South Africa

RED WINES

Asara Private Cellar The Bell Tower 2012

Stellenbosch, South Africa The nose is fruity, powerful, relatively aromatic and offers concentration. It reveals notes of crushed cassis, blackberry cream and licorice associated with touches of crushed redcurrant, ripe cherry as well as touches of Cuben pepper, toasted oak, mocha and sweet spices /vanilla. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a nice acid frame, minerality, fat, tension, a fine juiciness, freshness, a good «guideline», gourmandise and a certain complexity. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of crushed cassis, Boysen berry, crushed strawberry and slight notes of fresh redcurrants combined with fine touches of pepper, violet (discreet), toasted oak as well as fine grilled touches, sweet spices / vanilla and a hint of tea. Tannins are a bit firm. Good length. There are slight touches of caramelization on the finish. Beautiful persistence.

Score : 16 Rudera – Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Western Cape, South Africa The nose is quite aromatic, structured and slightly powerful. It reveals notes of cassis, red berries jam and fine notes of raspberry associated with touches of violet, licorice, caramelization and chocolate. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a nice minerality, fat, tension, a good «guideline», a fine juiciness as well as a good definition. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry combined with slight toasted touches oak, vanilla / caramel as well as fine hints of cocoa (in the background) and a subtle touch of cardamon. Tannins are a bit firm and straight. Good length.

Score : 15.75 Rudera – Syrah 2012

Western Cape, South Africa The nose is aromatic and offers elegance as well as concentration. It reveals notes of blackberry cream, blueberry and strawberry associated with touches of jam, licorice, wood, cocoa (discreet), violet and spices. The palate is fruity, well-balanced, fat and offers a nice mineral frame, tension, a fine acidity, a fine juiciness, a good structure and a fine elegance. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of ripe / crushed red berries, ripe wild strawberries combined with touches of cassis, toasted oak, blackberry as well as slight touches of cocoa, tobacco and sweet spices.

Score : 15.5+ Rudera – Platinum 2008

Western Cape, South Africa The nose is aromatic, elegant, finely powerful and offers a fine complexity. It reveals notes of blackberry, cassis and small notes of undergrowth associated with touches of red berry jam, raspberry, wood as well as subtle touches of spices, smoke, cardamom and an imperceptible hint of Sichuan pepper. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a beautiful acid frame, a very beautiful structure (beautiful finesse!), a nice minerality, fat, tension, a beautiful precision / elegance, a very slight freshness as well as a beautiful definition. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy blackberry, juicy cassis and slight notes of cherry combined with touches of redcurrant jam, raspberry, toasted oak as well as subtle touches of cocoa, Bourbon vanilla, a very discreet hint of crème brulée and an imperceptible hint of undergrowth. Good length and persistence. There are a subtle hint of Timut pepper on the finish and a note of chocolate / cocoa on the persistence.

Score : 17.25 Asara Private Cellar

Cape Fusion 2014 – Vineyard Collection

Stellenbosch, South Africa The nose is aromatic, intense and offers a fine elegance. It reveals notes of violet, blackberry and slight notes of ripe wild red berries, raspberry candy, cherry associated with a touch of liquorice as well as a discreet / imperceptible hint of cassis bud and slight toasted hints. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a nice juiciness, a good definition, a mineral frame, a fine acidity, freshness, suavity and tension. On the palate this wine expresses notes of ripe /juicy redcurrants, ripe cassis and cherries combined with touches of raspberries as well as subtle toasted touches oak, cassis bud, chocolate / coffee and wood. Tannins are fine and very slightly firm.

Score : 15.25+ Strandveld Vineyards The Navigator 2013 Cape Agulhas – Elim, South Africa The nose is aromatic, relatively powerful and offers a fine intensity. It reveals notes of coffee / wood and cassis associated with small notes of blackberry, strawberry as well as small notes of pepper (gray pepper and Cuben pepper) and undergrowth. The palate is fruity, well-balanced, racy, relatively gourmande and offers a nice mineral frame a nice definition, a good «guideline», suavity, fat, a fine unctuosity, a racy minerality, a nice freshness as well as a good volume / roundness. In the mouth this wine expresses notes of crushed Boysen berry, crushed cassis and small notes of wild black berries combined with fine touches of ripe / crushed raspberry, ripe red berries as well as small touches of chocolate, caramelized oak, vanilla and an imperceptible hint of black pepper. Tannins are fine and very slightly chewy. Good length.

Score : 15.25+ L’Avenir – Pinotage 2014

Stellenbosch, South Africa The nose is aromatic and offers a fine concentration. It reveals notes of black cherry, black berries and plum associated with slight touches of wild fruit, wood, bush as well as hints of spices and nutmeg. The palate is fruity, well-balanced, suave, juicy, quite gourmande, well-conducted, straight, racy and offers fat, a good structure, finesse and a fine minerality. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy plum, juicy raspberry and small notes of fleshy red berries / cherries combined with slight / discreet toasted hints oak, caramelization (caramelized brown sugar) as well as subtle touches of praline and vanilla. Tannins are well-built. Good length and persistence.

Score : 15.5