Tag Archives: South Africa

Carmen Stevens Angels Reserve Shiraz 2022, Swartland, South Africa

31 Friday Oct 2025

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Medium garnet colored, with slight staining and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The wine has a slightly murky look, perhaps it’s not filtered?  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of plums, pomegranate, blackberry, smoke, game, and cracked pepper.  The palate is dry, with medium acidity, a medium body, and medium tannins that fade quickly.  The flavors are medium in intensity and echo the nose, but with some added astringency, perhaps over-steeped black tea.  The finish is medium (+) in length and shows off some sweetness of fruit.  It’s a decent bottle that ran me $11 and gets 88 points, making it a 4 star effort.  It has some cellaring capacity, perhaps till 2030.  I am pairing it with smoked duck breast.  Salut….

Carmen Stevens Angels Reserve Shiraz

Fram Cinsault 2021, Citrusdal Mountain, South Africa

14 Wednesday May 2025

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Pale ruby colored, with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of cranberry, rhubarb, red cherry, vanilla, coffee, singed alder, and a slightly green herb note.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body, and medium (-) tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of rhubarb, cranberry, red cherry, and charred wood.  The finish is medium in length, slightly tart and very delicious.  This wine started off with a muted nose, attacked with really enjoyable red fruit and has a delightful structure that is very appealing.  This varietal is normally blended or used in rosé production.  Seeing it as a stand alone was a no-brainer.   Really yummy and worthy of 90 points.  I would drink it till 2028 with lighter meat dishes, the delicacy of this wine does not need a big fatty Ribeye.  For $17 a bottle, you gotta grab a few.  5 stars.  Salut….

Fram Cinsault

Arabella Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Western Cape, South Africa

02 Friday May 2025

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining, and a medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, black plum, licorice, charred oak, mint, tomato stalk, and coffee.  The palate is dry with medium (-) acidity, a medium body and medium tannins that are plush. Slightly more intense flavors of black cherry, black plum, licorice, coffee, and a hint of tomato leaf.  The finish is very smooth and lush, the tannins completely melded and the ripe fruit shining through.  It’s a tasty drop with a structure to age short term that will pair nicely with filet, veal or a hearty roast duck.  I enjoyed the 2019 vintage and think this one is on par at 89 points.  Still running $13, it’s a solid 4 star wine.  Salut….

Arabella Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Babylonstoren Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Simonsberg-Paarl, South Africa

16 Saturday Nov 2024

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Deep purple colored with slight staining and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has  medium (+) intensity aromas of blackberry, black plum, vanilla, coffee, acai berry, mint, cedar plank and charred oak.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body, and medium (+) tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of black fruits with nicely integrated oak – giving vanilla, coffee, cedar and charred oak notes.  It has a medium (+) ending that wraps the fruit and oak into a focussed finish.  The tannins resolve quickly btw leaving a nice mouthfeel.  I dig this $20 effort and think it’s a 92 point wine to drink till 2028.  5 stars for the price/quality ratio.  Salut….

babylonstoren Cabernet Sauvignon

Raats ‘Red Jasper’ 2021, Stellenbosch, South Africa

03 Sunday Nov 2024

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Medium ruby colored with moderate staining and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black plum, capsicum, black cherry, acai berry, vanilla, coffee, baking spice, charred oak, peppermint and dusty dried wheat (I know).  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that hit on the tip of my tongue.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of black plum, black cherry, espresso, Lapsang Souchong tea, vanilla, baking spice and charred oak.  The back end is very powerful with tea, black coffee, and charred oak being prominent.  The finish is quite dry with the tannins holding their own all the way through to a medium length ending.  It’s a different profile but very delicious if paired with food.  It’s Sunday roast so the meat and gravy will sort this delicious wine out nicely.  91 points from me for this $20 effort makes it a 5 star wine to drink till 2030.  Mainly Cabernet Franc (53%) it also has Malbec, Cab Sav, Merlot and a touch of Petit Verdot- the Classic Bordeaux blend.  Salut….

Raats Red Jasper

Blaauwklippen Red Blend 2019, Stellenbosch, South Africa

30 Wednesday Oct 2024

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining and a medium viscosity.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of rooibos tea, black and red plums, black cherry, charcoal, bell pepper, mint, cola and currants.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body and medium tannins. The acidity really picks up on the mid palate but keeps the wine very light and fresh.  Flavors of currant, black plum, red plum, singed alder, mint and cola.  The herbaceous note I smelled is non-existent on the palate.  The tannins and acidity are nicely balanced and the wine is lip-smacking.  I paid $19 for this blend of 90% Cab Sav, 10% Cab Franc that get 89 points from me and 4 stars.  I’m pairing it with grilled Andouille and Chorizo sausages with some gratin potatoes.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Blaauwklippen Red Blend

De Toren Fusion V 2015, Stellenbosch, South Africa

13 Sunday Oct 2024

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Deep ruby colored with slight staining and medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of blackberry, mulberry, smoke, coffee, dark chocolate, licorice, violets, caramel and ripe black plum.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that are melding nicely.  The flavors consist of slightly tart black fruit with dark chocolate, coffee, licorice, some smoky hints and silky caramel.  The finish is long but the tartness of the fruit is noticeable yet refreshing even though this wine has got some heat.  Already 9 years old, it has plenty more cellaring capacity and should evolve with more tertiary notes developing from this classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.  I’m going with 93 points and for the princely sum of $65 it gets 4 stars.  It’s pairing with Sunday Roast.  Salut….

Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc 2022, Stellenbosch, South Africa

16 Friday Aug 2024

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Medium lemon colored with gold highlights and high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon verbena, lemon peel, white acacia, orange blossom, vanilla pod, melon, mango, rosewater and perhaps a touch of lychee.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a medium (+) body.  Exotic flavors of mango, melon, lemon zest with florals of orange blossom and acacia mixed with a definitive vanilla-like quality.  The finish is medium (+) in length and a touch bitter, perhaps some skin contact?  There is a hint of oak usage here that I am enjoying alongside the weighty mouthfeel.  Tonight’s pairing is grilled Swordfish with beurre blanc- show hold up to that.  90 points, and for $14, a 5 star effort indeed.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

Glenelly Estate Reserve Red 2016, Stellenbosch, South Africa

09 Friday Aug 2024

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Deep ruby, inky in fact, with high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of cassis, blackberry compote, mint, violets, tobacco, coffee, vanilla, baking spice, Rooibos tea, acai berry, blueberry and a medicinal note.  Quite layered and developing.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium tannins that have melded nicely.  Charred oak is the first thing I taste followed by ripe blackberry, cassis, blueberry, acai berry, vanilla, mint, Rooibos tea and that medicinal note (from oak).  The finish is medium (+) in length and focuses on the charred oak notes.  I like this blend of 43% Cab Sav, 21% Merlot, 15% Syrah, 11% Petit Verdot and 10% Cab Franc- it’s silky and layered reminding me of an aged Bordeaux.  It will develop more and last till 2030 methinks, getting 92 points and for $20- 5 stars.  It begs for a meat stew or grilled game.  Imma stock up on this beauty.  Salut….

Doolhof Dark Lady of the Labyrinth Pinotage 2020, Wellington, South Africa

04 Sunday Aug 2024

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of coffee, dark chocolate, blackberry, bramble, creosote, red licorice and acai berry.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium body and medium tannins.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of coffee and dark chocolate greet me followed by less prominent dark fruit notes and some red licorice.  The tannins are silky yet textured and have a delightful mouthfeel.  The finish is medium (+) in length and focuses on coffee and acai berry flavors.  It turns a touch tart right at the end.  Yummy stuff I am pairing with roast Duck.  91 points, drink till 2026.  For $22, this is a delicious wine worthy of 5 stars.  Salut….