Niel Bester Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, 750 ml

The vinification: The grapes come from two vineyards in the Paarl region, where the vines are between 6 and 22 years old. Paarl is considered the cradle of South African wine and is home to some of the oldest vineyards in the country. French immigrants established viticulture here as early as the end of the 17th century. The two vineyards are located in the south-east of Simonsberg Mountain. Situated at an altitude of between 300 and 500 metres, it is cooler here than in the plains and the granite soils are well drained, allowing excess water to run off after heavy rainfall. The influence of the Atlantic on the climate in this wine-growing area of South Africa is rather small and usually only felt in the form of a slightly cooling breeze in the afternoon. The best grapes from these two vineyards are selected by Niel Bester and carefully harvested by hand in the cool morning hours. This procedure serves to protect them from the intense heat of the day. Upon arrival at the vineyard, the grapes are carefully sorted and destemmed so that only the pure grape is used for maceration and fermentation. After a cold maceration lasting two to three days, the mash is fermented over a period of about a fortnight. After malolactic fermentation, the wine matures for another 18 months in French oak barrels to both absorb the notes from the barrel and allow the tannins to mature before bottling. An elegant Cabernet Sauvignon for which the best plots were selected.

Tasting notes: Deep red, the wine glows in the glass with sparkling violet reflections. It beguiles with an opulent, intense bouquet of blackcurrants, blackberries, sweet vanilla notes, spices and finishes with a beautiful herbal note. With pleasantly balanced palate and finely integrated acidity, it shows a lot of play and great varietal typicity, supported by fine-grained ripe tannins, whose melting texture and structure harmonise perfectly with the 18-month barrel ageing. The finish is long and leaves a refined taste of vanilla and blackcurrant. An elegant style with a very good tannin structure and enormous potential.

The food: Perfect with spicy, aromatic grilled and meat dishes, pasta and game, all kinds of well-matured cheeses and any festive roast. We recommend drinking the wine at a temperature of between 16-18 °C.