Redstone Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon / Malbec 2010 90+ Points

Redstone Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon / Malbec 2010 90+ Points


Medium clear, bright, dark black cherry red with purple / electric blue rim, high concentration, high viscosity, impressive concentration, no gas or sediment.

Clean, high intensity, ripe dark plums, cherries, cassis, ripe blackberries and blackcurrant medley, ripe earthy note, stony liqueur like, spicy, very good Malbec fruit definition, though only 14% of the blend (clever, this wine sould have been marketed as a Cabernet Sauvignon as it contain more than 85%), saturated Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, no new oak to preserve purity of fruit with lead pencil complexity, layered complexity.

Dry with some residual sugar, inky richness most probably derived from the saturated fruit, well complimented by medium plus acidity, medium plus tannin, so ripe, however shows high alcohol, but very well balanced, new flavours of plums / cherries paste, blackcurrant and hints of savory black olives / tapenade.

Rich, viscous, glossy like mouth feels, without loosing its focus or elegance, very young Bordeaux like, intense and impressive lenght, lingering aftertaste, powerfully restraint in one word, this is concentrated stuff!

Ono of the very best Bordeaux style red blends to come out of the Helderberg of late, only 4000 bottles made, 2000 are destined for mostly Europe and the other 2000............. well grab it of yuou can at Cape lands Estate / Mangiare restaurant.

This maiden vintage release is testament that new oak is certainly not necessary when the quality of fruit is fantastic, and great red wine can be produced with upbringing in 3rd fill barrique.

Cape Lands Estate Vineyards is relatively "small" with only 2.5 hectares of vineyard in comparison to some of it's "neighbours" such as Waterkloof, Journey's End, Idiom / Da Capo Vineyards, Wedderwill, Morgenster or Vergelegen.

This is Helderberg fruit at it's very best from 15 years old unirrigated vineyards (8 years now without a drop of additional water), grab it if you can, certainly a collector's item.