There 11 products in this category
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Savage
Duncan Savage matriculated at Rondebosch Boys High School in 1995. In 2016. Savage Wines was set up in the heart of Cape Town in Salt River. Vineyards for his wines are leased and grapes sourced from around the Western Cape, maritime in nature where possible. Granitic soil is the focus. From Duncan Savage: Grapes sourced from the Langverwagt farm in Kuils River on the outskirts of Stellenbosch. Decomposed granite soils overlooking Table Bay and False Bay, a perfect home for maritime Stellenbosch Syrah. Three parcels of vines, all trellised but farmed as a sprawl canopy - a trellised bush vine of sorts. Soils are poor, vigour is low and grapes are scarce, all a perfect recipe for classically styled Syrah. All the fruit is sorted as whole bunches before spontaneous fermentation in conical foudre and open top fermenters. 30% of the fruit is fermented as submerged cap with regular aeration, the balance as a normal fermentation with 2-4 aerated pump overs per day. 2-3 weeks on skins is followed by basket pressing and aging in old 500L barrels for 13 months. The wine then spends a further 10 months in foudre prior to bottling. 2021 is a classic vintage. Obviously I’m slightly biased, but I do feel that this wine may be one of the best Savage Reds we have made to date. Plums, lavender, cola, violets and the characteristic Langverwagt white pepper. The palate is taught and focused compliments of the granitic soil tannin structure and a classic vintage. A wine that will drink well for the next 10-15 years
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Kanonkop
One of the most legendary Stellenbosch wines. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels, rather like a fine classed growth Claret. Complex, layered and intense aromas of cassis, plums, spiced oak and cigar boxon the nose. The palate is rich and supple, with seamless fruit / oak integration, delicate tannins and a fine seam of acidity. Layers and layers of plush fruit explodes in the mouth with concentrated flavours of tomato cocktail, black and red fruits, and stewed meat. A wine of immense purity, depth and freshness. A subtle note of mint on the finish completes a wine filled with detail.
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Meerlust Estate
Pronounced lifted floral perfume on the nose with a brooding and seductive dark berry fruit, musk, wild mushrooms and hints of iron, savoury richness and spice and an intense vibrant minerality. On the palate there are very pure Pinot fruit flavours on entry with red cherry and musk flavours coupled with fresh acidity. The wine has layered complexity with great elegance and finesse. Very fine lacy, almost powdery tannin on the finish.
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Savage
Duncan Savage matriculated at Rondebosch Boys High School in 1995. In 2016. Savage Wines was set up in the heart of Cape Town in Salt River. Vineyards for his wines are leased and grapes sourced from around the Western Cape, maritime in nature where possible. Granitic soil is the focus. From Duncan Savage: Cinsault from a 41 year old dry farmed bush vine vineyard in Darling. The vines are grown in decomposed granite on a south facing slope which gets battered by the prevailing south east wind off the cold Atlantic. We have worked with this vineyard since 2011 and the level of consistency and purity never ceases to amaze. Grapes are meticulously sorted in both vineyard and winery, more so in 2022 due to the extreme vintage. 20% of the fruit was discarded to ensure only the best bunches were processed. 50% whole bunch spontaneous fermentation with gentle extraction and 2 weeks on the skins. Basket pressing is followed by a year in older foudre, amphora and old 500L barrels before bottling. Follow the Line always displays aromatic purity, strawberries, cherries, rose petals and violets. The 2022 vintage showcases all of this with a little more texture and richness courtesy of the warmer vintage. The vines adapted incredibly to the challenges and have yielded an extremely complex wine with the characteristic freshness of granitic soils. Follow the Line drinks beautifully young but will age well up to 10 years
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Vilafonté
Named in honour of the ancient vilafonté soils that make up the estate at 1.5m years old, one of the oldest documented soil types in the world where the vines for this wine have been growing for almost two decades. A Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Just 330 barrels produced of this stunning wine. Layers of fresh plum, black cherry, baking spice and vanilla pod. Lovely mineral notes with a lingering finish. A line of acidity giving real tension to the whole wine.
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Iona
Cool climate freshness and fragrant sweet, ripe cherry and blackberry flavours, with firm, ripe tannins. Blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Mouvedre, Viognier. Drinking well now and suitable for cellaring for at least 10 years.
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Crystallum
A wonderfully complex barrel-fermented Chardonnay from different vineyards inland from the coastal town of Hermanus. It boasts aromas of white peach, papaya, jasmine and hints of lemongrass. A complex, balanced vintage that reflects the distinctness of its five fruit. White peach, litchi and green apple on the nose with lime zest, butterscotch and a gunflint and smoke on the palate. Restrained oaking and crisp acidity providing leanness and edge to support the primary fruit.
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Crystallum
The signature aromatics of wild strawberry, black cherry and sweet Indian spices are all in place as well as pomegranate, red plum and cocoa. A tense and structured palate speaks to the 60% whole bunches used in fermentation, with the tannins showing a pine-like freshness. With a generosity of fruit and a particularly upright focus this wine will age into 2035. Once a location for a film based on the life of Napoleon, the 'Cuvée Cinema' vineyard produces intense, age worthy Pinot Noir from Dijon clones, with aromas of sour cherry, musk, forest floor and flint.
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Meerlust
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.
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Kanonkop
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.
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Tesselaarsdal
Berene Sauls has a very unique story. Growing up in a small village in the Overberg, Berene admits that she came from a beer-drinking community, and wine was never really on her radar. Her first exposure was at the age of 19, when she began working for the trailblazing Hamilton Russell family as an au pair. Lasting only a month, her talents at childcare aside, Anthony Hamilton Russell recognised her drive and thought a job working in the winery office would better suit her. Thrown in at the deep end knowing really nothing about wine, she was soon exposed to every side of the business - assisting with exports, bottling and labelling, driving forklifts and picking during harvest too, as well as on the side, "growing and developing a palate that wasn't there!" Her curiosity kept her rising through the ranks, and fifteen years after starting her career, Anthony offered her the opportunity to make her first wine, aided by proficient head winemaker Emul Ross. She leapt at the opportunity, and the rest is history. She named her business Tesselaarsdal for the small village that she grew up in, and if you look closely at the label, you can make out two people walking across the mountain. This is Berene and her grandmother. From unirrigated vineyards on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, and this is just her third release! Crisp acidity and lean minerality underpin notes of melon and tangerine fruit and accents of lime blossom. A triumphant expression of terroir, this medium-bodied, cool climate wine is both silky and fresh and boasts a long, elegant finish.