KWV The Mentors Stellenbosch Petit Verdot 2009 93 Points

www.kwv-wines.com

Clear, bright, ruby red with electric blue purple rim, high concentration and high viscosity.

Clean, high intensity, ripe plums, cassi, blueberries, dark ripe cherries, dried rosemary flowers, spicy earthy with dark chocolate, subtle oaking, lending vanilla pod, hints of graphite, cedar wood, complex profile.

Dry with crisp medium acidity, lively, so much energy for a red, delicately juicy, crunchy medium plus ripe tannins, elegant  with intense mouth feels, yet subtle extractions, graphite element follows through, actually it's almost chalky, excellent purity of fruit, savory and full bodied, alcohol is high but very well integrated (14%), medium plus lenght, high complexity.

Approachable now, preferably served at around 15 degrees Celsius, aerate for half an hour in a decanter, will keep until 2022+, if cellared properly.

Testament to the very high standards KWV have been working quietly into their wines across the various brands, in the last few years there was no 2010 Petit Verdot bottle under The Mentors range, so even more reason to buy the 2009, from an equally stellar vintage.

Petit Verdot might be a hard sell on a winelists, one would be lucky to go through 36 bottles in a year, in a fairly busy restaurants with a wine lists of around 150 bins, but it nevertheless have it's place, for something different and yes it does add diversity in the selections.

Best advice to see more Petit Verdot, surprise your customer, offer a tasting drop, without telling them the grape / variety, see the eyes spark with interest, then present the wines in simple terms, and you have convince another customer going home with a great experience, convert? very much so, based on experience.

Very good natural acidity, which will make it a fantastic table companion, try it with a peppered ostrich steak, served medium rare, dash of cream, simple, yet will have the X factor to wow the senses!

This Petit Verdot is yet another testament of the potential of the in South Africa, I bet within the next 20 years, it will be one of the variety on its own, that South Africa, will be recognized for, yet we have to realise it will and always remain a niche offerings,  though the quality outthere is impresive, and I doubt it will ever be produced in huge commercial quantity, but who knows, no one can really predict how the wine world will change and embrace new unusual variety on it's own.