A discernable blackcurrant and dark fruit presence on the palate, with the barest traces of cigar box. You can almost taste the tannins in this blend. They’re firm and assertive but also rounded, sweet, soft and very amiable.

COLOUR: Intense, vibrant red with an even brighter red on the rim.

NOSE & PALATE: At first, cigar box comes through but also intense red fruit on the nose, followed by sprigs of violet, minty chocolate and chalkiness. When you pick up the glass, initially you’ll be struck by dark fruit but then the aromas swing back to violets, cigar box and pencil shavings - the distinctive chalkiness that’s the ‘rememberage’ of this very special Helderberg terroir. There’s complexity to this wine - much more than just pencil shavings and cassis - with Cabernet Franc bringing in fresh florals and Malbec adding brightness and perfumed notes. I’m excited to see where it goes from here, knowing it’ll age extremely extremely well. The profile of the granite soils makes this blend full-hearted, with polished, integrated, firm tannins. A gigantic mouthfeel!

EAT & DRINK: This wine will complement rich red meat dishes like ribeye, beef roasts and smoky barbeque fillet steaks.‘To complement the flavours, I’d go with tender, flavourful meat and a red wine sauce, perhaps with delicate wild mushrooms as a side. A good beef fillet, simply prepared, or matured kudu loin marinated in buttermilk, rolled in biltong spices and seared on a hot fire, would be wonderful.’

AWARDS: Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2019 - Gold,  Tim Atkin Annual South African Report 2020 - 92 points

VARIETAL: 61% Cabernet Sauvignon 25% Merlot 7% Cabernet Franc 7% Malbec

VEGAN

ORIGIN: Stellenbosch (Helderberg)

PEAK DRINKING: 5 - 10 years after harvest

THE WINE & THE MAKER: Frans Smit and his team have harnessed 3 centuries of winemaking history, to transform Spier into an internationally acclaimed Stellenbosch wine farm. Crafting blends of distinction, and identifying regional vineyards that are some of the Cape’s best kept secrets His philosophy: ‘Respect what the vineyard hands you.’

‘This vintage will go down as one of our most remarkable on record. The vines were planted between 2000-2003, so we were picking in the prime of the vineyards’ life, at 15-17 years. The wine is 100% Helderberg - what extraordinary terroir! - and without question one of the best years ever, for Helderberg Cabernet Sauvignon. So we upped its dominance in the blend to a hefty 61%, then in the final blend added Cabernet Franc from a younger vintage to stir in freshness and an element of surprise. The balance between sugar and natural acidity is quite something. A big, impressionable mouthfeel and a long, gripping finish. Never known ageing potential like this promises to be.’ - Frans K. Smit, Spier

Product Code : 60519

Country: South Africa

Packing: 75cl