5 stars (95 points) Platter's 2021 South African Wine Guide - "Cape classic released a year later than Paul Sauer, needing time to show its best. Dark & brooding 2016 has aristocratically austere edge to its cassis & cigarbox notes & full-flavoured generosity. Absorbs 50% new oak easily; big tannins not even formidable in youth."

Big heady scent of dark fruit, leather and tobacco. Much more medium bodied compared to some of the recent vintages with good acidity and balance. Length is good with dry tannins, many years of life over which this will be enjoyed Meerlust's gorgeous iconic Bordeaux blend - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot.

“… decadent, almost ostentatious bouquet of macerated dark cherries, creme de cassis, plum and glycerine…palate is full-bodied with silky smooth, seamless tannins and layers of luscious red fruits. For hedonists, this is the perfect Shiraz!” – (NM) Robert Parker The Stork Shiraz honours the late Ken Mackenzie, pilot, businessman, farmer and benefactor. Stork was Ken’s Second World War nickname (as he was tall with long thin legs and a Spitfire pilot) and Shiraz was his preferred red wine. This limited volume wine represents a vineyard selection of Shiraz from a specific site that is planted solely on clay–rich “terra rossa” type soils. The vineyard ripens a full month later than our Gravel Hill Shiraz site. Shiraz is the cultivar that has made Hartenberg famous, and The Stork will ensure this reputation continues.

The 2019 Pinotage boasts an excellent deep colour, ripe berries and plums, smoky eucalyptus and gentle leather on the nose. Intensely ripe brambles and brioche with a good mouth-feel and lingering aftertaste. . Lovely. And will improve. Great value for money. Nobody’s been bottling Pinotage longer than Lanzerac and this wine shows a wealth of experience with this proudly South African variety. With 5 to 10 years’ maturation this wine will start to acquire the velvet density and luxurious chocolate and caramel flavours of its very early Lanzerac predecessors. A full-bodied, complex wine with a beautiful balance between fruit and wood showcasing a good tannin structure that will allow it to age extremely well.

Shiraz is a variety chosen for its property of expressing a sense of place, and in this instance, vineyards surrounding Waterford in Stellenbosch. No new wood is used in the making of this wine, using 225L Old French oak barrels, 4th fill and older. Whole berry fermentation and soft extraction methods (pumpovers only) have brought out the purity in the wine. Concentrated red and dark fruit with warm earthy aromatics can be found in this Stellenbosch Shiraz, accompanied by plum fruit and leather spice undertones. The 2016 vintage produced a lovely soft and velvety textured Shiraz, with the slight addition of Mourvèdre (12%) to build in a little tension in the finish of the wine.

The Reserve range from Vergelegen showcase varietals from the premium vineyards on the estate. The grapes were all selected from Vergelegen’s Rooiland vineyards, planted on the north to north-westerly slopes on the estate. ripe and concentrated berry fruit including ripe black cherry fruit, hints of liquorice, violets and spice. The flavours on the palate are intense and long lasting with soft tannins leading to a clean finish.

This wine is a classically structured Cabernet that speaks more of refinement and elegance than of power and weight. Initially, a closed bouquet will open up in the glass, to intense dark fruit followed by wet fynbos. These flavours follow on the palate with cassis and black cherries being supported by a subtle herbaceous note. An elegantly structured wine that lingers almost unendingly on the back palate. A fantastic companion to most meat dishes. This wine will benefit from careful cellaring for a couple of years.

Meerlust, one of the Cape's most historic wine estates, originally planted in 1693. In 1756, it was purchased by the first Myburgh and has been the pride of the family ever since. Today, after seven generations, Hannes Myburgh, the present owner, continue the great family tradition of wine making. This is a juicy, opulent and rich wine that is a perfect example of the variety.

extremely aromatic with ripe passion fruit and ripe guava, black currant leaf, a touch of lemongrass and good minerality. The aftertaste is long and clean. Serve with fresh oysters, sushi and lightly spicy Cape Malay cuisine.

Easy to drink, fresh and crisp chardonnay. A good choice for people who prefer lighter and less bodied chardonnays.

This classic Cabernet shows inviting flavours of blackberry, with hints of cocoa, almond and cedar. A full-bodied wine with excellent balance on the palate and a smooth lingering aftertaste, it just cries out for some lamb or beef steak. Really delicious.

This baby wine of SA's most famed grand Bordeaux-blend Rubicon is on astonishing form. In fact as no Rubicon was made in 2019 this wine contains all the top barrels that would normally be reserved for it. 50% new Nevers oak, 27% Cab Franc. Dense but taut with cab franc lift, pencil lead, capsicum, the whole spectrum of Cabernet class at a crazy good price.

Intrinsic Sauvignon Blanc characteristics of melon, white peach, gooseberry, and underlying tones of pineapple and passion fruit, sustained on a rich, rounded palate with well integrated oak.

Rustenberg's Red Muscadel has been made using a centuries-old process of fortifying grape juice in order to produce a dessert-style wine. Upfront scents of Turkish delight, musk, spice and ripe red fruits follow through to a lush opulent palate balancing the wine's fruit, sweetness and acidity. This very stable sweet wine has the ability to be aged further under ideal cellaring conditions and it will become richer and more concentrated over time.

Very bright, polished platinum with green, vivacious hue. Complex, appealing nose with quince, citrus and floral notes developing into lemon cream, oatmeal and marzipan richness. On the palate the wine is full bodied and generous, but still balanced by crisp acidity. There is ripe tropical fruit and creaminess balanced by a pure minerality typical of the variety. The wine has a long, very pleasant lingering finish indicating the richness and persistence of the vintage.

Rustenberg is a well-known producer of high quality Chardonnays; the Stellenbosch Chardonnay embodies their house style. Apricot, coconut and orange peel aromas followed by flavours of marzipan, sponge cake and citrus rounded off with carefully-judged oak and balanced, fresh acidity.

Instantly recognisable as South African Cab. on the nose. Herbaceous, blackcurrant leaf characters. Multi-dimensional. Charming, polished, square tannins. Enjoyable. Warming finish on a wave of fruit. Oak helps the structure, but isn’t overt or obvious at all. Hang on to this one. Oz Clarke loved it at a recent Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon webinar: 95 points "..the style is gloriously easy-going yet quite serious enough to be inspiring. The wine flows across your palate, full of red plum and cherry fruit and savoury seasoning of herbs, black olives and salted liquorice. It's led by acid rather than tannin and even hints at a little spice and violet scent."

A variety becoming more and more popular in the Cape thanks to it's drought resistant nature. This is a light, strawberry scented style. Hugely quaffable.

The John X Merriman is a powerful wine that rewards aging. In its youth the wine is worth decanting and expresses cassis, black currant and dark fruits complemented with cigar tobacco and sour cherrynotes. As the wine ages and its fine grained tannins soften a softer more savoury palate develops revealing wonderful drinkability and tertiary complexity.

Kanonkop's Pinotage comes from 63-year-old unirrigated bush vines grown on the estate. Bright ruby-red hues. A textbook Stellenbosch Pinotage with aromatic and spicy aromas of mulberry, raspberry and cinnamon. Muscular, well-integrated tannins add great structure. Flavours of bramble, violets, plums and black berries are balanced by scented new oak. An elegant wine with savoury notes on the lengthy finish, and a lifting underlying freshness.

Pale yellow with green hints.bruised apple. Quite fleshy ripe fruit with tesing juicy acidity. Lot of texture and length. Ripe stone fruits and mouth watering long finish. Wine Merchant Top 100

The Reserve range from Vergelegen showcase varietals from the premium vineyards on the estate. The grapes were all selected from Vergelegen’s Rooiland vineyards, planted on the north to north-westerly slopes on the estate. ripe and concentrated berry fruit including ripe black cherry fruit, hints of liquorice, violets and spice. The flavours on the palate are intense and long lasting with soft tannins leading to a clean finish.

The John X Merriman is a powerful wine that rewards aging. In its youth the wine is worth decanting and expresses cassis, black currant and dark fruits complemented with cigar tobacco and sour cherrynotes. As the wine ages and its fine grained tannins soften a softer more savoury palate develops revealing wonderful drinkability and tertiary complexity.