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WTN: Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (Stellenbosch, Sh Af

PostPosted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:31 pm
by Peter May
This is the reasonable priced Cabernet at around £12, (more like £8 when I bought it) not the estate wine called just Vergelegen at twice+ that or the new top of range 'V' at £40.

And it was damned good. Rich silky deep blackcurrant fruit, integrated tannins, perfectly balanced. Will it keep? Not if its in my cellar. I think it is perfect now and just wish I had more.

Is Vergelegen SA's best winery? I'm thinking so.

Re: TN: Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (Stellenbosch, Sh

PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:36 am
by Jake Parrott
Peter May wrote:This is the reasonable priced Cabernet at around £12, (more like £8 when I bought it) not the estate wine called just Vergelegen at twice+ that or the new top of range 'V' at £40.

And it was damned good. Rich silky deep blackcurrant fruit, integrated tannins, perfectly balanced. Will it keep? Not if its in my cellar. I think it is perfect now and just wish I had more.

Is Vergelegen SA's best winery? I'm thinking so.

It's certainly in the frame--although I've never had a shiraz from there that wasn't volatile (not that that's the only place in Helderberg/Faure that has that issue).

But one of the best SA wines I've ever had may be the 2001 regular SB, tasted in February 2005. Serious, serious class. I wish more SA farms would try to make SB in that style, or perhaps even more canted toward white Bordeaux.

Re: TN: Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (Stellenbosch, Sh

PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 8:44 am
by Peter May
Jake Parrott wrote: [It's certainly in the frame--although I've never had a shiraz from there that wasn't volatile

But one of the best SA wines I've ever had may be the 2001 regular SB, tasted in February 2005. Serious, serious class. I wish more SA farms would try to make SB in that style, or perhaps even more canted toward white Bordeaux.


I've never had their shiraz but their Sauvignon Blanc is a regular in my my house. We're drinking the 2005 now. If you like that, howabout L'Avenir's SB? I'm also a big fan of Springfield 'Life from Stone' which is a lot edgier. In fact, we're having it tonight since we had the Vergelegen last week and the L'Avenir the week before. (I'm rotating through them)

Re: TN: Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (Stellenbosch, Sh

PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:14 am
by Jake Parrott
Peter May wrote:I've never had their shiraz but their Sauvignon Blanc is a regular in my my house. We're drinking the 2005 now. If you like that, howabout L'Avenir's SB? I'm also a big fan of Springfield 'Life from Stone' which is a lot edgier. In fact, we're having it tonight since we had the Vergelegen last week and the L'Avenir the week before. (I'm rotating through them)

I don't know the L'Avenir wine; I do like Springfield (try their cab!). We import an SB (from Cathy Marshall's side project, BWC) sourced from Faure that sees a fair amount of lees contact--it gives the wine a bit more of a white Bordeaux character. I argue with her about the wine--I think it's a serious wine, she thinks it's a bit frivolous.

I wish a few more guys in SA (including Cathy) would try to make a less NZ style, using extended lees contact and a bit of old wood; there are appropriately gravelly sites that I think would express, at least as vines get older.