Matthew Jukes, 18+/20 Bold, ripe, juicy and swaggering, this roguish Pauillac-dimensioned wine counterpoints the grace and elegance of its sibling Cab with visible definition rippling through its garments. There is harmony from the off, which, again, belies its age, further demonstrating that bigger, more showy styles can still be crafted with innate balance if you have the skills, and the Dastardly Duo can do this with their eyes shut.
95 Tim Atkin MW. Gottfried Mocke's Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon has more grip, muscle and minerality than the Franschhoek bottling, and comes from a Lower Helderberg site close to the
Polkadraai Hills. Inky and well-structured, it has layers of blueberry and blackberry, a waft of graphite and dried herbs and deftly integrated 60% new oak. 2026-35
91 Neal Martin- Vinous. The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch is 100% destemmed and aged for 22 months in 60% new French oak. It has well-defined, more Bordeaux-like bouquet, with touches of pencil lead infusing the black fuit. It unfurls nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a little oaky at the moment though that will be subsumed with time. Again, it’s quite Left Bank in style, with impressive tension and a slightly chalked-texture finish. As I usual I prefer this to the Franschhoek blend.
94 James Suckling. This is plush and delicious, showing notes of dark plums, dark chocolate, graphite, violets and some mocha. It’s full-bodied, polished and full of flavor, with ripe and fine-grained tannins. Classy, fresh and long finish. Drink or hold.
