Vergelegen 'V' Red, Stellenbosch 2015 is no longer available

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Vergelegen 'V' Red, Stellenbosch 2015

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The flagship red from one of South Africa`s greatest estates and one that has earned a loyal and devoted following among members. In the superb 2015 vintage, this cabernet-led Bordeaux blend is on especially succulent form, its ripe – but not overripe – fruit and top-notch oak beautifully integrated with almost imperceptible, silky tannins. It will keep well, but it`s gorgeous now.
is no longer available
Code: SA14101

Wine characteristics

  • Red Wine
  • Full-bodied
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 75cl
  • Now to 2040
  • 14.5% Alcohol
  • oak used but not v. noticeable
  • Cork, natural

South Africa

South Africa is undoubtedly one of the world's most dynamic wine producers. Established winemakers re-emerged onto the international scene in the early 1990s, following the demise of the apartheid era, and new wines, wineries, highly qualified winemakers, and even new regions have appeared steadily ever since. This makes South Africa more exciting than ever, but more complicated, too.

Most South African wines are varietally labelled - a key factor in any buying decision. Styles vary of course, and our notes aim to clarify this, but you will probably already know whether you like sauvignon blanc (now among the world's best), chardonnay, riesling, syrah, pinot noir, or cabernet.

South Africa's most famous grapes - white chenin blanc and red pinotage - will be less familiar unless you are already a convert. South African chenins are quite different from those in the Loire - almost always dry, but ripe and full of flavour (often with the complexity that comes from the increasingly...
South Africa is undoubtedly one of the world's most dynamic wine producers. Established winemakers re-emerged onto the international scene in the early 1990s, following the demise of the apartheid era, and new wines, wineries, highly qualified winemakers, and even new regions have appeared steadily ever since. This makes South Africa more exciting than ever, but more complicated, too.

Most South African wines are varietally labelled - a key factor in any buying decision. Styles vary of course, and our notes aim to clarify this, but you will probably already know whether you like sauvignon blanc (now among the world's best), chardonnay, riesling, syrah, pinot noir, or cabernet.

South Africa's most famous grapes - white chenin blanc and red pinotage - will be less familiar unless you are already a convert. South African chenins are quite different from those in the Loire - almost always dry, but ripe and full of flavour (often with the complexity that comes from the increasingly sought-after old-vine fruit and the use of oak). Pinotage, a South African creation, is for many a love-it-or-hate-it grape. Pinotage's 'parents' are pinot noir, which imparts its strawberry aromas and lovely texture in young wines, and more complex, farmyard characteristics in more mature examples, and cinsault, the southern French grape, which adds spice and body. It was developed in South Africa in 1926. Shiraz is now making a name for itself in South Africa with some superb examples bottled varietally and showing characteristics that often places it between the plush New World style pioneered by Australia and classic Rhône balance and elegance.

More significant in South Africa than much of the New World (notably New Zealand and Chile) are blends, which make selection more complicated, as the style of the wine is less easy to anticipate. As in Australia and California, however, many of the best wines here are blends - a sign of maturity in the industry. Bordeaux blends were favoured initially but there are increasing numbers of Rhône and southern French influenced blends, including some eclectic mixes, many of which are among South Africa’s best wines.

The Regions

The vineyards of South Africa are at a latitude of about 35o south, with hot, dry Mediterranean-type summers tempered by oceanic influences in the south, particularly the very cold Benguela Current. Much of the country is mountainous or hilly with a multitude of terroirs for winemakers to play with. Soils are ancient and complex, and many and varied from region to region, and even vineyard to vineyard. Rainfall is very varied from one area to another, largely depending which side of a mountain or range a vineyard lies on, and in some parts irrigation is essential.

South Africa’s rigorous Wine Of Origin scheme demarcates vineyard areas, including some single vineyards, and guarantees the geographical source of the wine much like the old French appellation contrôllée system recently renamed AOP, though there are no controls on yields and grape varieties as there are in France..

Bordeaux-style blends are one of the Stellenbosch region's great strengths. Wines such as Kanonkop's Paul Sauer, Meerlust's Rubicon and Warwick's Trilogy are South African icons, produced over many years, and with proven ageing capacity. The striking Simonsberg mountain names the ward (or area) most highly sought after for these reds, but Stellenbosch produces a wide range of wine styles, from excellent chenin blancs and sauvignons to robust pinotage and Cape Blends.

Paarl is its less-well-known neighbour, also warm, and best known for its robust but smooth reds. Franschhoek is understandably one of the most-visited towns in the Cape (with lots of French Huguenot history and some of the best restaurants in the region). It has a number of famous producers, most notably Boekenhoutskloof, but most do not produce exclusively from Franschhoek fruit. Cape Chamonix is an exception we rate highly, producing a wide range of wine styles from bubbly to cabernet franc led red blend Troika.

The generally warmer Swartland region has been at the forefront of the development of Rhône varietals in South Africa, led by stars such as Eben Sadie, as well as home to some of the best old chenin blanc vines. Further north, and much cooler is Citrusdal, where fresher styles are produced and chenin blanc can achieve real finesse.

The Cape peninsula, to the south of Cape Town itself, is home to Constantia, known for its cooler climate thanks to the influence of the two oceans that almost circle it. Here, sauvignon blanc and the Bordeaux grapes predominate, but there are lovely examples of aromatic varieties too, notably Klein Constantia's elegant riesling and its wonderful sweet muscat Vin de Constance, and the vibrant sauvignon blancs from Cape Point vineyards to the south. Rhône varietals are successful new additions.

Elgin, en route to Hermanus, is another very cool region, very much up-and-coming for sauvignon blanc, as is Elim, which is even further south and the source of our former Exhibition Sauvignon. Robertson is almost due north of Elim, but way inland and far hotter. A small number of family producers manage to make excellent sauvignon here, too, but it is also a good source of chardonnay, increasingly pinot noir, and elegantly styled pinotage and Rhône varietals, not forgetting the excellent fortified muskadels which are unique to the Cape.

The most important factor in deciding whether or not to buy is often the producer's name. This is easily achieved when some of the grandest 'old' names, such as Meerlust, Hamilton Russell, Kanonkop, and Klein Constantia, still rank among the country's best producers. Where it gets trickier is when the winery is new, has no track record, or the winemaker is not a household name.
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Vergelegen

Vergelegen, meaning 'situated far away', was granted to the Governor of the Cape Willem van der Stel in 1700, making it an older estate even than many in the ‘old’ world. Lost in the suburbs of Somerset West, this large estate is also one of the Cape’s most beautiful, with sensitively restored Cape Dutch buildings (housing excellent restaurants and tasting room) set in stunning gardens contrasting with the starkly modern hilltop winery. The estate also has the largest private nature reserve dedicated to local flora and fauna, thanks to their dedication to conservation on the farm.

Owned by mining giant Anglo American, Vergelegen has never lacked investment and the quality first philosophy made it one of the first in the Cape to produce cleaner, modern-style wines, from the late ‘80s (1991 was the first bottling), first under Martin Meinert, and now, and since 1998, in the capable hands of long-term Cellarmaster André van Rensburg .

One of the big personalities of the Cape wine industry, André is uncompromising on many things but especially quality, from the vineyard to the cellars and the watchword here is harmony. Consultant Michel Rolland is working with André, particularly on the merlot grape, to further refine the red wines and at blending, in which he is a renowned specialist. Simplicity is sought to allow the quality of the rigorously selected fruit to do the talking, but the cellar team have all the tools they may need at their disposal, including an impressive,...
Vergelegen, meaning 'situated far away', was granted to the Governor of the Cape Willem van der Stel in 1700, making it an older estate even than many in the ‘old’ world. Lost in the suburbs of Somerset West, this large estate is also one of the Cape’s most beautiful, with sensitively restored Cape Dutch buildings (housing excellent restaurants and tasting room) set in stunning gardens contrasting with the starkly modern hilltop winery. The estate also has the largest private nature reserve dedicated to local flora and fauna, thanks to their dedication to conservation on the farm.

Owned by mining giant Anglo American, Vergelegen has never lacked investment and the quality first philosophy made it one of the first in the Cape to produce cleaner, modern-style wines, from the late ‘80s (1991 was the first bottling), first under Martin Meinert, and now, and since 1998, in the capable hands of long-term Cellarmaster André van Rensburg .

One of the big personalities of the Cape wine industry, André is uncompromising on many things but especially quality, from the vineyard to the cellars and the watchword here is harmony. Consultant Michel Rolland is working with André, particularly on the merlot grape, to further refine the red wines and at blending, in which he is a renowned specialist. Simplicity is sought to allow the quality of the rigorously selected fruit to do the talking, but the cellar team have all the tools they may need at their disposal, including an impressive, well-stocked barrel cellar and, more recently, drone-mapped vineyard analysis.

The vineyards are 100% virus free, planted mostly, according to André, to the 'two great Bordeaux varietals cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc'. Around 60% of the surface is planted to cabernet sauvignon (though only c. 30% of the wine in bottle), followed by sauvignon blanc, merlot, cabernet franc, semillon, shiraz, chardonnay, petit verdot, malbec. The soils are 400-600 million years old here, decomposed granite, so not very fertile.

The wines are consistently among the Cape's best and offer the added advantage of up to five years cellaring before release.
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South Africa Vintage 2015

Early indications are that 2015 has been a truly excellent vintage in South Africa following a harvest that was a couple of weeks earlier than usual. It was also a little smaller than 2014. A warm dry spring accelerated bud break and thereafter more warm, dry and breezy conditions kept the grapes very healthy and free of rot, and speeded up ripening. All in all there is much optimism for very fine wines across the board.

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