A fresh, direct style, with a good core of cherry and red currant paste notes flecked liberally with fresh savory and pepper notes. A light cedary spine holds the finish. Drink now through 2017. 2,500 cases made, 750 cases imported.??–JM??Region: South Africa / Western Cape Select to Add

With 22 to 24 months in new French oak, there’s a lot of richness to this wine in the form of raspberry sauce, milk chocolate and balsamic reduction. There’s plenty of fruit to support those heavy flavors, though, with vibrant cherry and plum flavors in the medium weight mouth. Cola and spice add interest to the close. ——L.B.(12/31/2010)—— 87

KWV, the huge combine that once dominated the South African wine industry, has turned into a quality producer, and it shows in this fine wine. It has elegance and sophistication in the way it balances big flavors of spice and black plums with considerable restraint, and in the way the fruit is layered with dry Cabernet tannins. This needs some aging—three to four years would be good. ——R.V.(11/1/2006)—— 90