Red
Red wines are produced in many regions around the world, each with their own unique style and flavor profile.
In Argentina, Malbec is the most famous red wine, known for its bold, fruit-forward flavors, and notes of blackberry, plum, and vanilla. Malbec is the most widely planted red grape variety in Argentina.
In California, Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted red grape variety, known for its full-bodied flavors, firm tannins, and notes of black fruit, cedar, and vanilla. Other popular red grape varieties in California include Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Australia is known for producing high-quality Shiraz, also known as Syrah, which is known for its bold, spicy flavors, and notes of black pepper, blackberry, and chocolate. Cabernet Sauvignon is also widely planted in Australia, producing wines with bold flavors and firm tannins.
Chile is famous for producing high-quality Carménère, a red grape variety that was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in Chile in the 1990s. Carménère is known for its bold, spicy flavors, and notes of dark fruit, tobacco, and chocolate.
In the United States, Pinot Noir is the most famous red wine from Oregon, known for its bright fruit flavors, silky texture, and notes of earth and spice.
In conclusion, red wines are produced in many regions around the world, each with their own unique style and flavor profile. From the bold flavors of Argentine Malbec to the silky texture of Oregon Pinot Noir, there is a red wine to suit every taste preference.
Red

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Vinous (90)
Full ruby-red. Classic varietal aromas of redcurrant, plum, tobacco, spices and milk chocolate. Plush, sweet, fruit-driven flavors of cassis, black raspberry, licorice and pepper offer a pliant, rather open-knit texture but have the concentration and energy for mid-term aging. Nicely perfumed and not heavy. Finishes with a ripe but serious dusting of tannins and very good length. An excellent showing.Inc. VAT£246.04 -
Vinous (85)
The 2012 Merlot comes half from the estate and half from Keermont. It has a light blackberry and raspberry bouquet that feels a little timid and needs more vigor. The palate is medium-bodied with dusky red berry fruit, soft texture and moderate acidity, the one-third new oak neatly used, but it needs more vigor and vivacity on the tertiary finish.Inc. VAT£249.64 -
Inc. VAT£169.24
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Inc. VAT£220.84
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Platter’s Wine Guide (94)
4.5* Naturally fermented fruit (as all) from 4 Mont Fleur and Keermont parcels. Fine tannin structure for intense bramble fruit, plum pudding spice from 19 months in 35% new oak. Beautiful balance and great prospects. Also showed great freshness. Unfined and unfiltered.Inc. VAT£477.67 -
Vinous (90)
(15.7% alcohol; aged for 22 months in 50% new oak; 4 g/l r.s.): Full ruby-red. Musky blueberry, black raspberry, mocha, licorice pastille and violet on the nose, plus a hint of smoked meat. Very sweet, concentrated dark berry and pepper flavors show a slight warmth and liqueur-like ripeness leavened by firm acidity. Densely packed and filled in but not heavy. Finishes with serious tongue-dusting tannins and excellent length. I suspect this will be better once it absorbs some of its baby fat and early sweetness.Inc. VAT£440.44 -
Vinous (91)
Saturated ruby. Musky blackberry, blueberry, mocha, gunflint, black pepper and underbrush on the nose. Plush, smooth and deep, with superripe flavors of black raspberry, blackberry, dark chocolate and sexy smoky oak. Utterly seamless Syrah with serious but fine-grained tannins and excellent lingering sweetness. Really stains the palate with sweet dark fruits.Inc. VAT£416.44 -
Wine Advocate (91)
The 2012 Syrah 393 is de-stemmed and crushed gently, undergoing malolactic fermentation in the barrel. It has a tightly wound, mint-fresh, more floral bouquet compared directly to the 2012 Blueprint Syrah. The palate is well balanced with slightly lighter and more tensile tannin structure, brisk and lively with moderate depth. It offers vibrant black fruit towards the finish and a lingering balsam aftertaste, completing a well-crafted Syrah that should give 8-10 years of pleasure.Inc. VAT£394.84 -
Vinous (91+)
(15% alcohol): Bright medium ruby. Perfumed scents of blueberry, cassis, violet, pepper and licorice. Juicy, brisk and concentrated, with the dark berry and licorice flavors showing surprising energy and lift for the high alcohol. At once powerful and fine-grained, finishing with dusty, building tannins and lingering black fruit and violet perfume. This very young wine possesses a serious tannic spine for aging but is already nicely delineated. An excellent Syrah in a black fruit style. The tannins turn a bit dusty with aeration.Inc. VAT£373.24 -
Inc. VAT£270.04
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Vinous (92)
The 2015 Syrah 393 includes 10% whole bunch fruit and was matured for 12 months in 40% new fine-grain French oak with a light toasting, and then transferred into used oak for another nine months. It has a very attractive bouquet of blackberry, blueberry, crushed violet and vanilla scents that are pure and opulent. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin, and quite harmonious and smooth, delivering good density while not compromising on fruit. This is still quite backward and deserves another couple of years in bottle, but there is good potential here.Inc. VAT£333.64 -
Inc. VAT£104.81
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Inc. VAT£316.84
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Platter’s Wine Guide (93)
4.5* Altitude of rocky, steep, partly terraced home-vineyard on Mont Fleur farm inspires the name of this celebrated syrah, deftly marries richness and power with refinement. Full-ripe blackcurrant and raspberry, spicy hint of liquorice, fine tannis boding well for the future. 12 months in 40% new barrels.Inc. VAT£789.67 -
Inc. VAT£146.69
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Tim Atkin MW (95)
Not so long ago, the fruit for Follow The Line used to disappear into the Savage Red, but it's now established as a superb wine in its own right. Fermented with 50% whole bunches, it's an ethereal cuvée of Cinsault with 7% Syrah, with rose petal, pepper and Turkish Delight notes, strawberry and hibiscus flavours and sculpted tannins.Inc. VAT£203.09 -
Greg Sherwood MW (96+)
After a bit of vintage shuffling, last years 2015 blockbuster was the last Savage Red blend to be bottled, reverting in 2017 to a pure 100% Syrah wine made from vines grown exclusively on granitic soils in both Stellenbosch and the Swartland. Farmed biodynamically, the Stellenbosch vineyard fruit makes up the lion’s share of this wine and indeed will comprise 100% of the Savage Red in 2018. The grapes spend two weeks on their skins with 50% whole-bunches used before spending 13 months in 500 litre barrels and a further 9 months in 3,200 litre conical foudre, or just under two years elevage in the cellar. A super smart and super concentrated expression, this later release allows one to revisit the fabulously complex aromatics and balance of the exceptional 2017 vintage. Loaded with piquant blueberries, saline cassis and blackberry opulence, the nose shows strikingly complex notes of pink musk, sweet grilled herbs, black peppercorn spice and is embellished with an intoxicating exotic sweet white lily blossom fragrance. The palate intensity is also tremendously impressive with a harmonious crystalline purity and classical elegance in abundance. Showing a slightly more overt, opulent personality to the broody foursquare 2015, this wine represents an evolution and growing maturity in the red winemaking of Duncan Savage. One of his best efforts to date no doubt.Inc. VAT£99.20 -
Greg Sherwood MW (96+)
After a bit of vintage shuffling, last years 2015 blockbuster was the last Savage Red blend to be bottled, reverting in 2017 to a pure 100% Syrah wine made from vines grown exclusively on granitic soils in both Stellenbosch and the Swartland. Farmed biodynamically, the Stellenbosch vineyard fruit makes up the lion’s share of this wine and indeed will comprise 100% of the Savage Red in 2018. The grapes spend two weeks on their skins with 50% whole-bunches used before spending 13 months in 500 litre barrels and a further 9 months in 3,200 litre conical foudre, or just under two years elevage in the cellar. A super smart and super concentrated expression, this later release allows one to revisit the fabulously complex aromatics and balance of the exceptional 2017 vintage. Loaded with piquant blueberries, saline cassis and blackberry opulence, the nose shows strikingly complex notes of pink musk, sweet grilled herbs, black peppercorn spice and is embellished with an intoxicating exotic sweet white lily blossom fragrance. The palate intensity is also tremendously impressive with a harmonious crystalline purity and classical elegance in abundance. Showing a slightly more overt, opulent personality to the broody foursquare 2015, this wine represents an evolution and growing maturity in the red winemaking of Duncan Savage. One of his best efforts to date no doubt.Inc. VAT£256.84 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
The Savage Red is now a varietal Syrah from a vineyard on decomposed granite in Kuils River, right next door to the Polkadraai Hills. Peppery, pure and intense, with no new oak to occlude the flavours, lots of plum and blackberry fruit, detailed tannins and a stony, refreshing finish. Brilliant winemaking.Inc. VAT£236.69 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
Duncan Savage sources Thief in the Night from Bielie and Erasmus van Zyl's vineyards at 600 metres in Piekenierskloof. Partnering Grenache with 11% Cinsault and 3% Syrah, fermented with 20% whole clusters, it's pale, crunchy and refreshing with redcurrant and pomegranate fruit and wonderful balance and minerality.Inc. VAT£261.89 -
As a prime embodiment of South African winemaking, Duncan Savage Western Cape Follow The Line 2022 presents a harmonious blend of Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah. Crafted by world-renowned vintner Duncan Savage, renowned for his dedication to precision and purity, this wine hails from the western cape's coastal vineyards, where cool maritime breezes bestow distinctive character.
Exquisite attention to detail marks every stage of production. Following an organic process, vines are pruned meticulously, and hand-harvested grapes are fermented naturally, leading to the most authentic representation of vintage and vineyard. Ageing gracefully in old French oak finely balances fruit and tannin, offering drinkers an elegant, multilayered delight.
A tasting of Duncan Savage Western Cape Follow The Line 2022 reveals fresh red fruit notes, backed by delicate spices and earthy undertones. This wine is a beautifully balanced ensemble reflecting South Africa's mineral-soaked terroirs.
Inc. VAT£232.84 -
Wine Advocate (94)
The Savage Wines 2023 Cinsault Follow The Line has a tiny 6% addition of Syrah for extra spice and color. The 2023 vintage is cool, making for lighter-colored wines in general. However, the bouquet here is beautiful. You get lifted red fruit with heritage rose, lavender pastilles and strawberry cream. It is not a massive or powerful wine, nor is it intended to be. It remains soft and pretty, showing definition and clarity. Fruit comes from Darling close to the beach with high winds and a 10-degree drop in temperatures. This bottle underlines the enormous potential of South African Cinsault.Inc. VAT£239.09 -
Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a sublime blend hailing from Stellenbosch, a premier wine-producing region in South Africa. This sumptuous red is exquisitely crafted by Louis Strydom, chief winemaker at the prestigious Ernie Els Wines estate. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are meticulously hand-harvested and matured for 18 months in fine French Oak barrels to yield an opulent and smooth finish.
The Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a dignified wine, boasting aromas of ripe, dark fruit and structured tannins, mirroring the rolling vineyards in which it is birthed. Notes of blackcurrant, cherry and mocha imbue it with a harmonious balance of richness and complexity, perfect for discerning palates. This bottled poetry is the manifestation of international sportsman and winery owner, Ernie Els's, dedication to excellence. Savour this beautifully matured Cabernet Sauvignon from the heart of South Africa - the epitome of fine wine.
Inc. VAT£235.24 -
Vinous (92)
The 2020 Syrah on Sandstone is 50% whole cluster with three to four weeks on the skins. Vibrant red berry fruit, rose petal and light black pepper notes unfold on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh entry, quite saline, good depth and grip with a pure iodine-tinged finish. Very seductive.Inc. VAT£379.78 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
The 2014 release has less Cabernet Sauvignon and more Cabernet Franc than the 2013 and is better for it in my opinion. it's another wine that lives up to the Bordeaux pedigree of its owner, May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, with violets and graphite on the nose, notes of chocolate and mint, fine tannins and a long, refreshing finish. 2021-29Inc. VAT£276.04 -
Greg Sherwood MW (97)
If the 2015 Lady May resembled a powerful, dense, Pauillac-styled Cabernet Sauvignon led red blend, and the 2016 a broader, softer expression from a warm dry vintage, then the 2017 is pretty much the antithesis, boasting the most elegant, silky, seamlessly harmonious texture combined with an attractively fragrant, Margaux-esque delicacy, an understated density and graceful precision. While super youthful, the wine inevitably displays some of the lush, alluring and reassuringly expensive new oak creaminess, boasting layers of warm buttered brown toast smothered in black currant preserve, fresh espresso, hints of mocha dust and delicate vanilla pod spice notes. But probably the most pleasing element about this wine is the way ex-winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain captured the truest essence of the 2017 vintage with its extreme purity, weightless fruit concentration that dances across the palate together with a focused, piercing intensity on the long, silky, luxurious finish. This is class personified and I for one am completely smitten. Drink on release and over 25+ years.Inc. VAT£214.84 -
Tim Atkin MW (97)
Even better than the 2017 release - and there aren't many top Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends that you can say that about - this is a superb Lady May that makes light of the hot, dry conditions. Something of a sleeper, it's a brooding assemblage of Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, aged in 92% new wood. Intense, smooth and textured, with graphite and cigar box aromas, fine-grained tannins and layered flavours of damson, fennel and blackcurrant leaf.Inc. VAT£206.44 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
Bouncing back from the fires in 2019 - and then some - this is the best young Pinot Noir release I've tasted from Hamilton Russell. Representing a subtle shift in style towards greater perfume and fruit, this is a detailed, finely judged blend of clones 113, 115 and 667, with svelte tannins, tidy acidity, rose petal top notes and skilfully integrated oak.Inc. VAT£219.64 -
Wine Advocate (93)
This wine comes from a site with iron-rich soils, resulting in structure and savory aromas. Made with Dijon clones (113, 115, 667 and 777), the Hamilton Russell Vineyards 2023 Hemel-En-Aarde Valley Pinot Noir has dark fruit (blackcurrant), grilled rosemary and a ferrous note of rusty nail. Clones with bigger clusters are used because the site tends to produce small bunches naturally. Anywhere from 10% to 15% whole-cluster fruit is used, depending on vintage. The wine undergoes a wild fermentation, and if the winemaking team does inoculate, they use yeast from the property. Cap management has changed over the years from twice daily punch-downs to a gentle approach resembling a tea infusion, with wine poured over the cap. There is a heavier note to this wine that is specific to this site and builds a robust fruit profile.Inc. VAT£230.44 -
Greg Sherwood MW (96)
This certainly is a deep, broody exotic expression of Cabernet Sauvignon that is more reminiscent of a cool vintage Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon than anything from Bordeaux or the Cape. Opened and tasted over 4 to 5 hours, the wine hits its stride surprisingly quickly with plenty of perfumed purple flowers, violets, bruleed black berries, baked blueberry crumble, crème de cassis and a pleasing note of mocha and vanilla pod spice. Initial notes of kelp and maritime seashore salinity quickly give way to a more weighty, sensual melange of black berry compote nuances and hints of cherry kirsch liquor. While this wine certainly shows all the deft elegance and finesse we associate with the 2017 vintage, it also displays a certain extra gravitas, power and weight of fruit concentration combined with great poise, density and a seamlessly textured mineral graphite finish. This is a dark horse that will drink well on release and age deceptively well for 20+ years.Inc. VAT£295.24
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Vinous (90)
Full ruby-red. Classic varietal aromas of redcurrant, plum, tobacco, spices and milk chocolate. Plush, sweet, fruit-driven flavors of cassis, black raspberry, licorice and pepper offer a pliant, rather open-knit texture but have the concentration and energy for mid-term aging. Nicely perfumed and not heavy. Finishes with a ripe but serious dusting of tannins and very good length. An excellent showing.In Bond£189.00 -
Vinous (85)
The 2012 Merlot comes half from the estate and half from Keermont. It has a light blackberry and raspberry bouquet that feels a little timid and needs more vigor. The palate is medium-bodied with dusky red berry fruit, soft texture and moderate acidity, the one-third new oak neatly used, but it needs more vigor and vivacity on the tertiary finish.In Bond£192.00 -
In Bond£125.00
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In Bond£168.00
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Platter’s Wine Guide (94)
4.5* Naturally fermented fruit (as all) from 4 Mont Fleur and Keermont parcels. Fine tannin structure for intense bramble fruit, plum pudding spice from 19 months in 35% new oak. Beautiful balance and great prospects. Also showed great freshness. Unfined and unfiltered.In Bond£366.00 -
Vinous (90)
(15.7% alcohol; aged for 22 months in 50% new oak; 4 g/l r.s.): Full ruby-red. Musky blueberry, black raspberry, mocha, licorice pastille and violet on the nose, plus a hint of smoked meat. Very sweet, concentrated dark berry and pepper flavors show a slight warmth and liqueur-like ripeness leavened by firm acidity. Densely packed and filled in but not heavy. Finishes with serious tongue-dusting tannins and excellent length. I suspect this will be better once it absorbs some of its baby fat and early sweetness.In Bond£351.00 -
Vinous (91)
Saturated ruby. Musky blackberry, blueberry, mocha, gunflint, black pepper and underbrush on the nose. Plush, smooth and deep, with superripe flavors of black raspberry, blackberry, dark chocolate and sexy smoky oak. Utterly seamless Syrah with serious but fine-grained tannins and excellent lingering sweetness. Really stains the palate with sweet dark fruits.In Bond£331.00 -
Wine Advocate (91)
The 2012 Syrah 393 is de-stemmed and crushed gently, undergoing malolactic fermentation in the barrel. It has a tightly wound, mint-fresh, more floral bouquet compared directly to the 2012 Blueprint Syrah. The palate is well balanced with slightly lighter and more tensile tannin structure, brisk and lively with moderate depth. It offers vibrant black fruit towards the finish and a lingering balsam aftertaste, completing a well-crafted Syrah that should give 8-10 years of pleasure.In Bond£313.00 -
Vinous (91+)
(15% alcohol): Bright medium ruby. Perfumed scents of blueberry, cassis, violet, pepper and licorice. Juicy, brisk and concentrated, with the dark berry and licorice flavors showing surprising energy and lift for the high alcohol. At once powerful and fine-grained, finishing with dusty, building tannins and lingering black fruit and violet perfume. This very young wine possesses a serious tannic spine for aging but is already nicely delineated. An excellent Syrah in a black fruit style. The tannins turn a bit dusty with aeration.In Bond£295.00 -
In Bond£209.00
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Vinous (92)
The 2015 Syrah 393 includes 10% whole bunch fruit and was matured for 12 months in 40% new fine-grain French oak with a light toasting, and then transferred into used oak for another nine months. It has a very attractive bouquet of blackberry, blueberry, crushed violet and vanilla scents that are pure and opulent. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin, and quite harmonious and smooth, delivering good density while not compromising on fruit. This is still quite backward and deserves another couple of years in bottle, but there is good potential here.In Bond£262.00 -
In Bond£82.00
-
In Bond£248.00
-
Platter’s Wine Guide (93)
4.5* Altitude of rocky, steep, partly terraced home-vineyard on Mont Fleur farm inspires the name of this celebrated syrah, deftly marries richness and power with refinement. Full-ripe blackcurrant and raspberry, spicy hint of liquorice, fine tannis boding well for the future. 12 months in 40% new barrels.In Bond£626.00 -
In Bond£103.00
-
Tim Atkin MW (95)
Not so long ago, the fruit for Follow The Line used to disappear into the Savage Red, but it's now established as a superb wine in its own right. Fermented with 50% whole bunches, it's an ethereal cuvée of Cinsault with 7% Syrah, with rose petal, pepper and Turkish Delight notes, strawberry and hibiscus flavours and sculpted tannins.In Bond£150.00 -
Greg Sherwood MW (96+)
After a bit of vintage shuffling, last years 2015 blockbuster was the last Savage Red blend to be bottled, reverting in 2017 to a pure 100% Syrah wine made from vines grown exclusively on granitic soils in both Stellenbosch and the Swartland. Farmed biodynamically, the Stellenbosch vineyard fruit makes up the lion’s share of this wine and indeed will comprise 100% of the Savage Red in 2018. The grapes spend two weeks on their skins with 50% whole-bunches used before spending 13 months in 500 litre barrels and a further 9 months in 3,200 litre conical foudre, or just under two years elevage in the cellar. A super smart and super concentrated expression, this later release allows one to revisit the fabulously complex aromatics and balance of the exceptional 2017 vintage. Loaded with piquant blueberries, saline cassis and blackberry opulence, the nose shows strikingly complex notes of pink musk, sweet grilled herbs, black peppercorn spice and is embellished with an intoxicating exotic sweet white lily blossom fragrance. The palate intensity is also tremendously impressive with a harmonious crystalline purity and classical elegance in abundance. Showing a slightly more overt, opulent personality to the broody foursquare 2015, this wine represents an evolution and growing maturity in the red winemaking of Duncan Savage. One of his best efforts to date no doubt.In Bond£80.00 -
Greg Sherwood MW (96+)
After a bit of vintage shuffling, last years 2015 blockbuster was the last Savage Red blend to be bottled, reverting in 2017 to a pure 100% Syrah wine made from vines grown exclusively on granitic soils in both Stellenbosch and the Swartland. Farmed biodynamically, the Stellenbosch vineyard fruit makes up the lion’s share of this wine and indeed will comprise 100% of the Savage Red in 2018. The grapes spend two weeks on their skins with 50% whole-bunches used before spending 13 months in 500 litre barrels and a further 9 months in 3,200 litre conical foudre, or just under two years elevage in the cellar. A super smart and super concentrated expression, this later release allows one to revisit the fabulously complex aromatics and balance of the exceptional 2017 vintage. Loaded with piquant blueberries, saline cassis and blackberry opulence, the nose shows strikingly complex notes of pink musk, sweet grilled herbs, black peppercorn spice and is embellished with an intoxicating exotic sweet white lily blossom fragrance. The palate intensity is also tremendously impressive with a harmonious crystalline purity and classical elegance in abundance. Showing a slightly more overt, opulent personality to the broody foursquare 2015, this wine represents an evolution and growing maturity in the red winemaking of Duncan Savage. One of his best efforts to date no doubt.In Bond£198.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
The Savage Red is now a varietal Syrah from a vineyard on decomposed granite in Kuils River, right next door to the Polkadraai Hills. Peppery, pure and intense, with no new oak to occlude the flavours, lots of plum and blackberry fruit, detailed tannins and a stony, refreshing finish. Brilliant winemaking.In Bond£178.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
Duncan Savage sources Thief in the Night from Bielie and Erasmus van Zyl's vineyards at 600 metres in Piekenierskloof. Partnering Grenache with 11% Cinsault and 3% Syrah, fermented with 20% whole clusters, it's pale, crunchy and refreshing with redcurrant and pomegranate fruit and wonderful balance and minerality.In Bond£199.00 -
As a prime embodiment of South African winemaking, Duncan Savage Western Cape Follow The Line 2022 presents a harmonious blend of Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah. Crafted by world-renowned vintner Duncan Savage, renowned for his dedication to precision and purity, this wine hails from the western cape's coastal vineyards, where cool maritime breezes bestow distinctive character.
Exquisite attention to detail marks every stage of production. Following an organic process, vines are pruned meticulously, and hand-harvested grapes are fermented naturally, leading to the most authentic representation of vintage and vineyard. Ageing gracefully in old French oak finely balances fruit and tannin, offering drinkers an elegant, multilayered delight.
A tasting of Duncan Savage Western Cape Follow The Line 2022 reveals fresh red fruit notes, backed by delicate spices and earthy undertones. This wine is a beautifully balanced ensemble reflecting South Africa's mineral-soaked terroirs.
In Bond£178.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
The Savage Wines 2023 Cinsault Follow The Line has a tiny 6% addition of Syrah for extra spice and color. The 2023 vintage is cool, making for lighter-colored wines in general. However, the bouquet here is beautiful. You get lifted red fruit with heritage rose, lavender pastilles and strawberry cream. It is not a massive or powerful wine, nor is it intended to be. It remains soft and pretty, showing definition and clarity. Fruit comes from Darling close to the beach with high winds and a 10-degree drop in temperatures. This bottle underlines the enormous potential of South African Cinsault.In Bond£180.00 -
Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a sublime blend hailing from Stellenbosch, a premier wine-producing region in South Africa. This sumptuous red is exquisitely crafted by Louis Strydom, chief winemaker at the prestigious Ernie Els Wines estate. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are meticulously hand-harvested and matured for 18 months in fine French Oak barrels to yield an opulent and smooth finish.
The Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a dignified wine, boasting aromas of ripe, dark fruit and structured tannins, mirroring the rolling vineyards in which it is birthed. Notes of blackcurrant, cherry and mocha imbue it with a harmonious balance of richness and complexity, perfect for discerning palates. This bottled poetry is the manifestation of international sportsman and winery owner, Ernie Els's, dedication to excellence. Savour this beautifully matured Cabernet Sauvignon from the heart of South Africa - the epitome of fine wine.
In Bond£180.00 -
Vinous (92)
The 2020 Syrah on Sandstone is 50% whole cluster with three to four weeks on the skins. Vibrant red berry fruit, rose petal and light black pepper notes unfold on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh entry, quite saline, good depth and grip with a pure iodine-tinged finish. Very seductive.In Bond£278.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
The 2014 release has less Cabernet Sauvignon and more Cabernet Franc than the 2013 and is better for it in my opinion. it's another wine that lives up to the Bordeaux pedigree of its owner, May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, with violets and graphite on the nose, notes of chocolate and mint, fine tannins and a long, refreshing finish. 2021-29In Bond£214.00 -
Greg Sherwood MW (97)
If the 2015 Lady May resembled a powerful, dense, Pauillac-styled Cabernet Sauvignon led red blend, and the 2016 a broader, softer expression from a warm dry vintage, then the 2017 is pretty much the antithesis, boasting the most elegant, silky, seamlessly harmonious texture combined with an attractively fragrant, Margaux-esque delicacy, an understated density and graceful precision. While super youthful, the wine inevitably displays some of the lush, alluring and reassuringly expensive new oak creaminess, boasting layers of warm buttered brown toast smothered in black currant preserve, fresh espresso, hints of mocha dust and delicate vanilla pod spice notes. But probably the most pleasing element about this wine is the way ex-winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain captured the truest essence of the 2017 vintage with its extreme purity, weightless fruit concentration that dances across the palate together with a focused, piercing intensity on the long, silky, luxurious finish. This is class personified and I for one am completely smitten. Drink on release and over 25+ years.In Bond£163.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (97)
Even better than the 2017 release - and there aren't many top Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends that you can say that about - this is a superb Lady May that makes light of the hot, dry conditions. Something of a sleeper, it's a brooding assemblage of Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, aged in 92% new wood. Intense, smooth and textured, with graphite and cigar box aromas, fine-grained tannins and layered flavours of damson, fennel and blackcurrant leaf.In Bond£156.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
Bouncing back from the fires in 2019 - and then some - this is the best young Pinot Noir release I've tasted from Hamilton Russell. Representing a subtle shift in style towards greater perfume and fruit, this is a detailed, finely judged blend of clones 113, 115 and 667, with svelte tannins, tidy acidity, rose petal top notes and skilfully integrated oak.In Bond£167.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
This wine comes from a site with iron-rich soils, resulting in structure and savory aromas. Made with Dijon clones (113, 115, 667 and 777), the Hamilton Russell Vineyards 2023 Hemel-En-Aarde Valley Pinot Noir has dark fruit (blackcurrant), grilled rosemary and a ferrous note of rusty nail. Clones with bigger clusters are used because the site tends to produce small bunches naturally. Anywhere from 10% to 15% whole-cluster fruit is used, depending on vintage. The wine undergoes a wild fermentation, and if the winemaking team does inoculate, they use yeast from the property. Cap management has changed over the years from twice daily punch-downs to a gentle approach resembling a tea infusion, with wine poured over the cap. There is a heavier note to this wine that is specific to this site and builds a robust fruit profile.In Bond£176.00 -
Greg Sherwood MW (96)
This certainly is a deep, broody exotic expression of Cabernet Sauvignon that is more reminiscent of a cool vintage Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon than anything from Bordeaux or the Cape. Opened and tasted over 4 to 5 hours, the wine hits its stride surprisingly quickly with plenty of perfumed purple flowers, violets, bruleed black berries, baked blueberry crumble, crème de cassis and a pleasing note of mocha and vanilla pod spice. Initial notes of kelp and maritime seashore salinity quickly give way to a more weighty, sensual melange of black berry compote nuances and hints of cherry kirsch liquor. While this wine certainly shows all the deft elegance and finesse we associate with the 2017 vintage, it also displays a certain extra gravitas, power and weight of fruit concentration combined with great poise, density and a seamlessly textured mineral graphite finish. This is a dark horse that will drink well on release and age deceptively well for 20+ years.In Bond£230.00