WTN: De Toren Fusion V 2005

[Tim York]

Fusion V 2005 – De Toren, Stellenbosch – Alc. 14.5% - (€26,20) – made from 57% CabSauv, 14% Merlot, 14% Malbec, 11% CabFranc and 4% PV and matured for 12 months in French and American barriques.
C: Deep ruby.
N: Well developed sweet dark fruit.
P: Full bodied and mouth-filling with round, rich and forward sweet dark fruit and touches of chocolate, liqueur and cedar encased in soft tannins and a smooth sweet patina from well handled oak.
This is all very good but somehow I don’t feel great enthusiasm; there is nothing very much to distinguish this plush wine from hundreds of others like it round the world. I have no idea how these wines age so perhaps greater character lies round the corner; 15.5/20+++ right now.

[Bob Parsons Alberta]

I just checked on the `03 Tim. $37 Cdn.
Think I would rather spend my money on a wine with a recognisable track record.... but then no Negly reds here at all!!!!

[Tim York]

Think I would rather spend my money on a wine with a recognisable track record.... but then no Negly reds here at all!!!!

I agree, Bob. Unless some connoisseur of South Africa comes out saying that this wine ages wonderfully, I don't think I'll be buying it again, particularly when I think of the scores of characterful bottles I can find for €26 or less. The Negly range, apart from a couple of garagiste cuvées, can be had from one-third to about a half of the price of Fusion V.

[Mark Kogos]

Tim

I remember trying the Fusion V on one trip. Whilst it is a bit of a cult wine, I also remembering being seriously underwhelmed.

Mark

[Jenise]

Tim, did you decant? If so, how long would you reccomend airing this wine?

[Tim York]

Tim, did you decant? If so, how long would you reccomend airing this wine?

Yes, Jenise, I did decant, with as much splash as I could contrive, about 45 minutes before the meal. As the aromas seemed well developed, I guess that this was adequate.

It is worth adding that I posted this WTN on another site and Keith Prothero, an expert in SA wines, replied that I had committed infanticide and that he won't touch his bottles for another 5 years.

[Jenise]

Tim, did you decant? If so, how long would you reccomend airing this wine?

Yes, Jenise, I did decant, with as much splash as I could contrive, about 45 minutes before the meal. As the aromas seemed well developed, I guess that this was adequate.

It is worth adding that I posted this WTN on another site and Keith Prothero, an expert in SA wines, replied that I had committed infanticide and that he won't touch his bottles for another 5 years.

Thanks for the additional information. And yes re aging these--I checked some recent TNs convinced I'd had a '96. My memory for such things is a virtual steel trap and I'm rarely wrong, but the only TN I could find was an '02 which had some excellent secondary development going on and many good years ahead of it.

[Mike_F]

I bought a bottle of the 2001 vintage of this wine when passing through Heathrow airport some years ago in happier times, when Berry Brothers had an outlet at Heathrow and one could actually shop for truly fine wines while changing planes. Those days are gone and that bottle is also long gone, based on a Rogov drinking window suggestion of up to 2007. 'Twas a fine Bordeaux-style drop, but not memorable in any distinct way on the date we opened it. Worth noting that Peter May pointed out at the time that Platter's guide recommended cellaring this for at least 10 years; so if you have bottles in your cellar, probably worth waiting.