South Africa
At the bottom of its great continent, South Africa is a country of unlimited natural advantages. With the confluence of two oceans at the Cape, the sheltering effect of inland mountain chains and some of the most dynamic soils in the world, every piece is in place for the production of fine wine. The most well-known region has historically been Stellenbosch, but it is the wines of Swartland that have really turned South African wine on its head in recent years.
The wine industry is in the midst of a renaissance with classically styled wines making full advantage of remarkable terroir and an adventurous spirit. As a result, South Africa is producing some truly exceptional wines of great character and value. Striking blockbuster Syrahs and Bordeaux blends to full bodied Chardonnay and crisp Sauvignon Blanc are some of this great nation’s offerings. South Africa’s own grape, Pinotage, leaves critics divided yet can produce excellent single-variety offerings as well as distinguished Cape blends.
South Africa
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Vinous (92)
The 2018 Wanderer’s Heart has a lovely, lilting bouquet of wild strawberry, dark cherries, pressed rose petals and light fynbos scents. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and moderate fruit concentration. The fleshy, slightly herbal finish is nicely composed. This is very well crafted by John Seccombe.HK$905.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2020 Wanderer's Heart is a blend of 41% Grenache Noir, 30% Syrah and 29% Mourvèdre. It’s a little closed on the nose but opens with aeration, offering red berry fruit intermixed with white pepper, clove and wild fennel. The palate is full of crunchy red fruit, superb acidity and tension and reveals a touch of curry leaf on the finish. Yet another great 2020 from Jon Seccombe.HK$1,259.00 -
Greg Sherwood MW (95+)
This really is a sensational expression from Andre and the team at Vergelegen. A blend of 20% Sauvignon and 80% Semillon, this wine screams premium white Bordeaux from the minute you smell the alluring aromatics. All the classical white Bordeaux hallmark notes are there including a crunchy white citrus, grapefruit zest, pineapple pastille fruits, lime peel, dried coconut and reductive hints of black currant and vinyl. The palate is broad and powerful with a leading edge of sweet and sour grapefruit acidity, tangerine juice, green mango flesh and white citrus fruit intensity. Slightly pithy with hints of dried grass, this wine is a never ending profusion of fruit concentration, minerality and dried herb complexity all knitted together in a very tight, intense, classical package. This wine would go down an absolute treat blind with the Bordelaise producers in the Graves or Pessac-Leognan. With pyrazines well and truly conquered in this wine, this expression is lined up for a long and successful ageing period. Drink from release and for another 12 to 15+ years.HK$1,590.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (95)
Reviewed alongside the 2018 release as they are both on the market, this is Semillon dominated with 40% Sauvignon Blanc. Barrel-aged in one-third new oak, it has flinty, struck match aromas, stylish wood spice, notes of lanolin and grapefruit and a pithy, refreshing finish.HK$1,735.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (95)
Every bit as good as the 2017, even though the vintage is less celebrated, this is an equal marriage of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc with an even lower pH. Grapefruit and elderflower flavours combine appealingly with the stylish vanilla oak, embellished by a herbal undertone.HK$1,210.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (95)
Proof the remarkable ageing potential of Vergelegen's flagship white wine - and it's only just settling into its stride - this is a gloriously complex blend of Sauvignon Blanc and 36% Semillon, with appealing freshness and zip, good focus, a salty undertone and flavours of grapefruit, gooseberry and fresh toast.HK$1,165.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Tasted blind. Blackcurrant pastilles on the really interesting, sophisticated nose. Some savoury inkiness and lots of pleasure. Firm and confident and set for the long term. Lots there with tannin evident only on the end for future development. Long. This is the first wine that reminds me of ambitious bordeaux … luscious – a sort of right-bank style.HK$1,200.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
Showing much better is the 2006 “V” that demonstrates a little more opulence and fruit intensity on the nose with ripe blackberry, raspberry, sloe and cedar with good definition. The palate has firm chalky tannins and a good sense of tension, a citrus-like acidity towards the long poised finish. This has great potential, but again it deserves time in the cellar. Drink 2014-2022.HK$5,455.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (95)
Made as a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon since 2008, this is the top red at Vergelegen and demonstrates André van Rensburg’s mastery of the variety. It’s a focused, classically proportioned red, combining freshness with concentration, suppleness with structure. Aromatic and refined, it has plenty more to give.HK$5,700.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (95)
First made in 2001, with a break in 2002 and 2010, V is the top wine at Vergelegen and is suitably ambitious stuff, aged entirely in new oak. Polished, elegant and refined, with smooth tannins, notes of graphite and iron and a long, complex finish that promises more in bottle.HK$5,160.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (95)
Give or take 2% Cabernet Franc, this is a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new wood. It’s a brilliantly focused wine that carries its 14.5% alcohol lightly, with notes of tobacco and aromatic spices, filigree tannins and layers of mint, green herbs and dark fruit.HK$4,465.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The 2019 Series C opens with a broad and structured nose that displays elegant oak tones and a juicy and fresh frame of succulent dark red fruits, offering power and finesse with a delightful mineral essence that overflows with plum skin and spiced cherries. Medium to full-bodied, the Series C offers a fine-grained tannic edge that possesses the focus, elegance and precision of a world-class wine. Vibrant acidity excites the palate with a succulent balance across the mid-palate, revealing layers of complexity as the wine somersaults to a long, lingering, juicy, oak-tinged finish. This is some of South Africa’s finest juice, which has me smitten. Bravo! I’m going to finish the glass! Give it one more year in the bottle and drink it over the next couple of decades.HK$3,870.00 -
Wine Advocate (99)
Flirting with triple digits, the 2021 Series C is constructed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Still incredibly tight yet exuding that special “it” factor, the red blend is layered with gorgeous dark red and succulent black fruit tones with gobs of attractive oak essences that sway with power and finesse. If you're a cult California Cabernet collector, you'll want to add this to your cellar as fast as possible. Just under 20,000 bottles rested for about two years in French oak barrels, 81% new. It's utterly profound.HK$5,200.00 -
Decanter (94)
Exciting flavours of sweet mulberry, black plum, cinnamon and cedar. Super fresh and elegant, concentrated yet light on its feet.HK$1,525.00 -
Greg Sherwood MW (94)
The 2021 Seriously Old Dirt is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 2% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc and shows a bright and piercing black cherry coloured core with an enticing ruby red rim. The aromatics are wonderfully seductive showing attractive notes of ripe mulberry, pressed violets, sun raisined black cherries, smoky wood embers, dried herbs and subtle earthy black currant nuances. Given time in the glass, the wine unfurls to reveal a complex savoury earthiness underpinned by sleek plush velvety tannins, soft sumptuous acids and a seamless core of red and black berry fruits with a definite Cabernet crème de cassis signature note. This is an incredibly fine-tuned, focused red blend from a great vintage that is silky and soft textured with incredible length and persistence. Devotees of Seriously Old Dirt are in for a thrilling treat this vintage as this exceptional wine will allow immediate drinking but will also reward 6 to 8+ years of extra cellaring.HK$1,175.00 -
Savour the esteemed Vondeling Bowwood Chenin Blanc 2019, an exquisite expression of skilled wine crafting from South Africa's renowned Voor-Paardeberg region. Masterfully cultivated from 40-year-old dryland bush vineyards, this exceptional Chenin Blanc offers compelling complexity with notes of ripe pear, honeydew melon, and butterscotch.
Achieving its opulence from 12 months of oak maturation in French oak barrels, Vondeling Bowwood Chenin Blanc’s layered richness is beautifully buttressed by an invigorating undercurrent of bright acidity, making it an unparagoned accompaniment to an array of gourmet indulgences.
Founded in the 17th century and harnessing traditional winemaking techniques, Vondeling wines are always a toast to excellence. Respectful of the land's heritage, their wine adorn your glass with unrivalled quality. Savour the sip of Vondeling Bowwood Chenin Blanc 2019, and partake in a timeless tradition of winemaking brilliance.
HK$3,590.00 -
The Vondeling Bowwood Pinotage 2017 is an exemplification of sublime craftsmanship from the verdurous commercial vineyards of the Voor-Paardeberg mountains in South Africa's Paarl Wine Route. Produced by Vondeling Wines, renowned for their relentless devotion to ecological farming, this Pinotage is an intoxicating blend of 85% Pinotage, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Grenache Noir from their sustainably managed 10-year-old vines. The grapes underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel, culminating into a well-rounded texture.
The Vondeling Bowwood Pinotage 2017 presents a regal burgundy hue with a captivating bouquet of cherries, plums and succulent ripe fruit, augmented by whimsical hints of oak, vanilla and spice. On the palate, it unfurls with a certain finesse, delivering an elegant fusion of berries, dark chocolate and soft tannins. This wine gracefully unravels all the harmonious complexities of a mature Pinotage, making Vondeling Bowwood Pinotage 2017 a true magnum opus for every fine wine enthusiast.
HK$4,030.00 -
Experience the exquisite taste of the Vondeling Philosophie 2015, an exceptional blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec. This rare wine, hailing from Voor-Paardeberg, South Africa, boasts a captivating deep red hue and intoxicating nose of blackberry, cedar, and cigar box. The Vondeling winery follows traditional winemaking processes, including handpicking and sorting grapes, to maintain optimum quality.
The wine, matured for 24 months in French oak barrels, imparts a perfect balance of fruit, acidity, and well-integrated tannins. The palate is layered and complex, featuring flavours of blackcurrant, cherry, and spice with a long, elegant finish. Vondeling Philosophie 2015 is the winery's flagship wine, reflecting not only their philosophy but also their passion for creating wines of distinction.
This collectable limited production wine, with only 4,200 bottles released, truly exemplifies the winery’s dedication to crafting the finest quality wares. Vondeling Philosophie 2015 is an absolute must-try for discerning connoisseurs.
HK$5,855.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (95)
Often among my favourite Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignons, this textbook Helderberg red was blended with 3% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc in 2017. Scented, refined and effortlessly dense and complex, with aromatic 30% new wood, mocha, cedarwood and cassis flavours and a long, balanced, herbal finish. 2022-29HK$2,385.00
