Inviting melange of plush and plump black and red berry fruits, blueberries, spice and chocolate on the nose. Those same fruits and flavours glide seamlessly from the nose onto the palate. There’s a subtle note of fennel or anise but with rich black cherry and plum notes adding succulence. Reigning in this abundance is a frame of oak and tannin which provides a gentle, muscular squeeze. Textured, rich and rounded but elegantly robust, there’s a beautiful complexity and breadth to this wine. The cocoa powder nuance is present in the long, tapered finish. One made for cellaring but also for immediate enjoyment.
Ripe black berry fruits, licorice and a trace of florality can be found on the nose. The palate offers up those same plush, ripe black berries, cherry and licorice along with a deeper, dark herb and earthy element. The sensation is one of dryness, almost a perception of being lean and austere but that’s because the wine is still tightly furled and reined in. It’s supple, sinewy, succulent and rewarding with the fruit and oak seamlessly meshed. The grip is firm without being forceful or too bold or muscular. A wine that needs time to show its true beauty.
Layered nose of inviting tea leaf, violets, dark Christmas cake and black cherries. The palate is also layered, rich with those same elements – Christmas cake sumptuousness vying with brewed tea, tomato leaf and spicy, cedary hints from time in barrel. Seductive, plush and elegantly refined but with a muscular power lurking deep down, this is an impressive, structured but rewarding wine. The integration of wood and fruit is impressive and it is beautifully balanced and long. The aftertaste lingers.
Rich Christmas pudding with spice and a hint of dried flowers on the nose. The palate offers instant appeal in its warm, smooth, richly fruited entry. Lovely interplay of flavour and texture – dark chocolate, blueberries, a touch of liquorice and dried herbs set against an earthy depth and integrated frame of polished oak.
Appealing spicy plum and dark fruit compote aromas, perfumed and seductive. The palate entry is supple, smoothly rounded and comforting. Once again, the rich and ripe plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit are apparent. It doesn’t stop there, with pepper, herbs and an earthiness mingling with a cigar box and spice nuance. The ease and approachability are something of a disguise, as the wine has grip and muscular power in abundance. Harmonious and somewhat deceptive integrated oak adds to the impression of effortless ease, yet the wine remains poised, rich, rewarding and complex.
Tendrils of spice add nuance and allure to a nose packed with black berries, hedgerow fruit and some mocha notes. The palate is plush, rounded and pillowy but layered with dark fruitcake flavour, black cherry, baking spice and pencil shavings too. The mouthfeel is complemented by its overall stature and regal refinement. Balanced with seamless integration of oak and ripe, rich fruit with lovely succulence and freshness as well. Complex, supple and silky smooth, the wine is ultimately simply delicious with a superbly long tail.
Tendrils of spice add nuance and allure to a nose packed with black berries, hedgerow fruit and some mocha notes. The palate is plush, rounded and pillowy but layered with dark fruitcake flavour, black cherry, baking spice and pencil shavings too. The mouthfeel is complemented by its overall stature and regal refinement. Balanced with seamless integration of oak and ripe, rich fruit with lovely succulence and freshness as well. Complex, supple and silky smooth, the wine is ultimately simply delicious with a superbly long tail.
Bold spicy plum pudding, black cherry and dark chocolate aromatics. The palate is all about texture: rounded, plush and lissom – but with a vibrant spicy edge. The rich, ripe plum and dark fruit promised by the nose is delivered in the mouth, along with deep cocoa powder and chocolate flavour. Alluring and more serious than it initially appears, the wine has stature and presence courtesy of its time in barrel. Yet the oak doesn’t dominate, it’s seamlessly integrated and fine, lending layers and complexity. Lovely length of flavour.
Appealing raspberry and plump cherry fruit aromas. The same succulence and rounded juicy dark fruit continues on the palate – with standout plum, cherry and raspberry flavours. A light baking spice nuance adds to the complexity and gentle Christmas cake appeal, along with supportive, seamless oak balance. Smooth textured and long with an enticing, dry yet fruited finish.
Aromas reminiscent of Christmas pudding – spice, dark plum, cherry and berry fruit. Hint of mint too. That lively spice and plum pudding interplay continues in the mouth. The palate is compact and cohesive rather than big, bold and full bodied. The oak counters the ripe fruit, providing backbone and staying power with an impressively long, dry finish.
The bouquet offers up shy plum and black fruit with a trace of roasting coffee beans. The palate is taut, controlled and appears leashed, ready to reveal its true range of flavours: spicy plum and blackcurrant notes brushed with a touch of fynbos. There is a good platform of oak which will meld ever more agreeably with the rich fruit notes over time. The finish is long and succulent and reveals an interesting saline nuance.
Subtle spice and floral delicacy underpins bright plum and raspberry fruit on the nose. Soft-textured, warm and rounded entry to the mouth. The raspberry and plum flavours are immediately present, beautifully vibrant and succulent. Notes of dry herb, fynbos and a darker licorice element, all sympathetically cradled by well integrated, unobtrusive oak. Complex but comforting and approachable with a delightfully long, peppery tail.
Intriguing and alluring melange of fynbos, soft Agen prune, pepper, berry compote and licorice with both an earthy and floral edge. The initial impression on the palate is all ripe blue and black fruit – and the power associated with them, but then it softens and becomes altogether more tempting with deeper cocoa powder and buchu flavours. The texture and mouthfeel is velvety and smooth, so supple and seamless – as is the use of oak. The wood provides a frame or skeleton but never imposes itself. The harmony of tannin and fruit is impressive and superbly meshed.
Typical cherry, plum, spice and forest floor aromas. Light smoke whiff too. A suave, supple and confident mouthful of red berry fruit which combines with smooth, silky texture. Integrated and harmonious with seamless oak and appealing dry spice notes throughout. Impressive length of flavour.
Appealing fruitcake aromas and flavours with traces of both spice and gentle floral notes. A warm, rounded, comforting texture marks the first impression of the wine in the mouth. Ripe, fruity and succulent with ample berry and black cherry flavours that are well supported by appropriate, rather than stern or overbearing, dominant oak. Spice and cedar nuances can also be found but it’s the mouthfeel and texture of the wine that really boosts its appeal. It’s approachable and affable but with good backbone and character. Length and poise too. Comfortably a wine that over delivers in many aspects.
