Vinous (94)

Inky ruby. Highly perfumed aromas of dark berry liqueur, incense and peony are energized by a smoky mineral flourish. Sweet and seamless in texture, offering densely packed blackberry and cherry compote flavors and suggestions of candied violet, spicecake and chewing tobacco. The floral and mineral notes resonate emphatically on an impressively long, penetrating finish that features mounting tannins and a sweet hint of cola.

Decanter (96)

Vines with an average age of 60 years from lieux-dits Combe, Patou, La Côte, Les Mazards and Chaillot provide the fruit for this Cornas. It spends 20 months in barriques, around 20% new. There are multiple layers to the aromatic palate: rosemary, thyme, herbal bitters, blackberry, blackcurrant and loganberry. A medium-bodied, concentrated but unforced wine with no excessive extraction, a subtly spiced finish and sinewy, brushed tannins. Detailed, focussed, structured and textural, this is captivating and true to its terroir.

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.

Vinous (96-97)

Spice- and mineral- accented dark berry, smoky bacon and floral pastille scents show excellent delineation and pick up deeper licorice and olive paste notes with air. Sappy and expansive in the mouth, offering juicy boysenberry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors that show outstanding depth and are lifted by a potent mineral flourish. Powerful yet lively in character, delivering solid finishing thrust and closing with noteworthy tenacity and youthfully chewy tannins that build steadily.

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.

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.

Jeb Dunnuck (94-97)

The 2017 Cornas La Sabarotte is similarly purple-colored and boasts more black fruits, spice, chocolate, and dried soil/earthy notes. It's full-bodied, powerful and rounded, with a terrific sense of balance and purity paired with ample meatiness, density, and classic full-throttle Cornas character. It might just rival the 2016, which is saying something.

Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)

The 2018 Cornas La Sabarotte sees the most new oak (100% actually) and comes from a rocky, granitic southeast facing lieu-dit and vines planted mostly in 1947. Despite the new oak élevage, you wouldn't know it by tasting it. It offers a monster bouquet of blackberries, blueberries, roasted meats, ground pepper, and chocolate, with plenty of classic Cornas meatiness and minerality. Powerful, full-bodied, and opulent on the palate, with a stacked mid-palate, it’s certainly the biggest, richest wine in the lineup. It's going to take 7-8 years for this to shed its considerable baby fat.

Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)

From a cooler terroir in the northern part of the appellation, the 2017 Cornas Les Eygats is another brilliant example of this wine and the vintage. Thrilling crème de cassis, blueberry, and blackberry fruit notes give way to more ground pepper, granite-like minerality and liquid violet notes with time in the glass. Deep, rich, incredibly sexy, and voluptuous, it has remarkable purity of fruit, a supple, layered, sexy texture, and no hard edges. It's a brilliant, brilliant wine from this great estate.

The de Lorient Cornas La Cabane des Chasseurs 2021 is a quintessential French wine, originating from the revered Rhône region. Renowned for its robust, full-bodied taste, this fine wine provides a distinguished combination of red fruit layers, underscored by subtle smoky and earthy undertones. An expression of the traditional winemaking techniques, the wine is matured in French oak barrels for peak refinement.

Produced by the distinguished de Lorient estate, a trusted standard-bearer in Cornas, a commitment to quality is conceptualised in every bottle. Notably, the de Lorient Cornas La Cabane des Chasseurs 2021, is made from 100% Syrah grapes, hand-picked from the estate's vineyards. Nestled on the steep slopes, the vineyards' granite-rich soils and optimal sunlight exposure influence the grapes' defining characteristics.

As an epitome of expert craftsmanship and Rhône tradition, the de Lorient Cornas La Cabane des Chasseurs 2021 adds a deserving jewel to any restricted wine collection.

Vinous (90)

Bright ruby-red. Sexy, soil-inflected scents of blueberry, tobacco, black tea and spices. Plush, pliant and sweet on the palate, offering considerable immediate appeal and finishing with a fine dusting of tannins and very good length. Not especially complex but delicious and perfumed right now; sweeter and more pliant than the 2013 version but without that wine's lift or tannic clout.

Vinous (91)

Bright ruby-red. Lovely floral lift to the aromas of blackberry, blueberry, tobacco and licorice. Plush, very ripe aromas of medicinal black cherry, dark berries and licorice. An almost creamy style of Cabernet Franc but with a restrained sweetness. Not hugely deep but finishes with sneaky length. Ultimately more complex and gripping than the 2012 version.

Vinous (90)

Bright ruby-red. Musky aromas of black raspberry, smoke, nuts and coffee. Sweet and supple on the palate, with a pliant texture but not quite the consistency of ripeness as the 2009 version. Dark berry flavors are joined by tobacco, truffle and herbs. Here the tannins are a touch green and less refined than those of the 2009, but the finish is still rich and persistent.

Vinous (90)

(15.8% alcohol; Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 7% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc; 40% new French oak): Liqueur-like black cherry, blueberry, mocha and licorice on the nose, along with hints of pepper, fresh herbs and woodsmoke. Hugely ripe, plush and chewy but initially a bit dulled by alcohol. Rich, deep dark berry and chocolate flavors emerged with air. Finishes long, sweet and ripely tannic, with enough acidity to maintain its balance. A major no-holds-barred mouthful of Cabernet.

Vinous (91)

Full ruby-red. Brooding aromas of black cherry, cassis and licorice. Rich, sweet, seamless, plush cabernet with an almost chocolatey ripeness as well as a medicinal reserve to its pliant dark berry flavors. Wonderfully creamy, edge-free wine to drink soon or lay down. But will it be as expansive as the 2012? Lots of dusty tannins here.

Vinous (89)

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from two parcels, blended with 5% Merlot and matured in 35% new oak for 22 months. The bouquet has an attractive bouquet, quite pure with blackberry, raspberry coulis and light tobacco notes. The palate is medium-bodied with tertiary black fruit, cigar box and a touch of fig, nicely proportioned and classic in style with an almost Bordeaux-like finish. One for those who like a more classic-styled Cabernet.

Vinous (89)

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from two parcels, blended with 5% Merlot and matured in 35% new oak for 22 months. The bouquet has an attractive bouquet, quite pure with blackberry, raspberry coulis and light tobacco notes. The palate is medium-bodied with tertiary black fruit, cigar box and a touch of fig, nicely proportioned and classic in style with an almost Bordeaux-like finish. One for those who like a more classic-styled Cabernet.

Wine Advocate (88)

A full range of fruits can be seen with the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. Red, black and blue fruit are all present on the nose, with oak tones hiding in the back as well as subtle earth and cigar box aromas. Medium to full-bodied in the mouth, dark cherry, cassis and juicy blueberry glide across the mid-palate, showing integrated soft, earthy aromas of leather and inorganic rock, ending with a long finish. This is a pleasing and structured Cabernet with a focused balance. The wine spent 22 months in oak barrels, 35% new. 8,040 bottles were made.

Platter’s Wine Guide (95)

5* Exceptional wine in standout vintage, 'similar to 2007,' per David Trafford. Intense and structured, savoury tapenade undertone to black fruit and morello cherry aromas and flavours, mineral finish. Miniscule yield, just 1.2kg per vine; combo own (Mont Fleur) and neighbour (Keermont) grapes. Follows equally stylish 2016. 22 months oak, 35% new. Unfiltered.

Vinous (91)

Straw-gold. Peach, honey, menthol, herbs and flowers on the complex nose and palate. Honeyed, thick and brisk, with penetrating, ripe acidity perfectly buffering the wine's sweetness. Finishes very long, smooth and surprisingly dry. Very rich and very well balanced chenin blanc, one of the best of my tastings this year.