• About Caspernick
  • Star Ratings
  • The Master tasting list

Caspernick's Blog

~ My personal wine tasting notes

Caspernick's Blog

Tag Archives: South African Cabernet Sauvignon

KWV The Legend Big Bill Red 2014, Western Cape, South Africa

27 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by caspernick in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

$9, 5 stars, 90 points, petit verdot, shiraz, South Africa, South African Cabernet Sauvignon, western cape


This blend is really dark purple.  Made up of 60% Petit Verdot, 20% each of Cab Sav and Shiraz.  The nose is bursting with currants, juniper, a touch of oak and black cherry.  The palate is very interesting and tasty.  The Petit Verdot punches through with violets, dark cherry and leather.  Tannins are persistent but not overpowering, they leave the gums slightly dry but give the wine a freshness.  The mid palate gives me mocha as well as more dark cherries.  The finish reveals a vanilla note as well as some wood.  The winemaker has done a superb job of balancing the acidity, tannins and the 14% alcohol- which is not noticeable.  The mouthfeel is what I would describe as wholesome yet fresh.  It is relatively smooth with great potential to mellow out and possibly develop tertiary flavor.  90 points from me, drink till 2025 and pair it with lamb chops and garlic mash.  5 stars because this wine rocks and it runs a mere $9 (But I found it for $6.09 in NJ, you people should be running to that store).  Salut….

the legend of big bill ridiculously big

Share this:

  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Nederburg The Winemasters Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Paarl, South Africa

13 Thursday Apr 2017

Posted by caspernick in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

$12, 3 stars, 88 points, cabernet sauvignon, South Africa, South African Cabernet Sauvignon


Dark purple in the glass.  Nose of black cherry and dark fruits.  The palate is somewhat muted, but notes of tar, black currants and cedar abound.  The wine possesses a certain level of acidity that balances the very mild tannins, which leave a drying sensation on the finish.  This wine is decent, but somewhat boring.  It does not transcend into anything different.  It is good, yet plain.  88 points is where I feel this wine sits and I would pair it with lamb chops, venison and perhaps roast Guinea fowl.  It can be found for about $12, which make it a 3 star wine in my books.  Salut….

Share this:

  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

De Toren Fusion V 2011

18 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by caspernick in Wine

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

$50, 4 stars, 92 points, South African Cabernet Sauvignon, stellenbosch wine


Back in March of this year Moxie and I went to a charity event where we bid on several interesting items in the silent auction.  One of our winning bids was a Chef’s Table dinner for 8 at Seasons 52 in McLean, Virginia.  We invited some good friends to join us and drove like lemmings to where the GPS took us.  Not until then did we realize that the restaurant was in the mall, of all places.  Not sure what we had gotten ourselves into, we traipsed into the bustling shopping center, all dressed up in our Saturday evening gear.  Once we reached the restaurant it all became clear.  Our table was well inside the restaurant, away from the madding crowd, secluded and curtained off from peering eyes.  We were introduced to several chefs and given a rundown of what to expect.  With each course, the chef in charge would come out and give us a brief outline of the dish.  The beauty of the whole thing was not having to worry about ordering.  Every plate, morsel and combination was delicious, fresh, unique and enjoyed by all.  Our waiter was great and helped make a few of the wine selections.  Sauvignon Blanc for some, Cabernet for others.  The dinner lasted well over 2 hours, the balance of the plates with the wine and friendship was amazing and well worth the money and the wait.  We will no doubt be back for another Saturday evening soiree.

The Chef's Menu

The Chef’s Menu

The first bottle we ordered was this Bordeaux blend from Stellenbosch.  It was magnificent.  A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc & 4% Petit Verdot make this a Left Bank clone if ever I saw one.  My style of vino without a doubt.   My notes had to be discrete as Moxie kept nudging me when I had my phone out….  Short smooth black and blue fruit nose from a dark purple glass.  Bordeaux-like with plums, cola, cassis, herbs and  smooth tannins with mild acidity.  I gave it 92 points with a drinking window of 2014-2020.  WS gave it 91, close enough.  I found it online for about $50 making it a 3 star wine technically but I’m gonna give it 4 because it hit on all cylinders for me.  If you see it on a wine list, don’t  be shy to order this well integrated beauty.  Salut….

de toren fusion v

Share this:

  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

13 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by caspernick in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

5 stars, 89 points, South African Cabernet Sauvignon


For the second time in two nights, South African wines have scored highly and snuck in with high alcohol. This offering, at under $10 is a winner. Blackcurrant and plums on the nose transition to a full palate of blueberry pie. Very slight tannins are present and the wine is making my mouth water. Not overly complex, designed for short-term drinking, this is a delightful wine. I am drinking it with a cheese lasagna, but it would tackle a steak with ease. A solid 89 pointer that gets 5 stars for its price/quality. This wine will please at parties, casual dinners and just an evening glass of vino.
Ps. At 14.5% alcohol that slid right past me, you may want to drink responsibly…..

20130112-193753.jpg

Share this:

  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

RSS Me!

RSS Feed

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 289 other subscribers
Follow Caspernick's Blog on WordPress.com

Archives

Blogs I Follow

  • Finger Lakes Connected
  • the drunken cyclist
  • The Bubbly Professor
  • grapefriend
  • Drink What YOU Like

Blog at WordPress.com.

Finger Lakes Connected

the drunken cyclist

I have three passions: wine, cycling, travel, family, and math.

The Bubbly Professor

Excellent Adventures in Wine and Spirits Education

grapefriend

grapefriend. wine. fun.

Drink What YOU Like

  • Follow Following
    • Caspernick's Blog
    • Join 177 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Caspernick's Blog
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: