Buying guide: Cabernet Sauvignon
Some stunners . . . But some opportunities missed too. Tony Mossop reports on wine's latest cab tasting
Is there a gaping hole in the ozone layer over the Western Cape? Or have all those mountain fires over these past couple of summers "modified" the ripening season in the winelands? Whatever you may think, our vintages just don't seem to be as predictable as in days gone by. The adage "every year a vintage year" just doesn't fit any more. ''But the '97: now that was a red wine harvest from heaven,'' is only true for some, I'm afraid.
The 1995 Cabernets were well reviewed by the WINE panel; we expected the '96 wines to fall short by quite a margin, but many surprised with their quality and finesse, in this reputedly light and potentially uninspiring vintage (though not many are wines for lengthy cellaring).
WINE's tasters are fairly demanding: they awarded 2 Stars or less to about 60 percent of the '95s, with a hefty tally of seven wines failing to score at all, balanced by seven 4-and-aboves. Surprisingly, the '96s tasted a year later produced the same proportion of two-and-unders, about half as many "no stars", and the same number of 4-plusses. So much for the "lousy" '96s.
And the 1997s? A better crop, no doubt about that, with nearly half of the 84 Cabernets tasted scoring 3 Stars or more – and only two wines failing to impress the panel enough to score 13/20 (1 Star, or "average – acceptable"). On the other hand – no 5 Stars, but a healthy ten 4 Star-plus wines, including a couple of stunners. Problem is, however, there are not many new releases among these, with many now sold out, not only at the cellars, but at retail too.
Eighty-four young Cabernets… "How do you handle this many wines?" tasters are often asked, with the underlying implication that it's impossible. Well the same might be asked of a Comrades runner. You train for it, otherwise you fail! Nevertheless, we thought it prudent to split this tasting in half, with the same panel tasting on two successive mornings. We kicked off the second session with a mini-calibration exercise, re-tasting a handful of the previous day's wines, blind, of course, and discussing our scores to ensure everyone was still on track and that wines we had loved the previous day were still pleasing our palates the following morning – and vice versa.
Cape Wine Master and CWA principal, Christine Rudman likened the '97 weather conditions to "a French style vintage – and some of our winemakers didn't know what to make of it." She was referring to the lateness of the harvest, particularly for Cabernet, which is slow to ripen anyway. While the Cape is well into picking by early February – the equivalent of early August in Bordeaux – it is unusual for the vintage to start much before mid-September in this, the capital of Cabernet – and to continue well into October, with all the attendant risks of Autumn showers. Well, the Cape Coastal region followed this pattern in 1997, with cool weather and intermittent downpours sending nervous vignerons scuttling into the vineyards lest they miss-timed the opportunity and lost their fruit to Mother Nature. Oh ye of little faith! Those with patience (and more than a little faith) let the grapes hang, and move from the just-unripe 22-23 balling stage to a more promising 24-plus – then crafted wines with suppleness, ripe fruit flavours, and generous but harmonious tannin structure, from slow-ripened grapes picked well into May.
Philip van Zyl was a little more critical. "An opportunity missed," he felt. "Have our standards risen over the last couple of years, or have the wines just stood still? Still too many "stalky" unripe flavours…" While agreeing that '97 was a viticulturally-challenging vintage, Allan Mullins CWM felt that conditions could not have been better for winemakers who waited to achieve physiological ripeness (as opposed to sufficiently high sugar levels), and to make some classy, elegant wines. "Mercifully few jammy, commercial, tarty wines," noted our Woolworths selector – and he should know! "Cabernet is the backbone of our red wine industry, and we need a vintage like this to show what we can achieve."
Sue van Wyk CWM also noted the cavernous gap between the too-early picked and the optimally-ripe wines. "Fantastic 'mouth-feel' – ripe fruits, soft tannins – from the guys who had the guts to hang in – and let their grapes do the same!"
The problem, of course, is that grape growers are farmers – most of them don't make wine, but deliver to someone who does. They have labour to keep occupied, and a possible North Westerly cold front looming; what to do but get out there and pick?
So what did the panel like about our 1997 Cabernet Sauvignons? Quite a lot, actually: apart from the finesse of the fruit which was harvested late, exhibiting classic blackberry nuances, juicy acid balance and wonderful varietal aromas and flavours, there is less and less evidence of the "old clone" influence in our vineyards. These old, virus-infected Cabernet vines struggle to ripen, giving harsh, tea-leaf, medicinal and green olive flavours – wines you would excuse by saying "lay them away for a few years….", and finding even less to love when you finally plucked up enough courage to approach them with a corkscrew.
Wood is an integral part of the Cabernet recipe – and there are some fine examples of sensitive use of expensive French oak barrels in many of them – hence the prices! Thankfully, very few showed traces of the cheaper option – the raw, resinous taste of infused oak flavours from wood chips. And those "late harvest" Cabernets showed better acid balance than some of the earlier harvested wines – whether due to less added or more natural acid it is hard to say: our winemakers are a lot less obsessed by pH and acid levels than they used to be, thank goodness.
So – an opportunity lost, for some…. and taken by others. Those who heeded the plea from well-known and respected viticulturist, Johan Pienaar: "For God's sake… just hang on!" – waited patiently, and made some of the Cabernets of the vintage, and may have to wait for a while to repeat the performance. Hopefully those who did not wait have learned something about grape ripeness.
Four and ½ Stars
KNORHOEK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 1997 CELLAR PRICE: R35
Almost perfect panel uniformity here: a wine with blackish-plum hue and garnet rim. High toned sweet fruit cake and dusty cassis aromas, followed by dense, balanced and opulent plummy fruit on the palate, with hints of fennel, spice and pepper flavours. Youthful, yet delicious now, this will get better over the next six or seven years.
THELEMA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 1997 CELLAR PRICE: R60u
The second last wine of the long tasting – so the panel must still have had their wits about them! A dense black wine with orange-brick rim, with whiffs of mulberry, classy Nevers oak, and hints of eucalyptus. Plush and concentrated, this shows serious potential – a beautifully-crafted and balanced wine for the long haul – at least ten years, though why wait?
Four Stars
L' AVENIR CABERNET SAUVIGNON 1997 CELLAR PRICE: R45
A blackish plum shade, with garnet edge: wonderful savoury, Christmas pudding scents – cloves, plums and a whiff of cigar box. A big muscular wine, supported by loads of cherry and berry fruit, and enough juiciness on the finish to complement the sweet spicy wood flavours. Drink now – will please for another 5 to 6 years.
RUSTENBERG PETER BARLOW 1997 CELLAR PRICE: R95
Black, with deep carmine red rim; a punnet of red and black fruits – claret-like notes on the nose, with hints of vanilla. A gorgeous mouthful – but grand and restrained at the same time, with an impressive finish. Almost infanticide to drink now, but enjoy over the next six or eight years.
LE RICHE CABERNET RESERVE 1997 CELLAR PRICE: R90†
Ex-Rustenberg cellarmaster Etienne continues to deliver serious Cabernets: this one shows blackish plum hue with brick red rim. Drinking wonderfully now, with savoury ripe mulberry aromas, some smoky coffee, tar and treacle notes, followed by layers of ripe fruit, tannin and acid. Best within five years.
SAXENBURG PRIVATE COLLECTION CABERNET '97 CELLAR PRICE: R120uu
Blackish plum with brick rim; a complex, serious wine offering intense, but generous blackcurrant fruit, followed by earthy, cedarwood nuances. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and plenty of juice too. Keep for up to five years if you can.
BEYERSKLOOF 1997 CELLAR PRICE: R65†
Black, with dark crimson edge; complex aromas of tar, tobacco and cassis – this is a thick, concentrated wine, with rich chocolate flavours, leaving a subtle layer of tannins and fruit acid on the tongue. Keep for two years, enjoy for a further six or eight.
SIGNAL HILL CABERNET SAUVIGNON '97 ASHANTI CELLAR PRICE: R32†
Blackish plum, with orange rim; whiffs of sage, haystack and Christmas pudding. Shows wonderful integration of blackberry fruits and spicy French oak, backed by fennel and cocoa flavours. Drink now, or for a further five years.
FLEUR DU CAP CABERNET 1997 APPROX RETAIL PRICE: R38
An old favourite, shows blackish plum with garnet rim. Aromas redolent of molasses, prunes, woodsmoke, chocolate – very ripe and mature already. A dense, supple mouthful, ready to drink, but with legs for another four or five years.
GOEDE HOOP CABERNET 1997 CELLAR PRICE: R27,50
Black, with crimson red rim; shy, dense aromas of vanilla, violets, olives. Beautifully-balanced wine, with no component dominant; black cherry flavours on supple finish, with tannins well integrated. Nice now – and for five years or so.
Three and ½ Stars
LE BONHEUR CABERNET 1997 CELLAR PRICE: R55
Showing blackish plum hue with ruby red rim, and offering complex Claret aromas: "farmyard", fine oak, and savoury, meaty notes, carried through to palate, with gamey cassis flavours, like a maturing Bordeaux. Drink now or hold for up to six years.
BABBLING BROOK CABERNET SAUVIGNON '97 MAKRO PRICE: R22,95††
Deep plum colour, with russet brick rim, and savoury, capsicum and chocolate aromas. Sweet entry, showing "New World" fruitiness, but with smooth dry finish rather more traditional. An un-usual wine, somewhat different in character from the benchmarks in this tasting. Drink soon – within three years.
MOOIPLAAS CABERNET SAUVIGNON '97 CELLAR PRICE: R38
Black hue, with garnet red rim; shows mint aromas, some cassis and truffle notes. A big wine, with plenty of everything, so needs a little time. Tannic now; let it lie for three or four years.
Three Stars
Landskroon Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R22.00 Villiera Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R22.55 Overgaauw Cabernet Sauvignon 1997†† R23.99 Wide River Cabernet 1997 (Robertson Co-op)† R24.00 Sentinel Cabernet 1997 (Coppoolse Finlayson) R25.00 Kleine Zalze Cabernet 1997 (unwooded) R25.00 Laibach Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R28.50 Springfield Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R30.65 Laborie Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R32.00 Vergenoegd Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R38.50 WhaleHaven Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R40.00 Kaapzicht Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R41.00 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R41.50 Louisvale Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R42.90 Lievland Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R45.00 Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R45.00 Ruitersvlei Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R48.00 Clos Malverne Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R48.50 de Trafford Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R50.00 Mont Rochelle Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R50.00 Pick 'n Pay Cabernet Sauvignon '97 (Helderberg) R50.00 Rickety Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R50.00 Hartenberg Cabernet Sauvignon 1997uuu R54.00 Môreson Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R75.00 Grangehurst CIWG Auction Res Cab '97uuuu R159.00
Two Stars
Romansrivier Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R19.50 Boland Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R20.35 Eikehof Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R22.00 Cape View Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 (Kaapzicht)† R24.54 Die Krans Cabernet Sauvignon 1997††† R25.00 Excelsior Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon '97 R25.00 Kleine Zalze Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R29.00 La Cotte S Reserve Cab '97 (Franschhoek Vyds) R29.00 Delheim Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R29.35 Eikendal Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R29.50 Camberley Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 (500ml) R30.00 Diemersdal Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R30.00 Groot Constantia Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R33.00 Hoopenburg Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R34.00 Simonsig Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R34.00 Wildekrans Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R34.95 Zonnebloem Cabernet Sauvignon 1997†† R35.00 Nelson's Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R36.00 Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon 1997†† R36.31 Vriesenhof Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R36.50 Woolworths Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1997†† R39.99 Longridge Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R40.00 Steenberg Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R42.00 Warwick Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R42.00 Allesverloren Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R45.00 Uitkyk Carlonet Cabernet Sauvignon 1997†† R45.00 Dieu Donne Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R50.00 Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R55.00 Webersburg Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R58.00 Lanzerac Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R64.00 Paul Cluver Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R65.00
One Star
Daschbosch Cabernet '97 (Louwshoek-Voorsorg) R14.00 Vlottenburg Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R18.00 Bergsig Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R20.00 Bianco Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 (De Heuvel) R22.80 Leidersburg Cabernet 1997 (Jan du Preez) R25.00 Twin Oaks Cabernet 1997 (Jan du Preez) R25.00 Boschkloof Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R30.00 De Wet Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R30.00 Blaauwklippen Cabernet Sauvignon 1997† R33.60 Rhebokskloof Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R34.50 Bloemendal Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 R40.00
Also tasted:
Bovlei at R20,40, Rooiberg at R19,15
Procedures: Tasting done "blind". Wines poured at 18ºC. The 20-point scoring system was used: 5 Star = 18 or more out of 20; 4 Star = 16 or 17; 3 Star = 15; 2 Star = 14; 1 Star = 13; No Star = less than 13. Star ratings awarded on the basis of discussion and consensus. (Wine identities not revealed to panellists until publication of the assessments).
WINE Tasters: Cape Wine Masters Tony Mossop (panel chairman), Allan Mullins, Christine Rudman and Sue van Wyk; wine writer Philip van Zyl.
† Sold out
†† Retail price; other prices ex-cellar
††† Retail/Sold out ex cellar
u Releasing July
uu Releasing September
uuu Releasing December uuuu Average price fetched on auction
