation for both reds and whites and this beautiful drought vintage expression shows complex notes of salted liquorice, pristine refreshing saline nuances, earthy savoury peaches, yellow orchard stone fruits together with hints of wet straw, wet grey slate and green apple puree nuances. The palate is seductively silky and soft yet full and glycerol in the mouth with lovely harmonious chamomile, honey, and white peach notes on the long, characterful silky finish. Beautifully youthful and vibrant still, this wine should continue to put on extra weight and increase in complexity as it ages further. A fitting swansong vintage for this Old Vine vineyard.

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

An Inside Look at Some of Meerlust Estate’s New 2025 Red and White Component Wines…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Wim Truter is the current Cellar Master and Head Winemaker at the historic Meerlust Estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa, taking over from Chris Williams in 2020. He oversees the production of their renowned wines, including the famous Rubicon Bordeaux blend, working alongside winemaker Altus Treurnicht and long time owner Hannes Myburgh.

The iconic Meerlust Estate Rubicon Cape Bordeaux Blend.

So when Wim Truter and Deidre Taylor, the Meerlust head of sales and marketing, landed in London for a flying visit enroute to the Prowein trade fair in Germany, we caught up over lunch to taste two exciting new component wines – a Chardonnay 2025 and a pure Petit Verdot 2025 – as well as taking another look at the delicious new Rubicon 2023. 

Wim has brought an exciting new level of precision, focus and renewal to all the wines in the Meerlust range, preparing this iconic Stellenbosch estate for a new era of global fine wine fame.

Meerlust Estate Chardonnay RT13 2025, 12.5% Abv. (Bottled component)

This vineyard Chardonnay component is planted alongside the Meerlust driveway next to the cemetery and is grown on rocky Greywacke and Shale soils. Fermented in concrete tanks and aged on its fine lees for 8 months with no malo, this wine is deliciously cool, crisp and crystalline, showing white blossoms, yellow citrus, crunchy pears and a hint of honeydew melon. But it’s on the palate you experience its zippy freshness, wound spring tension with a tangy yellow citrus fruit showing impressive glycerol weight and superb intensity and precision on the finish. Now bottled as a 10% portion of the 2025 Meerlust Estate Chardonnay blend.

(Wine Safari Score: 94-95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Meerlust Estate Petit Verdot 2025 (Bottled component)

One small concrete fermenter, basket pressed into 100% new Quintessence barrels, drawn off at 10 months, to make up around 4% of the Rubicon blend. Majestically rich and creamy, packed full of blue and purple fruits with a brûléed savoury plum compote component. Plush, cool and textural, the full dense palate shows incredible balance and harmony but never loses its bright, delicately tart underlying acid frame. Such perfect ripeness and balance, this could have been bottled on its own. Now there’s an idea for the Meerlust range! 

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

Cellar Master Wim Truter and Deidre Taylor.

It should be noted that 2025 was an exceptional red and white wine vintage in South Africa, so collectors should start drinking up back vintage bottles to make space in their cellars – there are going to be a wealth of “must have” releases coming soon! 

The ribeye steaks we ate for lunch at top South African restaurant Kudu, were perfectly matched with a superb bottle of new release Meerlust Rubicon 2023 that is mellowing beautifully in bottle. This is, once again, the complete package – deep, textured and concentrated yet effortlessly balanced, finishing with a picante brûléed brown toast complexity. A class act that is sure to be one of the standout Cape Bordeaux blends of the vintage earning a worthy 96+/100 GSMW score. A big thank you to Wim and Deidre for sharing these delicious Meerlust treats.

The Meerlust Wines are distributed in the UK by Maison Marques et Domaines (MMD).

The Judgement of Wimbledon Blind Grenache Tasting Celebrates Its Historic 10th Anniversary Tasting in London…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 1 Comment

And just like that, what started out 10 years ago as a serious but fun effort by a group of passionate wine trade professionals and wine collectors to taste and benchmark some of the best Grenache wines in the world has evolved into one of the most respected annual blind Grenache assessments organised anywhere in the world. Year by year, more and more effort has been channelled into sourcing the rarest, the finest and the purest terroir expressions of Grenache produced. Much of this positive momentum and passion must be attributed to the Judgement of Wimbledon’s Convenor of Judges, Riaan Potgieter.

A Historic 10th Anniversary Tasting

Year after year, Riaan has painstakingly scoured the new releases and global reviews with the sole mission of tracking down any new fine Grenache expressions whether produced in the USA, South Africa, Australia or Spain. So, it seems only fitting that Riaan’s efforts and considerable financial outlay annually, are acknowledged and recognised. As soon as one Judgement tasting ends, Riaan can be seen planning the next line-up by tracking down and tasting numerous new pretenders as well as organising multiple preliminary blind tasting rounds to whittle down the final selection.

67 Pall Mall – the 2026 tasting venue.

In its 10th year, the Judgement of Wimbledon 2026 departed slightly from previous editions by assembling an array of wines mostly from producers who had performed well in previous years, but this time using vintages with some additional bottle age. The New World participants were chosen primarily from the 2019 vintage and the Old World producers from the 2018 vintage, allowing for some wines to shed their youthful reductive veil and show their true terroir and pedigree as their winemakers intended.

The 18 wine blind Grenache line-up.

The final 18 wine line-up for the 2026 Judgement of Wimbledon blind tasting featured 3 wines from Australia, 3 wines from South Africa, 11 wines from Spain (1 x Aragon, 1 x Costers del Segre, 3 x Gredos, 2 x Montsant, 3 x Priorat and 1 x Rioja) and 1 from the USA. Due to the older vintage categories chosen, this naturally excluded some newer start-ups such as Dylan Grigg from the Barossa Valley in Australia as his first Vinya Vella Old Vine Grenache vintage was only produced in 2021. The other notable change to the format was moving the venue from Wimbledon to the mecca of London fine wine, 67 Pall Mall, where a professional team of sommeliers could organise optimal glassware and perfect pouring temperatures.

With guest judge Dominik Huber from Terroir Al Limit in Priorat.
With last year’s winner, Juanan Martin from Rico Nuevo in Gredos.

In 2024, the judging panel was joined by Vinous.com lead critic Neal Martin, and in 2025, the panel was positively thrilled to have world renowned wine critic and Grenache / Garnacha specialist Luis Gutierrez from The Wine Advocate join proceedings. For the 10th anniversary, two top producers were invited to join the Judgement panel, namely Dominik Huber from Terroir Al Limit in Priorat and Juanan Martin, who’s own wine Rico Nuevo La Quebra 2021 won the Judgement tasting in 2025. In all, there were 14 judges this year and two bottles of each wine were poured blind.

The 2026 pouring order of wines.

As is customary, below you can find my personal BLIND tasting notes and scores.

Typing up my blind tasting notes.

Judgement of Wimbledon 2026 Blind Tasting Notes:

Wine 1: Alvaro Palacios Quinon de Valmira 2018, Rioja, Spain

Sweet and sour red and black fruits on the nose with clear savoury hints, stewed red plums, dried baking herbs and bramble berry spice. The palate is sleek and taut, fine grained, mineral yet delicately sappy with bramble berry fruits, silky soft compact tannins and a spicy, stony mineral finish with a delicate kiss of dried thyme on the finish. 

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

Wine 2: Torres Mas de la Rosa 2018, Priorat, Spain

Deeper, darker broodier aromatics with notions of sweet damson plum, black cherry, cinnamon and clove spice with a hint of mixed dry baking herbs and mint leaf. On the palate this is a real Peter Pan wine packed full of blue and black berry fruits, pithy cherry and saline cassis on the dense, compact finish. Wonderful composure, balance and harmony on this young, vibrant, fruit forward expression.

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

Wine 3: Sadie Family Wines Old Vine Series Soldaat 2019, Swartland, South Africa

A tighter, fresher, mineral driven aromatics with hints of crushed granite, bay leaf and whole bunch red berry spice. The palate is subtle and understated, compact and pithy with hints of vermouth spice, Seville orange peel and pithy black cherry persistence. A more classically framed, Old World leaning expression that you expect would have been reductive in its youth but that is now finally drawing the curtains and letting in the light. A very pretty, stony, terroir driven expression.

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

Wine 4: Frontonio El Jardín de Las Iguales Garnacha 2018, Aragon, Spain

A more lifted, exotic aromatics with notes of cherry cola and stewed strawberry but also some subtle early tertiary notes of bramble berries, tannery leather and strawberry compote. The colour shows some age and development, the palate too is equally sweet and sour, slightly evolved and showing savoury cured Serrano ham notes over pithy stewed red berry hints. An intriguing expression.

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

*It should be noted that some tasters who know the Frontonio well thought that the 2018 bottles might have suffered some heat damage or poor storage. While the wine still performed relatively well, judges wanted it noted for the record that the bottles may not have shown at their best.

Wine 5: Rico Nuevo La Quebra 2018, Gredos, Spain

A darker fruit profile is dominant in the glass with a dusty, stony minerality and some smoky, spicy wood smoke and blueberry fruit opulence. The youthful depth and blueberry opulence follows to the palate that shows chalky grippy tannins, a fabulous piercing black cherry and black fruited intensity with a searing saline oystershell maritime edge to the finish. Very impressive indeed. 

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

Wine 6: Lagravera Ciclic Negre 2019, Costers del Segre, Spain

A richer, riper aromatics with notes of cola syrup, red cherry candy and caramelised brown sugar. The palate is cool and sleek, slightly understated but retaining the cola candy mouth coating “dry” sweetness. Plenty of glycerol weight, the tannins are stony and slightly rasping, the finish drying, picante and slightly curtailed at the moment.

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

Wine 7: Mas Martinet Els Escurcons 2018, Priorat, Spain

Exotic aromatics suggests pink musk, rock candy and Wrigley’s chewing gum. Underneath, there are herby spicy notes with subtle medicinal medicine chest nuances. The palate is fleshy and generous, cool and chalky with a certain harmonious accessibility and chalky, candied approachability. Silky tannins, beautiful finesse and a fine youthful freshness on the finish. 

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

Wine 8: Alkina Polygon No. 5 Grenache 2019, Barossa Valley, Australia

A taut, tight, broody aromatics with defined notes of granitic tension and dusty minerality over sappy red fruits and pink musk. Compact yet fleshy, there is good glycerol weight, savoury broody, earthy red and black fruits and a fine-grained chalky limestone mineral finish. Tight, youthful overall impression but certainly not lacking any class. 

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

Wine 9: Terroir Sense Fronteres Guix Vermell 2018, Montsant, Spain

The aromatics are stand alone with unique hints of caramelised brown sugar, wood smoke, roasted caramelised nuts and cola syrup hints. Tight grained, chalky and deliciously mineral on the palate, there is that invigorating salinity that raises its head, with creamy talcum tannins, tight grained tension and a real pedigree on display here. True class. 

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

Wine 10: Venus la Universal Venus de La Figuera 2018, Montsant, Spain

The aromatics show a unique mix of baking herbs, cinnamon and clove spice over notes of cola, pithy red cherry and delicate reductive black currant nuances. The palate is a little looser knit than some examples, with savoury strains, clove and vermouth spices, dried herbs and pithy red and black cherry spices over cured meats on the chalky mineral finish that coats your palate with energetic grippy tannins. An enticing expression of Grenache.

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

Wine 11: Terroir al Limit Les Manyes 2018, Priorat, Spain

This shows hints of tertiary complexity before notes of cinnamon and cedar oak spice, bramble berries, cola and top notes of thyme. The picante, spicy, lipstick lift continues to the palate that is incredibly tight grained, chalky and mineral, with a fascinating texture. The acids are fresh and lift the wine on its long finish. Another wine with a real terroir feel.

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

Wine 12: Comando G Tumba del Rey Moro, Gredos, Spain (Magnum)

A complex expression that combines aromatics of musk, talc and dried herbs with notes of dried cherries, potpourri and pressed violets over a subtle granitic undertone. The vermouth spices and red liquorice notes rise on the palate with more pink musky fruits, red cherry, and the ever present drying chalky granitic spice from some formidable tannins. Despite its age, this is an infant in nappies, promising a phenomenal future of fine wine drinking.

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

Wine 13: Naude Wines Grenache 2019, Western Cape (Swartland), South Africa

This feels a leaner, tighter, more mineral expression on the nose with an earlier picked translucent, mineral brightness to the bramble berry and wild strawberry fruits. The palate is vibrant and plucky, fresh, light on its feet but certainly lacking no intensity, as the acids reverberate across the mouth, the cranberry and red apple fruits lingering for extra effect on the finish. A pristine, focused, classical expression of note.

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

Wine 14: Thistledown Sands of Time 2019, McLaren Vale, Australia

A rich, expressive aromatics boasts notes of caramelised sugar, toffee apples, red currants and bramble berry spice with a hint of cherry cola. The exotic aromatics translate into a delightfully approachable expression on the palate with generosity and opulence, tangy acids with crystalline red cherry and red plum fruits and an altogether more serious length and power on the saline finish. Very long, intense and piercing! Wow.

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

Wine 15: Momento Grenache Noir 2019, Swartland, South Africa

Another complex, broody example with slight cola-tinged red cherry hints over delicate wild strawberry spiced fruits. The palate is a little wild and bloody, like fresh game birds bleeding on the chopping board as they are dusted with herbs and spices. With plenty of minerality on the finish, this is yet another artisanal Grenache that speaks of its terroir.

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

Wine 16: Yangarra High Sands Grenache 2019, McLaren Vale, Australia

This shows a compact, dense black fruited aromatics with youthful complexity, black plum layers, and blueberry and mint leaf nuances. If the nose was fanning the proverbial peacock’s tail, the palate is positively in full dance mode, plush, fresh, compact and youthful with rich and intense black berry fruits that remain restrained and never err on the side of vulgar sweetness, always carefully ringfenced by chalky mineral tannins with just the most delicate vermouth herbal nuance on the finish. 

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

Wine 17: Clendenen Rancho La Cuna Grenache 2019, Santa Maria Valley, USA

An exotic, overt aromatics showing a slightly more medicinal, herbal array of spice and macerated red berry fruits over barley sugar and molasses hints. While the medicinal notes dissipate, the slightly caramelised molasses black stewed fruits persist long on the palate, giving this wine a feel of ripeness, some early development and a warmer climate feel. The finish is intense, long and decidedly savoury.

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

Wine 18: 4 Monos Viticultores La Isilla 2018, Gredos, Spain

A beautifully lifted aromatics displays notes of talc and pink musk, red cherry, strawberry candy and fresh pink bubble gum nuances. The tension and linearity on the palate are palpable, strict, focused and rasping with chalky limestone tannins, tart piercing tangy acids and a fine-grained texture that is so beautifully polished. Very impressive, mineral expression.

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

Judgement of Wimbledon Blind Scoring Procedure:

All judges are required to offer their final rankings from their favourite to least favourite, numbered from 1 to 18, with the largest score tally going to the top ranked wines which are then all added together to get a final 1 to 18 group ranking by “preference points”. So, a slightly different dynamic to that of the judges’ favourite to least favourite choices by score alone, which of course could easily see 3, 4 or even 5 different wines sitting on the same score of 94 or 95 points etc. However, judges are then required to retaste the matching scored wines and order them in a subjective preference to complete a final 1 to 18 without actually being required to change the wines final blind score. This method can sometimes lead to wines scored slightly higher, perhaps on 96.9/100, ranking lower than a wine on 96.3/100, because of judges final “preference points” tally.

Riaan Potgieter, Convenor of Judges for the Judgement of Wimbledon.

Judgement of Wimbledon Convenor of Judges 2026 Executive Summary – By Riaan Potgieter

The 10th anniversary always had to be something special, and while I knew we wanted to open some back vintages, selecting the right vintage(s) was far from straightforward. These wines are typically made in small quantities, and with many producers still relatively new, sourcing bottles was always going to be a challenge. Naturally, the further back I looked, the fewer options were available. In the end, I settled on 2018/19: old enough for the wines to be drinking beautifully, yet recent enough to ensure a compelling lineup from two excellent vintages.

Dominik Huber deep in thought mid tasting.

Armed with a selection of wines ready to drink, we were all exhilarated by the prospect of experiencing them a bit closer to their peak. What we didn’t anticipate was just how challenging that would make the tasting. Given we normally use wines from the latest vintage release, judges are used to wines being closed off initially but continuing to evolve over the course of a tasting session, but this time the wines took “evolution” to an entirely new level. They were playful and unpredictable in the best possible way. Every sip brought something new and exciting, and returning for another pour often felt like encountering a completely different wine.

Trying to rank the wines in any sort of order was equal parts delight and agony. Each wine demanded your full attention, yet the ticking clock kept dragging us back to reality and the serious business of attempting to record something remotely coherent on our tasting sheets. One thing is certain: I’ve never seen Judgement of Wimbledon judges so quiet, and for so long, before finally erupting into the inevitable excited post wine tasting chatter.

The final results revealed.

We would also like to extend a huge thank you to Juanan Martin of Rico Nuevo and Dominik Huber of Terroir al Limit for joining us at this year’s event. It felt only right to share the 10th anniversary with some of the people who made it possible and who continue to bring us so much vinous joy. It was a true honour to have them both with us for the occasion. We did, of course, do our best to persuade them to have a guess which wine was their own, but they steadfastly rebuffed even our most determined efforts.

In the end, these wines more than delivered on the brief — doing so in a way that goes far beyond anything a simple 100-point score could ever capture. The 2026 Judgement of Wimbledon provided an experience that will resonate for a very long time, far exceeding even our wildest expectations when we took our first tentative steps into this new world of light, edgy Grenache way back in 2017.

The Judgement of Wimbledon 2026: Group Blind Ranking Results

All judges were required to submit their final rankings, from favourite to least favourite, numbered from 1 to 18. Points were allocated accordingly, with higher-ranked wines receiving more points. These scores were then aggregated to produce a final group ranking from 1 to 18 based on total preference points. Under this format, first place was awarded to Terroir al Límit Les Manyes—an old favourite and a first-time winner—which secured the largest winning margin in the history of the Judgement of Wimbledon. Second place went to Marelise Niemann’s Momento Grenache, improving slightly on last year’s maiden entry and finishing in the top three for the second consecutive year. Rico Nuevo rounded out the top three with his maiden vintage of La Quebra, another strong performance following his win at last year’s event with the 2021 vintage.

The Judgement of Wimbledon 2026 Final results (by judges’ preferences).

When the results were recalculated using a straight score ranking—by averaging all judges’ 100‑point scores—the order shifted slightly, with a tighter distribution among the top wines. Les Manyes remained firmly in first place, while second and third positions were taken by Álvaro Palacios Quiñón de Valmira and Sadie Family Soldaat, respectively.

Final results by straight averaged judges’ scores.

Final Conclusions…

The 2026 tasting line-up featured an incredible array of mature Grenache wines, all representing the finest expression of terroir and winemaking from around the world. Also, it cannot be overstated that many preliminary tasting rounds took place during the course of the year with view to choosing the final line-up of wines. Merely having your wine selected for the final Judgement of Wimbledon tasting line-up should be regarded as a massive accolade in itself. 

The 2026 Grenache line-up.

For the 2027 Judgement of Wimbledon Blind Grenache Tasting, the younger 2023 vintage will be assessed. If you would like to potentially have your wines included in the tasting, please message me directly through the A Fine Wine Safari contacts page. Until next year, keep drinking Grenache!!

Fine organisation by the sommeliers at 67 Pall Mall Private Members Club.

Premium South African Producers Descend on London for the Liberty Wines Portfolio Tasting…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The first quarter of the year always sees the Liberty Wines Portfolio tasting at the Oval in Vauxhall, London, which features an incredible array of wines from around the world. This year I decided to focus on tasting the exciting crop of new and current release wines from South Africa in their range. Many in the UK will be aware that several key South African premium producers have recently moved over to the Liberty Wines portfolio, making it now one of the most exciting line-ups with any importer in the UK. As always, it was fantastic to catch up with the producers in person like John Seccombe, Marelise Niemann, Craig Wessels, Peter-Allan Finlayson, Chris Mullineux and others.

The Restless River New Releases from Craig Wessels will be featured in a separate write-up on A Fine Wine Safari coming very soon.

Dr Jamie Goode tasting with John Seccombe.

Thorne & Daughters:

Thorne & Daughters Paper Kite 2024, 13% Abv.

Semillon planted in 1963 on Granite soils. Rich leesy aromatics with lemon and herbs, lanoline and buttered white toast. Crisp, fleshy but beautifully saline and textured on the finish.

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

John Seccombe

Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse White Blend 2023, 13.5% Abv.

Rich and waxy with lemon and peaches, lactic leesy hints and some marzipan nuances. Fleshy, and pithy, packing a nice bit of power on the long finish. Impressive as always.

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

Thorne & Daughters Snakes & Ladders Sauvignon Blanc 2024, 14% Abv.

This Skurfberg vineyard delivers a pithy, waxy yellow orchard fruit characters that balance the slightly oily notes of the Sauvignon Blanc phenolics. The palate is chiselled and fresh with a vibrant saline acidity and a cool, pithy, mineral finish. Classy grown up Sauvignon!

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

Thorne & Daughters Wanderers Heart 2022, 13.5% Abv.

A Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvedre blend. Shows exotic sweet spices, layers of red fruits and bramble berries. Acids are crisp and saline, the minerality adding extra crunch, definition and tension. Lovely textured red Rhone blend with weightless concentration.

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

Momento Wines:

Momento Chenin Blanc / Verdelho 2022, 13% Abv.

Complex leesy, herby, savoury aromatics before a more fleshy palate packed with granitic minerality and a yellow orchard fruit complexity. Serious effort as usual.

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

Momento Grenache Blanc 2023, 13.5% Abv. 

Pithy, dusty aromatics with grated apple skins, pear drops and granitic minerality. Beautifully balanced, the palate shows freshness, citrus pithiness, dried herbs and a crystalline wet river pebble finish. Top class example. 

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

Myself and Marelise Niemann

Momento Grenache Gris 2023, 13% Abv.

Waxy green apple cordial and wet grey slate aromatics. Lovely intensity on the palate, a pronounced salinity and a cool, crystalline, mineral finish. Impressive! 

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

Momento Paardeberg Grenache Noir 2023, 13% Abv.

Distinct bramble berry fruit aromatics, delicately perfumed with potpourri and rose petals. Beautifully cool, mineral and restrained in the palate, taut, crystalline and pure with crunchy saline chalky red berry notes on the finish.

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

Peter-Allan Finlayson

Crystallum and Gabrielskloof Wines:

Crystallum The Agnes Chardonnay 2025, 13.5% Abv.

Embryonic, pithy and fresh with white citrus, green melon and delicate fruit salad and cream notes. Lovely concentration, flinty stony reductive hint with a wet river stone finish.

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

Crystallum Clay Shales Chardonnay 2025, 13% Abv.

A little more citrus, peaches and cream with leesy hints and buttered brioche nuances. Dense, compact and textured, the concentration is punchy, the toasty melon and citrus fruits intense and long.

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

Gabrielskloof Elodie Chenin Blanc 2024, 13% Abv.

From 40- and 45-year-old Swartland Chenin Blanc vineyards. Taut stony mineral expression with apple, peach and pear drop aromatics. There’s impressively delicate weightless green apple notes, with a cool, crystalline, easy drinking finish.

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

Crystallum Peter Max 2024, 13.5% Abv.

Beautifully aromatic nose laced with potpourri, violets, and bramble berry spice. Incredibly intense and vibrant with piercing red berry fruits, cherry and a salty finish. Wow!

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

Gabrielskloof Syrah Whole Bunch 2024, 13% Abv.

A deliciously brambly, earthy peppery aromatics ps led full of smoky black berries, tar and burnt wood embers. Palate is soft and supple, cool, elegant and vibrant with crunchy acids and a long finish full of Christmas spices.

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

Gabrielskloof Cabernet Franc Landscape Series 2022, 14% Abv.

Beautifully expressive aromatics of sweet cedar, liquorice, tar and salty black currant. The elegance and salinity follows to a juicy, vibrant palate, finishing with graphite minerality and herbal spice.

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

Mullineux Wines:

Mullineux Old Vine White 2024, 13.5% Abv.

Still circa 70% Chenin Blanc with some Quartz vineyard but mostly low yielding Paardeberg Chenin Blanc. Aromatics are full of sweet herbs, crushed Granite and white peach with a weightless concentration, delicately pithy fruits and a yellow orchard fruit concentration on the finish. Punch and impressive for the vintage.

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

Mullineux Terroir Series Granite Chenin Blanc 2024, 13.5% Abv.

Lovely tangerine and white peach notes with hints of green apple, deep veins of liquid minerality and concentrated apple and white citrus on the finish. Layered, fleshy and intense, this packs a real punch.

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

Chris Mullineux

Mullineux Syrah 2023, 13% Abv.

A very pretty fragrant aromatics with red and black berry fruits, violets, lavander and sweet herbs. The tannins are cool and stony, pithy and mineral with notes of saline black currant, black liquorice and Granitic spice. Tangy, fresh and beautifully intense.

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

Mullineux Terroir Series Schist Syrah 2023, 13.5% Abv.

A beautifully fragrant and exotic aromatics showing violets, lavander, musk and stony minerality. The delicately perfumed nose gives way to a power packed palate, dense, savoury and spicy, packed full of black pepper, cured meats and smoky wood embers. A substantial wine indeed.

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

Leeu Passant Wines:

Leeu Passant Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, 14% Abv.

Intricate aromatics of sweet cedar, lead pencil, graphite, sweet Chai tea over black currant fruits. Silky and sleek in the mouth, cool, mineral and classically framed, this is really elegant and restrained for old world wine lovers.

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

Leeu Passant Chardonnay 2023, 14% Abv. 

Exotic aromatics of perfumed peach and apricot, honeydew melon, green apple and buttered white toast. Massive concentration on the palate with candied citrus, lime cordial and a fleshy green apple finish. Wow, this has a lot of stuffing.

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

Adi Badenhorst, a new agency for Liberty Wines.

Also on taste:  Restless River from Craig Wessels, AA Badenhorst Family Wines who’s sample bottles were mostly finished before I could taste them due to popular demand, the Bosberaad Wines from Paul Jordaan and Pauline Roux which I recently reviewed on A Fine Wine Safari, as well as a selection of Fairview Wines and Spice Route Wines. 

Pauline Roux, partner in Bosberaad Wines.

Another Classic Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Release from Stark Conde…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The beautiful Stark Conde winery is located in the scenic Jonkershoek Valley ward of the Stellenbosch region and up until 2023, the wines were produced by Cabernet Sauvignon magician, Rudger van Wyk, now head winemaker at Doolhof Winery in nearby Wellington. I often state that a winery’s quality and ambition can be most easily measured by the quality of their entry level offerings, and for the Stark Conde winery, their Estate Cabernet Sauvignon forms one of the most important wines in their range as well as one of their most enticing offerings when you consider quality and price.

Owner Jose Conde and the Stark Conde Winery often describe themselves first and foremost as a premium Cabernet Sauvignon producer and of course why wouldn’t you when your vineyards are situated on some of the most attractive Cabernet-friendly Stellenbosch terroir in the entire Western Cape. So it is always interesting to taste and assess their new Estate Blend Cabernet Sauvignon release as any winery is only as good as its most modestly priced wine. With the release of their phenomenal 2021 vintage (96/100 GSMW) selling out incredibly quickly, all eyes were immediately focused on the follow-up 2022 vintage offering.

The 2022 vintage in the Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch, produced high-quality, elegant wines, particularly noted for a sense of freshness, brightness, and well-structured, fruit complexity, often with a slightly lighter, more refined style in reds and vibrant, crisp acidities in the whites. The cooler, more sheltered nature of the Jonkershoek Valley, combined with Stellenbosch’s consistently mild conditions in 2022, allowed for excellent natural acidity retention and intense flavour development. 

Stark Conde Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, WO Jonkershoek Valley, 14% Abv. 

This 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is yet another blinder from Stark Conde. The lift, aromatics and perfume seem that much more expressive, showing a piercing fragrance of pressed violets, sweet baking cloves, salted black liquorice and sappy cedar before darker, broodier notes of damson plum and crème de cassis. The palate is delightfully supple and soft, impressively elegant and accessible at this youthful stage, yet utterly enticing as the salty black currant and black cherry waves of fruit wash over the palate before leaving a stony, graphite mineral-tinged finish. Another real beauty of a wine that has all the swagger and sophistication you’d expect from this dynamic Jonkershoek Valley estate. Drink now until 2040+.

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

The Stark Conde wines are imported into the UK by South African specialist merchant Museum Wines. Release price is approximately £110 IB per 6 excluding duty and VAT.

Gabriel Du Bois Making Waves with His Du Bois Vineyards Sonop Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024 Maiden Release…

DuBois Vineyards
~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The Sonop farm in Koelenhof, Stellenbosch has been in the du Bois family since 1931 and of the 140 hectares under vine around 20 of those hectares are planted to Old Vine Chenin Blanc, some of which have in the past been bought by wineries such as Alheit Family Vineyards, where Gabriel worked with Chris Alheit from 2020 to 2024, as well as by Bellingham who use the fruit in their famous Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc. 

Over the years, I have been persuaded by winemaker Ian Naude to do multiple wine lectures at the Elsenburg College in Stellenbosch and have built up a bit of a soft spot for the incredibly talented young students I have encountered there. Fourth-generation Gabriel du Bois also studied at Elsenburg, and this new wine is his first release under the du Bois family label, sourced from two Old Vine Chenin Blanc blocks planted in 1982 and 1986, which were whole bunch pressed, spontaneously fermented and then matured for 11 months on their fine lees in used 400 litre oak barrels. The wine was aged for an extra 6 months in bottle prior to release.

The two single vineyards behind this wine were planted on the northeastern slopes of Sonop hill in 1982 and 1986. These old heritage certified bush vines, rising above Koelenhof at 240 to 280 metres, lie on red and blue shale with fractured clay beneath, allowing deep root penetration, steady moisture uptake, and a natural fruit lift. The 2024 growing season brought heavy rain in early spring, followed by persistent, fierce False Bay breezes that dried out the topsoil and kept vigour in check. The resulting low yields delivered berries with concentration, brightness, and vivid flavour.

Du Bois Vineyards Sonop Chenin Blanc 2024, WO Stellenbosch, 13% Abv.

This Old Vine Chenin Blanc offers up beautifully classical aromatics of warm rain on granite, dried straw, fynbos and lemon blossoms over more seductive white peach, fresh stem ginger and green apple fruit nuances. Initially very nervy, slightly reductive and tight fisted on opening as you would expect with a young 2024 wine, the perfume and fruit slowly unfurl, offering up something extra each time you nose the glass. The steely tension and linearity initially shape the palate but given a few hours to unwind, the wine shows the vintage’s archetypal effortless concentration and seamless glycerol texture with classical restraint. Deliciously saline with mouthwatering acids, the wine remains taut, racy and incredibly precise with a long, persistent honey and pear laden finish. Still embryonic, so lock this Chenin Blanc up in the cellar and revisit with interest in 2 to 3 years’ time. A phenomenal maiden release, Gabriel du Bois is definitely an exciting new young talent to watch very closely. Drink from 2027 to 2038+.

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

For more information, visit: http://www.duboisvineyards.com

 

Polkadraai Hills Delivers Another Sensational Van Biljon Winery Release – Tasting the Cinq 2020 Cape Bordeaux Blend…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Last year I paid an excellent visit to see Chris Keet, the winemaker at the Van Biljon winery in Stellenbosch in the Polkadraai Hills, situated just behind the Raats Family Winery. I was fortunate enough to taste a selection of lovely back vintages including the Cinq maiden release Van Biljon as well as their yet unreleased 2021. But with their 2020 blend only hitting the market now, I thought I would take another look at this exciting new release from what was quite a complicated Cape vintage.

In general, it is always difficult to generalise about Polkadraai Hills vintages as so often they depart from the Stellenbosch norm with their cool, south facing vineyards overlooking False Bay, benefiting from cooling breezes off the cold Atlantic Ocean. In 2020, good winter rains in 2019 laid the foundation for a “good, solid” vintage. Fortunately, the grapes were harvested and in the cellar by the end of March before Covid-19 started a mad scurry in the wider Cape winelands. Overall, the growing season was moderate to cool with timely in-season rainfall which laid the foundations for yet another high-quality vintage. A beautifully composed wine, the Cinq 2020 draws on the best elements of each cultivar in the blend and delivers a really distinguished expression that must surely rank among the top Cape Bordeaux blend examples of the vintage. Known for its high scoring consistency, the Van Biljon Cinq is slowly becoming a Stellenbosch phenomenon, and 2020 looks to continue this trend.

Van Biljon Cinq 2020, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

The 2020 Cinq cuvee is a majestic blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, the wine shows an enticingly fragrant, lifted, exuberant aromatics marked with sweet violets, piquant cedar spice, wet tobacco leaf, black currant and pronounced graphite lead pencil nuances. Lifted and airy, the palate is intricate and multi-dimensional revealing an energetic, vivacious character with the most seductive fine grained velvety tannins, cool spicy black currant and black cherry fruit notes, and a most agreeably fulsome and harmoniously textured balance on the spicy finish. It is surely this wine’s classical balance, effortless intensity and elegant concentration that makes it yet another incredibly attractive Cape Bordeaux blend offering. Drink now to 2040+.

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

The Van Biljon wines are available to trade in the UK from specialist importer Woodwinters, and to consumers from reputable merchants like Museum Wines.

The Old Vine Project A Decade On – Tasting a Selection of Heritage Certified New Release Wines: Part 2…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

In South Africa, the Old Vine Project (OVP) exists to protect the heritage of old vines and to ensure that old vineyards continue to thrive. Old vines are living history. Wines made from them embody decades of care, skill, and dedication. In South Africa, the OVP affords producers the opportunity to certify their old vine vineyards and wines. That it can do so is largely thanks to the South African Wine Industry Information Systems (SAWIS) database, and its records dating back to 1900. This database enables the OVP to verify planting dates and gives South Africa a unique global advantage – traceability and credibility. Members of the OVP may apply for the Certified Heritage Vineyards seal that clearly states the planting date for wine made from vineyards of 35 years or older.

When consumers think of the majority of Old Vine wines, chances are they will reference Chenin Blanc or Colombard, cultivars planted on mass years ago mostly for distillation. However, when it comes to red cultivars, the diversity of Old Vine wines on offer is a little more restricted. But among the leaders of the pack has to be Cinsault and Pinotage, two work horse varietals in the South African wine landscape.

Fuselage Wines Staggerwing Old Vines Cinsault 2021, WO Paarl, 12.5% Abv.

Danie Morkel is the acclaimed winemaker for Roodekrantz who also happens to make wines under his own boutique label called Fuselage – his family owns the Diemerskraal airfield between Wellington and Malmesbury which obligingly lends Danie’s brand the aviation link. Planted in 1954, Danie finds beauty in the mundane workhorse of Cinsault that has stood the test of time, endearing it to its operatives and taking it to an elevated status, to one of a classic and collectable wine. 

This 2021 is a charming expressive Cinsault red displaying intricate aromatics of fragrant pink flowers and rose petals, tart cranberries and red cherries over a savoury, earthy base of wet loam. The palate is cool and well defined, the crisp acidity lending a fine frame over which sleek, crystalline, translucent red berry fruits are elegantly draped. The fruit sweetness is subtle and sophisticated allowing a wet stone pithy minerality to shine through on the finish. Elegant, delightfully easy drinking and utterly charming. Drink now to 2032+.

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

Welgegund Heritage Wines Old Vine Cinsault 2024, WO Wellington, 12.5% Abv.

Established in 1777 and lovingly restored by the Brimacombe family since 2014, Welgegund – a Dutch word meaning “well bestowed” – regards their Heritage range of wines as a key part of their legacy with their Certified Heritage Vineyards a source of great pride. Their Certified Heritage Vineyard that produces their Cinsault grapes was planted in 1974. It is a dryland, bush vine and low yielding vineyard that produces top quality fruit. This Southwest facing vineyard has ancient, decomposed granite soils that add to the minerality in the wine and the vines are packed with hay bales at their feet to retain moisture and as a natural way of keeping weeds at bay. The fruit is harvested by hand in the early morning and cool grapes are delivered to the winery where the grapes go to open top fermenters, in mostly whole bunch clusters with stalks intact, and are then aged for 12 months in 500 litre French oak barrels before being bottled unfiltered in June 2025. Only 1,400 bottles were produced.

Wellington is of course home to the oldest Cinsault vineyard in South Africa (Basson Vineyard), so unsurprisingly, this 1974 Old Vine expression also shows plenty of pedigree loaded with attractive aromatics of wild strawberries, mulberries, and Pink Lady apples with a delicate dusting of cracked pepper spice and Granitic minerality. On the palate, the wine is soft, supple and approachable with a harmoniously fleshy mid palate that reveals cool, well integrated acids, a hint of salinity, silky powdery tannins and a pithy, red cherry fruited finish. Open, generous and beautifully approachable. Drink now to 2034+.

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

Bellevue Heritage Pinotage 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

Bellevue Stellenbosch is the oldest commercial producer of Pinotage in South Africa having produced South Africa’s first bottled Pinotage. Bellevue’s story is one of bold decisions and forward thinking. When Pieter Krige (P.K.) Morkel couldn’t find Gamay vines in 1953, he embraced a pioneering South African cultivar: Pinotage. This decision not only shaped Bellevue’s identity but also contributed to the global recognition of Pinotage as a uniquely South African wine. Bellevue currently works with the oldest average vine age in Stellenbosch with their youngest block 25+ years old and their oldest 73 years old.

Bellevue winemaker Wilhelm Kritzinger.

This 2021 Pinotage is another special heritage wine with a profound sense of place from one of the oldest commercial Pinotage vineyards in the world. A registered single vineyard planted in 1953, this 1.85 hectare sustainably farmed old bush vine vineyard reveals an incredibly complex and exotic aromatics that’s multi-layered with red and black bramble berry fruits, hints of dark chocolate and peppermint crisp, and an infusion of sage and bay leaf dried herbs. The palate is full bodied but supple with a broad, creamy, luxurious opulence that is embellished with lashing of sweet black currant and mulberries, Christmas spice and a deliciously sweet and sour acidity that slowly melts away on the long concentrated finish. Deliciously accessible but super serious as well. Drink now to 2036+.

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