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Friday, December 6, 2013

Vilafonte Series M 2011 93+ Points


On this historic day, this Series M is testament of how far the South African wine industry have positively changed since 1994 and now a serious international player of super premium, highly collectible and sought after wines, from top end growers, such as this current released blend of 51% Malbec, 46% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Vilafonte was the first South African and American joint venture, with Mike Ratcliffe of Warwick Estate and American couple Zelma Long and husband Phil Freese, a trio that have been crafting compelling wines since their partnership started over a decade ago.
Vilafonte is all about expression of the vintage and their unique location in Paarl, no set formula or style evident, except that if released it is the essence of a particular vintage.
Fanatical attention to details have shown a constant progressions over the years of what started as a Merlot blend, hence the M, with the current released being driven by Malbec.
A fantastic offering with impressive purity of fruit, yet showing a confident restraint, perfectly ripe plums, blackberries, dark cherries, intermingle with subtle earthy note, brushed of spicy Valrhona chocolate, which will integrate with time, but so irresistible now, it will be hard not to be tempted not to pull the cork!  

Ripe overall, with precise freshness, has cut, linear in profile, considering the fruit intensity and concentration on texture, juicy, tactile, embryonic, fine balancing act indeed, will reward even greater sipping pleasure when it will start peaking at around 2025+ and should drink well up to 2035+