Ten Years Later – South African Bordeaux-Style Under Test
Magazin | Journal Prämierter Wein, Südafrika
A Reflective Look: Does the "New Wave" Lose Some Shine?
This year, London hosted the 'South Africa’s New Wave Tasting – Ten Years On', where wines from young winemakers—who made waves around a decade ago with fresh ideas and innovative approaches—were reviewed.
The results were sobering with even the best wines rarely exceeding 95 points. The main query became: how do South Africa’s classic Bordeaux-style wines hold up ten years after harvest?
The Comparison: South Africa vs. Bordeaux
A blind tasting was organized by collector Ryan Coetzee. Twelve of the most esteemed Bordeaux wines from South Africa alongside four classified wines from Bordeaux were showcased.
These 16 wines were sampled in four flights of four wines each – three from South Africa and one from Bordeaux, served blind.
Overview of Flights
Flight 1
- Stark-Condé Oude Nektar 2015
- Keets First Verse 2015
- Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2015
- Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2015
Flight 2
- Thelema Rabelais 2015
- Meerlust Rubicon 2015
- Warwick Trilogy 2015
- Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse 2015
Flight 3
- MR de Compostella 2015
- Tokara Director’s Reserve 2015
- Glenelly Lady May 2015
- Château Léoville Las Cases 2015
Flight 4
- Ernie Els Signature 2015
- Boekenhoutskloof The Journeyman 2015
- Vilafonté Series C 2015
- Château Pontet-Canet 2015
The Detailed Ratings
97 Points – Thelema Rabelais 2015: structured, complex, elegant, and powerful.
96 Points – Ernie Els Signature, MR de Compostella 2015: top wines that have not tired after ten years.
95 Points – Kanonkop Paul Sauer, Stark-Condé Oude Nektar: classics with depth.
94 Points – Boekenhoutskloof The Journeyman, Château Léoville Las Cases.
93 Points – Glenelly Lady May, Keets First Verse.
92 Points – Meerlust Rubicon 2015.
91 Points – Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse, Tokara Director’s Reserve, Vriesenhof Kallista (replacement for Warwick, not tasted blind).
90 Points – Château La Mission Haut-Brion.
89 Points – Vilafonté Series C.
Not Rated – Château Pontet-Canet 2015 (Brettanomyces), Warwick Trilogy 2015 (corked).
Individual Ratings & Impressions
Thelema Rabelais 2015: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, aged for 20 months in new oak barrels. Nose: red and black berries, floral notes, broth, earth. Palate: depth, freshness, fine tannins.
Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2015: consistency at the highest level, exceptional cuvée.
Tokara Director’s Reserve: riper and softer than in previous tastings – ratings are snapshots of specific moments.
Classics On Par
Stark-Condé, MR de Compostella, and Ernie Els reaffirmed their top quality: structure, depth, and longevity.
Bordeaux Wines: not consistently convincing. La Mission Haut-Brion appeared overripe and alcoholic (15%). Pichon Longueville Comtesse showed finesse yet initially restrained. Léoville Las Cases opened quite late. Pontet-Canet was marred by Brett.
Vriesenhof Kallista stepped in for Warwick Trilogy – slight Brett but overall drinkable.
Vilafonté Series C had a sweet and alcoholic feel; under winemaker Chris de Vries (since 2016), the style has improved, indicative of a transitional vintage.
Conclusion: South Africa's Classics Pass the Test
The tasting demonstrated that South Africa’s Bordeaux-style wines continue to impress even after ten years. Some Bordeaux struggled, while many South African wines left a significant impression with their depth, elegance, and consistency.
Once again, it is evident: South Africa's wine landscape provides not only innovation but also substance.