Decanter (97)

This definitive wine of pure Carricante is given extensive contact on the lees, without wood, taking its structure from the grapes and terroir. Pale with golden highlights, it offers iodised notes on the expressive nose and an almost shy (still very young) palate that builds slowly in the mouth to a finale of energy and length.

Wine Advocate (95)

Carlo Ferrini's Alberelli di Giodo is a newish reality on Etna that presented its first vintage in 2016, following years of Etna winemaking experience by this celebrated Tuscan consultant. He now has the 2017 Sicilia Nerello Mascalese on the market. This is an extremely elegant and expressive interpretation of Nerello Mascalese with lots of crisp energy and lively freshness. Obtaining this level of vigor is not always easy with this finicky grape, but Carlo nails it. His wine is supported by an extremely fine and silky texture, and the bouquet is impeccably clean and pure. There is a drying mineral note that reminds you of its volcanic roots and recalls the 2017 vintage heat. The vines are 80 years old and planted at 950 meters in elevation. This is Carlo's only Etna wine (for now) and he makes 7,200 bottles.

James Suckling (95)

The purity of fruit is all here with strawberry, lemon-peel and floral undertones. Goes to cranberries. It’s medium -bodied with firm tannins and a bright, vivid and linear finish that keeps your palate clean.

Greg Sherwood MW (96)

A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Syrah and 7% Petit Verdot which was aged for 19 months in French oak, 50% new 400 litre barrels and 50% second fill. A seductively perfumed vintage, the aromatics show alluring notes of violets, potpourri and hits of lily over dark bramble berry fruits with hints of mocha espresso notes that combine with subtle buttered brown toast nuances. The palate shows fabulous elegance and finesse with a soft touch concentration of black currant, Christmas pudding, savoury plum compote and black cherry. The tannins are powdery and fine grained but also structured and drying, combining well with a fresh glossy acidity that keeps the finish focused, vibrant and bright. An impressive wine that not only shows off another great vintage in the Cape but also what is increasingly possible with the superb Anwilka Stellenbosch terroir.

Tim Atkin MW (95)

Dassiekop was the first single vineyard Chenin Blanc from Adi Badenhorst, taking its first bow in 2011. Located at 350 metres and surrounded by aromatic fynbos, this is a classic expression of granite soils: concentrated, dense and focused, all pear, wax and lanolin with mouth-watering freshness and length. 2022-27

James Suckling (97)

Stand back as this extremely intense and vibrant Etna dry white arrives! As many herbal and positively vegetal aromas as white fruit and citrus. Super-sleek and focused palate with a dangerous amount of mineral energy and samurai sword acidity. The finish lasts for minutes! Enormous aging potential. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (97)

It's time to taste the volcano! Although this is still very young, it has an amazingly refined nose that reminds us of top-class red Burgundy. Quite full-bodied, but super-elegant and transparent, with very fine tannins that build to a stunning crescendo at the mineral finish. Patience will be rewarded! Drinkable now, but best from 2023.

Vinous (94)

Ashen stone and animal musk give way to dusty florals, spiced citrus and dried black cherries, as the 2015 Etna Rosso Serra della Contessa Riserva dramatically opens up in the glass. It’s deceptively soft and juicy in feel, casting a pure display of ripe red and black fruits across a core of zesty acids, yet with fine tannins that slowly saturate toward the finale. This finishes with persistence, but also with a hulking structure that will require years to resolve, as inner rose notes and tart woodland berries linger longer. This is the inaugural vintage of the Serra della Contessa Riserva, a single-parcel selection of pre-phylloxera vines.

The Benanti, Rovittello Riserva Particella No 341, Etna Rosso 2015 is a glorious manifestation of Sicilian viticulture. Benanti, a renowned producer, located on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna, have understatedly crafted this exquisite red wine. The grapes for this vintage are handpicked from the particular vineyard plot No.341 in Rovittello, lending distinctive nuances to the wine's profile.

The careful vinification process involves ageing in French oak barrels, bestowing complex layers of flavour and silky tannins. In the glass, it unfolds an impressive bouquet of spices, ripe berries, tobacco, and balsamic notes. The undercurrent of minerality testifies to its volcanic terroir. On the palate, it's harmonious with impactful freshness and an enduring finish.

A compelling example of Etna Rosso, the Benanti, Rovittello Riserva Particella No 341, Etna Rosso 2015 offers an enchanting taste of its rich geographical and historical provenance. A fine wine connoisseur's treasure worth exploring.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Franschhoek, matured for 22 months in 80% new French barriques, has a fresh, marine-influenced bouquet that I feel has a little more complexity than the Stellenbosch. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, lightly spiced with black pepper and bay leaf, and very focused, leading to a bright and quite structured finish. This has more class and nuance than its Stellenbosch counterpart.

Matthew Jukes (19+)

The nose on this outstanding wine reminds me of an elite Cabernet from another part of the world – Frankland River in Western Australia. There is more than a hint of ‘Houghton Jack Mann’ on the perfume and palate of this wine’s sensational 25th-anniversary release. Underpinning the profoundly deep black fruit notes is a sense of earthiness and energy that allows the blackberry and blackcurrant flavours to soar. With 70% new French oak on board, which has been folded away perfectly into the heart of this mighty wine, there is an extra dimension of flavour here thanks to the addition of a soupcon of Cabernet Franc. Only a handful of South African wines manage to capture this noble grape’s true essence while maintaining a compelling sense of stylishness. 2020 CSF does this in spades and it will continue to do so for two decades.

Tim Atkin MW (99)

Boekenhoutskloof has always made impressive, age-worthy Semillons, but Gottfried Mocke has taken the 2020 to another level of complexity. Using grapes from three old parcels, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942, with the largest component from the legendary La Colline vineyard, this includes 2% Muscat d'Alexandrie and some field blended Semillon Gris. Fermented in two thirds new wood, with the rest seeing concrete eggs and amphoras, it's one of the greatest ever Cape whites. Stony, flinty and layered, with wax, lemongrass and nutmeg flavours and subtle struck match reduction. Wow!

Matthew Jukes (18.5+)

Plush and packed with cassis, this is a tremendously flashy wine with deep wells of liqueur-like fruit coupled with strident oak and a lovely bright, dry finish. Yearning to be set free, BCSS is like a prize-fighter itching for the bell so it can launch itself at its opponent. This is an amazing Cabernet and while it has the stuffing to go deep into the later rounds, I love its toned flanks and glistening musculature right now.

Platter's South African Wine Guide (97)

(Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year) Power & precision combine in stellar 2019. Ripe black cherry fruit with lifted perfume notes (dab of cab franc, as Franschhoek sibling), fine integrated tannins & fresh, lithe appeal. 75% new French oak adds to muscular richness completing a very fine wine. 5 parcels in Helderberg, Polkadraai & Faure.

Matthew Jukes (19+)

I have never forgotten the 2000 vintage of this wine, which I wrote up in one of my books many moons ago. In the blink of an eye, the perfume on this 2018 vintage took me back to that great wine and while this label has been known to wander off into the forest in certain vintages, it is back with a brooding bang and loaded with Hermitage-like malevolence in 2018. With a melange of both red and black fruit tones and considerable aromatic lift on the nose, this is a Syrah with its feet firmly planted in the earth while its head is in the clouds such is the scale and majesty of its posture. Like the other reds in this vintage, the oak integration is near perfect and this allows the fruit to sing. If there is one wine to drink before the other reds, then this is it, and while it might be a criminal offence to drink this wine so young, I am sure you will break the law for a flavour as enthralling and all-encompassing as this one.

Tim Atkin MW (97)

The wine that launched the modern Syrah revolution in South Africa, even if it's sourced from two sites in the Swartland these days, rather than Somerset West. Almost indecently perfumed and alluring, this is a very immediate wine that will also reward cellaring. Sweet spices, red berry fruit, fine, savoury tannins and just a hint of oak with energetic acidity. 2023-31

Matthew Jukes (19+)

With 90% of the fruit coming from Porseleinberg and 10% from Goldmine, both in Swartland, this is a wondrous wine with more detail and finesse than any preceding vintage. Utilising only large foudre, the spice and fruit aromatics are as pure and evocative as I have encountered in a Cape Syrah. While the flavour palette is more deep purple than black-fruited, there is no obvious oak intervention and this allows the fruit to soar. Sanguineous and sappy on the finish, this is a glorious red wine with elemental animal notes interwoven with silky ribbons of beautifully ripe blackcurrant, mulberry and plum flavours. With the same texture and volume of fruit as a Vosne-Romanée, this is a regal creation that distances itself from the meat and muscle often found in sun-loving Syrahs!

Tim Atkin MW (98)

I’m making this for Syrah fanatics”, says Reenen Borman. Lucky them is all I can say, because this is another stunning release from a brilliant young winemaker. Intense, granitic and spicy, with lovely lavender and garrigue aromas, layers of dark, inky fruit, stylish oak and amazing length. What more do you want from a Syrah? 2020-30

The benchmark cuvée from the exceptionally talented Reenen Borman, at the helm of this mythical estate since 2010 - this wine is spoken about in hushed tones amongst experts, critics.

50% whole-bunch fermentation has given the wine monolithic structure, without a single brick out of place. 25% of the wine was raised in 400 litre oak barrels, imparting gentle seasoning and further fine tannins, whilst the remaining 75% was raised in concrete eggs, preserving the fruit's sensational freshness and impossible purity.

Naturally, this wine is infantile due to its quality and structure, but already it displays a mesmeric mélange of violets, dried flowers, herbs and spices on the nose. Positively quivering with energy at this stage, the wine’s acidity shoots like Artemis’ arrow across the palate, losing no momentum through the endless finish. It is hard to overstate the juddering quality of Epilogue – Tim Atkin MW said of the 2017 that it was “now established as one of the Cape’s great Syrahs”... It is now one of the world’s greatest wines.

Tim Atkin MW (92)

Kottabos is all made with grapes from the Polkadraai area and is a southern Rhône-style blend of Grenache and 40% Syrah, benefiting from 60% whole bunches. Easy drinking and engagingly perfumed, with pot pourri and Turkish Delight aromas, candy floss sweetness and nuanced tannins. 2021-25

Characterised by undying refinement and complexity, the Cape Winemakers Guild De Trafford Reserve Chenin Blanc 2018 is a sterling exhibit of South African artistry. Landed from the sun-drenched vineyards of Stellenbosch, this wine is a creation of acclaimed winemaker David De Trafford. Reserved for the best harvests, the grapes undergo careful selection, ageing on lees for eleven months, imparting this wine with an optimised body and structure.

Each sip unveils a symphony of ripe peach, delicate pineapple, piquant ginger and nuanced nutty undertones, making this full-bodied wine an ambassador of elegance. The Cape Winemakers Guild De Trafford Reserve Chenin Blanc 2018 is an exemplary blend of terroir-driven minerality and vivacious acidity, garnering well-deserved recognition globally. A must-have for collectors and connoisseurs alike, this Chenin Blanc is an embodiment of South Africa's passionate winemaking tradition. Don't miss the chance to savour this rare geolocation's quintessential expression.

Vinous (92)

The 2017 Aristargos is a blend of several white varieties from 14 different vineyards that includes Marsanne for the first time. It is whole-bunch-pressed, with the Sémillon kept on its skins for a few days and then matured in 300-liter used barrels for 12 months. It has a vivacious bouquet of yellow plum, mirabelle and jasmine aromas, all wonderfully defined. The palate is well balanced with a waxy texture and notes of stone fruit, sesame, walnut and orange peel . A very subtle flor-like element lends tension on finish. Superb.

Vinous (91)

The 2018 Aristargos is a blend of 53% Chenin Blanc, 13% Clairette, 13% Sémillon with some skin contact, 10% Roussanne, 2% Marsanne and 9% Viognier, from a mixture of old and younger vines from across 14 vineyards, matured in neutral oak for 11 months. It has a complex bouquet of nectarine, desiccated orange peel, grilled hazelnuts and a touch of almond. The palate is fresh on the entry with a fine bead of acidity and quite neutral in style, offering subtle, fleeting glimpses of orange zest and a tang of sea salt, though I would like just a little more weight on the finish. Give this a couple of years in bottle.

Tim Atkin MW (94)

I did a double take when I realised this was the tenth vintage of Aristargos - 2010 seems like yesterday - but what a great and reliable wine it has become. Chenin-based with 50% Clairette, Semillon, Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Verdelho, it's wonderfully complex and layered, with pear, citrus and herbal notes, a hint of peach and a long, stony finish. 2021-27

Tim Atkin MW (93)

Seventeen vineyards, 25 pickings and no co-fermentation" says David Sadie of this tasty, complex cuvée of Chenin Blanc with 51% Roussanne, Semillon, Marsanne, Clairette, Viognier, Verdelho, Grenache Blanc and Colombard. Perfumed, focused and textured for a white with just 12.5% alcohol, it's waxy, subtle and nuanced, with citrus, apple and nectarine flavours and very little oak. 2021-26

Vinous (92+)

The 2016 Elpidios is a blend of red Rhône varieties, although with new vineyard plantings there is more Carignan. It includes 30% to 50% whole bunches and was matured in used French oak for 12 months, and another 12 months in bottle. It has a backward bouquet at first that opens with time, but it is very well defined, featuring blackberry, clove, bay leaf and white pepper, very understated in style but gaining clarity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin, quite insistent in terms of grip, and possesses fine backbone courtesy of the Carignan on the slightly ferrous finish. Excellent.