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.
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South Africa
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$378.80 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)This brilliant, barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc comes from the top part of the Willow Spring parcel and is the latest in a line of brilliant releases under this label. Saline, pithy and flinty with hints of nettle and elderflower, fine oak and a finish that goes on for ever. Drink 2019-2027. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$335.15 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)A welcome relief from the blandness of many commercial Sauvignon Blancs, this is an ambitious, dynamically farmed white from the brilliant team at Reyneke. Sappy, reductive and nettley, with a flinty note that's reminiscent of a great Pouilly-Fumé and a long, saline finish. 2020-24 |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$450.67 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)Any list of the world's greatest Sauvignon Blancs would be incomplete without this wine. Wood smoke and blackcurrant leaf aromas are a prelude to a palate of remarkable complexity and salinity, with savoury oak, fresh herb and pink grapefruit flavours and a finish that lingers on the palate for a minute |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$338.38 |
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Tim Atkin MW (95)A wine that takes its inspiration from Pouilly-Fumé, according to Rudiger Gretschel, this varietal Sauvignon Blanc is remarkably chiselled and pithy, with gooseberry and elderflower flavours, subtle wood, granitic minerality and leesy texture and complexity. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$306.81 |
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Tim Atkin MW (95)A pair of warmer, south-facing, biodynamically farmed parcels are the source of this brilliant Sauvignon Blanc. Fermented in deftly handled 85% new wood, it's something of a thiol-driven style, showing quince and passion fruit flavours and top notes of wild flowers. Complex, nuanced, layered stuff. 2023-29 |
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Coastal Region | 5 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$259.94 |
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Vinous (95)The 2019 Syrah Biodynamic is drop-dead gorgeous on the nose, offering blackberry, blueberry, crushed violet and light star anise aromas that blossom with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with velvety tannins and great depth and intensity, equaled by a finesse that leaves you wanting more on the finish. A sublime Syrah from Johan Reyneke. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (DC) |
Inc. GST
SG$1,311.77 |
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Decanter (98)Complex nose already: beautifully exuberant nose of damsons and flowers – the Carignan really coming through at this early stage. A herbal, stemmy element is also quite noticeable but well balanced. Full-bodied on the palate but only just, with a lovely sense of fluidity, slightly granular tannins and fine acidity – everything is in its place, and is delicious now, but will improve and build further complexity. If possible, wait until 2026 to broach. Long, so expressive and unique. Various soils: granite, slate, clay, gravel. Three weeks' fermentation and three weeks maceration in 3,300L open-top concrete fermenters. Aged for 12 months on the lees in small barrels (5% new), then a further 12 months on fine lees in large wooden foudres. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$1,269.20 |
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Wine Advocate (98)From the first sniff, the 2020 Columella is an instant champion that is pointing and swinging for the fence. With its fresh frame of fruit and expertly layered oaky essences, the wine is incredibly complex as it bursts from the glass with precision and finesse. Medium-bodied and with 13.5% alcohol, the Columella somersaults into a phantasmagoria of bright crunchy red fruit flavors and seductive floral essences that makes my head spin. Collectors will take note and add a couple of bottles of this to their cellar. It’s an absolutely stellar bottling that will age gracefully for decades. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$1,258.30 |
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Vinous (96)The 2021 Palladius, the wine that has gone through the biggest transition at the domaine, is matured in concrete eggs and clay amphora for 12 months and 12 months in foudres. It has an exquisite bouquet with touches of yellow flower, melted wax, lanolin and light slate aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity, taut and fresh, very linear and gaining weight towards the finish that lingers in the mouth. Touches of white pepper and Provençal herb stay long in the mouth. Class shines through here. |
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Olifants River | 1 | 97 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$1,499.23 |
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Vinous (97)The 2021 Skurfberg is pure Chenin Blanc, whole bunch pressed and aged in three old foudres. This has a beautiful bouquet with white flowers, almond and melted candle wax aromas that blossoms in the glass. The palate is very neutral in style, more a textural wine than one with overt flavours; light spicy notes emerge towards a finish that fans out with confidence. It magically gains depth and swagger with aeration - a magnificent wine - Chenin at the peak of its power. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$880.07 |
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Vinous (96)The 2021 Treinspoor is Sadie's Tinta Barocca that the man himself likens to Nebbiolo, also opining that it is a wine that needs considerable ageing. These vines were planted in 1974, and the blend includes 40% whole clusters. It has a complex, succinctly defined bouquet with melted tar and graphite infused dark berry fruit, a hint of Lapsang Souchong. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, perfectly-tuned acidity, almost Burgundian in texture yet with more pepperiness towards the finish. So elegant and harmonious - this is stunning from every angle you look at it. |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$330.79 |
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Tim Atkin MW (95)The last two hectares of dry-farmed Syrah on the Helderberg, planted by Bernhard Bredell's grandfather in 1995, were pulled out in 2017, so this Swanesang comes from a new source on the mountain. Rich, dense and Cornas-like, it's another remarkable Syrah from this talented young winemaker, with pepper spice and grip from 30% whole bunches and meaty, stony complexity. |
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Cape South Coast | 1 | 96 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$576.48 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)Sijnn is one of the most amazing new terroirs in the Cape, producing wines of remarkable individuality. This Rhône meets Bordeaux meets the Douro Valley blend, made with grapes grown just 15 kilometres from the sea, is stony, complex and intensely aromatic, showing lavender and wild thyme avours, grippy tannins and layered, mineral intense fruit. Superb stuff . 2021-35 |
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Cape South Coast | 1 | 96 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$348.19 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)Sijnn is one of the most amazing new terroirs in the Cape, producing wines of remarkable individuality. This Rhône meets Bordeaux meets the Douro Valley blend, made with grapes grown just 15 kilometres from the sea, is stony, complex and intensely aromatic, showing lavender and wild thyme avours, grippy tannins and layered, mineral intense fruit. Superb stuff . 2021-35 |
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Cape South Coast | 1 | 96 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$380.93 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)One of the most beautiful and complex terroirs in South Africa supplies the grapes for this unique red, produced from a medley of Shiraz with 33% Mourvèdre, Touriga Nacional and the very rare (in South Africa) Tinta Amarella. Inky, savoury and wild, it has freshness and concentration, notes of rosemary and lavender, meaty depths and fine oak. 2023-30 |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 97 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$665.38 |
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Tim Atkin MW (97)This isolated, picturesque 1.6-hectare block at the top of the Jonkershoek Valley was replanted as recently as 2009 after a fire, but has rapidly re-established itself as one of the best vineyards in Stellenbosch. The 2018 Oude Nektar combines Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec and is typically fine, polished and understated, with leafy elegance, fynbos aromas, red berry and black cherry fruit, subtle wood, fine-boned tannins and stunning palate length. |
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Cape South Coast | 1 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$528.00 |
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Tim Atkin MW (95)As its name suggests, this hails from a cool shale site on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, planted as recently as 2009. It combines the density of Vrede with the perfume of Ignis, making it Hannes Storm’s most complete Pinot, with floral scents, red cherry and raspberry fruit, savoury tannins and focused acidity. |
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Cape South Coast | 1 | 96 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$529.15 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)Ridge is often the most backward of Hannes Storm's trio of remarkable single vineyard Pinot Noirs, sourced from an east-facing, high-density planting at 330 metres at La Vierge on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Plum, black cherry and a hint of graphite are underpinned by plenty of grip, backbone and intensity. One to tuck away for a while. |
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Cape South Coast | 2 | 95 (DC) |
Inc. GST
SG$439.77 |
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Decanter (95)Hannes Storm makes three distinctive and very different Pinot Noirs from estate-grown fruit in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus. The Vrede Pinot comes from an elevated vineyard site on shale soils and is very Burgundian in style but with a new world flair. Lush red fruit dominates the nose and palate with cherries and violets dominating before a lick of oak leads to more tertiary characters of soil and tomato leaf. Long and delicious. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 97 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$335.13 |
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Tim Atkin MW (97)Very few recent South African releases have been as eagerly awaited as this 2018 red from the old Cordoba property on the flank of the Helderberg. And it doesn't disappoint in the slightest. Cabernet Franc-centred, with 24% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, the new crescendo is a beautifully refined, detailed red from 21-year-old vines. Violet and cut grass aromas lead into a palate that is fresh, bright and comparatively low in alcohol with filigree tannins, subtle wood, fine tension and the focus and balance to age. What a début! |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$308.97 |
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Tim Atkin MW (98)Could Schalk-Willem Joubert do it again in 2019 after such an impressive maiden release? You bet he could and he has even improved on that predecessor. This is more precise and nuanced, presenting a seamless assemblage of Cabernet Franc with 26% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon from the windy western corner of the Helderberg. Complex, layered and restrained, with perfumed 35% new wood, graphite, red berry, blackcurrant leaf and tarragon flavours and fresh, sea breeze-kissed finish. |
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Western Cape | 1 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$280.63 |
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Vinous (96)The 2020 Rocking Horse is a blend of 35% Sémillon, 28% Roussanne, 16% Chardonnay, 15% Chenin Blanc and 6% Clairette Blanche, whole-bunch-pressed and matured in used oak. It has a well-defined, flor-like bouquet offering brioche, grilled walnut, bales of straw and smoke. The fabulous palate presents a sensual honeyed texture effortlessly counterbalanced by acidity. Very harmonious, revealing dried honey, walnut and ginger on the finish. This is a masterclass in winemaking and it will age brilliantly in bottle... if you can resist pulling that cork. |
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Western Cape | 2 | 97 (CE) |
Inc. GST
SG$246.86 |
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Christian Eedes (97)32% Roussanne, 29% Semillon, 19% Chardonnay, 16% Chenin Blanc and 4% Clairette Blanche sourced from the Cape winelands. Sensational aromatics of green, white and yellow fruit, flowers, herbs and spice plus a touch of flinty reduction – very expressive but not at all vulgar or overwrought. The palate has great fruit definition, a lovely line of acidity and finish that is long and dry. Precisely made, the whole very much more than the sum of the parts. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 95+ (GS) |
Inc. GST
SG$431.03 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$391.81 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 2 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$287.15 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$265.37 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 3 | 18 (JR) |
Inc. GST
SG$289.31 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$1,127.52 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 3 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$1,023.99 |
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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. |
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$300.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (96)This brilliant, barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc comes from the top part of the Willow Spring parcel and is the latest in a line of brilliant releases under this label. Saline, pithy and flinty with hints of nettle and elderflower, fine oak and a finish that goes on for ever. Drink 2019-2027. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$256.00 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)A welcome relief from the blandness of many commercial Sauvignon Blancs, this is an ambitious, dynamically farmed white from the brilliant team at Reyneke. Sappy, reductive and nettley, with a flinty note that's reminiscent of a great Pouilly-Fumé and a long, saline finish. 2020-24 |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$360.00 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)Any list of the world's greatest Sauvignon Blancs would be incomplete without this wine. Wood smoke and blackcurrant leaf aromas are a prelude to a palate of remarkable complexity and salinity, with savoury oak, fresh herb and pink grapefruit flavours and a finish that lingers on the palate for a minute |
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|
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Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$255.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)A wine that takes its inspiration from Pouilly-Fumé, according to Rudiger Gretschel, this varietal Sauvignon Blanc is remarkably chiselled and pithy, with gooseberry and elderflower flavours, subtle wood, granitic minerality and leesy texture and complexity. |
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|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$230.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)A pair of warmer, south-facing, biodynamically farmed parcels are the source of this brilliant Sauvignon Blanc. Fermented in deftly handled 85% new wood, it's something of a thiol-driven style, showing quince and passion fruit flavours and top notes of wild flowers. Complex, nuanced, layered stuff. 2023-29 |
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|
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Coastal Region | 5 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$187.00 |
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Vinous (95)The 2019 Syrah Biodynamic is drop-dead gorgeous on the nose, offering blackberry, blueberry, crushed violet and light star anise aromas that blossom with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with velvety tannins and great depth and intensity, equaled by a finesse that leaves you wanting more on the finish. A sublime Syrah from Johan Reyneke. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (DC) |
In Bond
SG$1,150.00 |
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Decanter (98)Complex nose already: beautifully exuberant nose of damsons and flowers – the Carignan really coming through at this early stage. A herbal, stemmy element is also quite noticeable but well balanced. Full-bodied on the palate but only just, with a lovely sense of fluidity, slightly granular tannins and fine acidity – everything is in its place, and is delicious now, but will improve and build further complexity. If possible, wait until 2026 to broach. Long, so expressive and unique. Various soils: granite, slate, clay, gravel. Three weeks' fermentation and three weeks maceration in 3,300L open-top concrete fermenters. Aged for 12 months on the lees in small barrels (5% new), then a further 12 months on fine lees in large wooden foudres. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
SG$1,105.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98)From the first sniff, the 2020 Columella is an instant champion that is pointing and swinging for the fence. With its fresh frame of fruit and expertly layered oaky essences, the wine is incredibly complex as it bursts from the glass with precision and finesse. Medium-bodied and with 13.5% alcohol, the Columella somersaults into a phantasmagoria of bright crunchy red fruit flavors and seductive floral essences that makes my head spin. Collectors will take note and add a couple of bottles of this to their cellar. It’s an absolutely stellar bottling that will age gracefully for decades. |
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|
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$1,095.00 |
|||||
Vinous (96)The 2021 Palladius, the wine that has gone through the biggest transition at the domaine, is matured in concrete eggs and clay amphora for 12 months and 12 months in foudres. It has an exquisite bouquet with touches of yellow flower, melted wax, lanolin and light slate aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity, taut and fresh, very linear and gaining weight towards the finish that lingers in the mouth. Touches of white pepper and Provençal herb stay long in the mouth. Class shines through here. |
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|
|
Olifants River | 1 | 97 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$1,320.00 |
|||||
Vinous (97)The 2021 Skurfberg is pure Chenin Blanc, whole bunch pressed and aged in three old foudres. This has a beautiful bouquet with white flowers, almond and melted candle wax aromas that blossoms in the glass. The palate is very neutral in style, more a textural wine than one with overt flavours; light spicy notes emerge towards a finish that fans out with confidence. It magically gains depth and swagger with aeration - a magnificent wine - Chenin at the peak of its power. |
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|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$748.00 |
|||||
Vinous (96)The 2021 Treinspoor is Sadie's Tinta Barocca that the man himself likens to Nebbiolo, also opining that it is a wine that needs considerable ageing. These vines were planted in 1974, and the blend includes 40% whole clusters. It has a complex, succinctly defined bouquet with melted tar and graphite infused dark berry fruit, a hint of Lapsang Souchong. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, perfectly-tuned acidity, almost Burgundian in texture yet with more pepperiness towards the finish. So elegant and harmonious - this is stunning from every angle you look at it. |
|||||||||
|
|
Coastal Region | 4 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$252.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)The last two hectares of dry-farmed Syrah on the Helderberg, planted by Bernhard Bredell's grandfather in 1995, were pulled out in 2017, so this Swanesang comes from a new source on the mountain. Rich, dense and Cornas-like, it's another remarkable Syrah from this talented young winemaker, with pepper spice and grip from 30% whole bunches and meaty, stony complexity. |
|||||||||
|
|
Cape South Coast | 1 | 96 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$418.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (96)Sijnn is one of the most amazing new terroirs in the Cape, producing wines of remarkable individuality. This Rhône meets Bordeaux meets the Douro Valley blend, made with grapes grown just 15 kilometres from the sea, is stony, complex and intensely aromatic, showing lavender and wild thyme avours, grippy tannins and layered, mineral intense fruit. Superb stuff . 2021-35 |
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|
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Cape South Coast | 1 | 96 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$264.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (96)Sijnn is one of the most amazing new terroirs in the Cape, producing wines of remarkable individuality. This Rhône meets Bordeaux meets the Douro Valley blend, made with grapes grown just 15 kilometres from the sea, is stony, complex and intensely aromatic, showing lavender and wild thyme avours, grippy tannins and layered, mineral intense fruit. Superb stuff . 2021-35 |
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|
|
Cape South Coast | 1 | 96 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$298.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (96)One of the most beautiful and complex terroirs in South Africa supplies the grapes for this unique red, produced from a medley of Shiraz with 33% Mourvèdre, Touriga Nacional and the very rare (in South Africa) Tinta Amarella. Inky, savoury and wild, it has freshness and concentration, notes of rosemary and lavender, meaty depths and fine oak. 2023-30 |
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|
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Coastal Region | 1 | 97 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$555.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (97)This isolated, picturesque 1.6-hectare block at the top of the Jonkershoek Valley was replanted as recently as 2009 after a fire, but has rapidly re-established itself as one of the best vineyards in Stellenbosch. The 2018 Oude Nektar combines Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec and is typically fine, polished and understated, with leafy elegance, fynbos aromas, red berry and black cherry fruit, subtle wood, fine-boned tannins and stunning palate length. |
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|
|
Cape South Coast | 1 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$425.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)As its name suggests, this hails from a cool shale site on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, planted as recently as 2009. It combines the density of Vrede with the perfume of Ignis, making it Hannes Storm’s most complete Pinot, with floral scents, red cherry and raspberry fruit, savoury tannins and focused acidity. |
|||||||||
|
|
Cape South Coast | 1 | 96 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$432.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (96)Ridge is often the most backward of Hannes Storm's trio of remarkable single vineyard Pinot Noirs, sourced from an east-facing, high-density planting at 330 metres at La Vierge on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Plum, black cherry and a hint of graphite are underpinned by plenty of grip, backbone and intensity. One to tuck away for a while. |
|||||||||
|
|
Cape South Coast | 2 | 95 (DC) |
In Bond
SG$350.00 |
|||||
Decanter (95)Hannes Storm makes three distinctive and very different Pinot Noirs from estate-grown fruit in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus. The Vrede Pinot comes from an elevated vineyard site on shale soils and is very Burgundian in style but with a new world flair. Lush red fruit dominates the nose and palate with cherries and violets dominating before a lick of oak leads to more tertiary characters of soil and tomato leaf. Long and delicious. |
|||||||||
|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 97 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$254.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (97)Very few recent South African releases have been as eagerly awaited as this 2018 red from the old Cordoba property on the flank of the Helderberg. And it doesn't disappoint in the slightest. Cabernet Franc-centred, with 24% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, the new crescendo is a beautifully refined, detailed red from 21-year-old vines. Violet and cut grass aromas lead into a palate that is fresh, bright and comparatively low in alcohol with filigree tannins, subtle wood, fine tension and the focus and balance to age. What a début! |
|||||||||
|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$230.00 |
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Tim Atkin MW (98)Could Schalk-Willem Joubert do it again in 2019 after such an impressive maiden release? You bet he could and he has even improved on that predecessor. This is more precise and nuanced, presenting a seamless assemblage of Cabernet Franc with 26% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon from the windy western corner of the Helderberg. Complex, layered and restrained, with perfumed 35% new wood, graphite, red berry, blackcurrant leaf and tarragon flavours and fresh, sea breeze-kissed finish. |
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Western Cape | 1 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$204.00 |
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Vinous (96)The 2020 Rocking Horse is a blend of 35% Sémillon, 28% Roussanne, 16% Chardonnay, 15% Chenin Blanc and 6% Clairette Blanche, whole-bunch-pressed and matured in used oak. It has a well-defined, flor-like bouquet offering brioche, grilled walnut, bales of straw and smoke. The fabulous palate presents a sensual honeyed texture effortlessly counterbalanced by acidity. Very harmonious, revealing dried honey, walnut and ginger on the finish. This is a masterclass in winemaking and it will age brilliantly in bottle... if you can resist pulling that cork. |
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Western Cape | 2 | 97 (CE) |
In Bond
SG$175.00 |
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Christian Eedes (97)32% Roussanne, 29% Semillon, 19% Chardonnay, 16% Chenin Blanc and 4% Clairette Blanche sourced from the Cape winelands. Sensational aromatics of green, white and yellow fruit, flowers, herbs and spice plus a touch of flinty reduction – very expressive but not at all vulgar or overwrought. The palate has great fruit definition, a lovely line of acidity and finish that is long and dry. Precisely made, the whole very much more than the sum of the parts. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 95+ (GS) |
In Bond
SG$340.00 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$306.00 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 2 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$208.00 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$190.00 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 3 | 18 (JR) |
In Bond
SG$208.00 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$977.00 |
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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. |
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Coastal Region | 3 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$884.00 |
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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. |
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