Ana Bumgardner

9.0

3/19/26 - Boma African buffet - 2025 vintage - really solid chard — 4 days ago

Brent Young

9.6

"Slow Decanting" South African Grenache

Day 1
👃Rich cherry/strawberry, roses, smokey herbs, tea, sage, citrus, clove. Complex & elegant
👅Salty, savory, and fleshy. Broad flavors that have depth, clarity, & persistence. Soft tannins. Superb!

"Slow Decanted" the remaining wine in my fridge

DAY 13
👃Totally unique combination of flavors with depth & complexity *
👅White pepper, savory strawberry. Slightly bitter. Crispy. Dry, smokey finish. Energetic. Light
Grenache that is elegant and singular

Equally superb on Days 1 and 13

Burgundian stylings. Medium body. Elegant. Complex. Singular🍷

Follow @Vinloq.notes on Instagram

— 3 years ago

Vanessa

9.2

Cheers to Bordeaux-style blends from South Africa! 🇿🇦

This particular beauty comprises 39% Merlot, 36% Malbec, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and hails from the region of Paarl W.O. in the Coastal Region of the Western Cape of South Africa. It was hand-harvested from low-yielding vines and aged for 20 months in French oak (3% new).

The nose opens with a bouquet of black cherry preserves, baked plum, crème de cassis, blackberry bramble, fresh mint, black licorice, violet, nutmeg, pencil shavings, cinnamon, cedar, leather, and cured meat. On the palate this wine is dry, with medium acidity, high alcohol, medium(+) body. The tannins are present but fine-grained and velveteen. Flavors on the palate are largely consistent with the nose, but offer more earthy, balanced, and savory elements. The finish is long. 😍😍😍

The producer - Vilafonté - represents a joint winemaking venture between American and South African vintners, including the distinguished and pioneering Zelma Long.👏👏👏👏

Here’s to exploring the world through amazingly delicious wine 🍷 🍷🙌🙌 — 4 years ago

with Deked1

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Ken Forrester — The FMC Chenin Blanc 2024
Stellenbosch, South Africa 🇿🇦

Overview: 
A benchmark, world-class expression of South African Chenin Blanc, showcasing depth, precision, and layered complexity. The FMC represents Ken Forrester’s top selection, crafted for texture, longevity, and serious terroir expression rather than easy immediacy.

Aromas & Flavors: 
Lovely ripe baked pear leads the aromatics, followed by subtle citrus peel, gentle tropical tones, and floral hints of acacia. The palate leans more stony and yellow-fruited than juicy, with honeydew, orchard fruit, and a refined mineral thread carrying through the mid-palate.

Mouthfeel: 
Elegant, structured, and finely layered. Not plush or overtly rich, instead focused, composed, and quietly powerful with excellent tension and balance.

Food Pairings: 
Roast poultry with herbs, grilled seafood with citrus butter, seared scallops, creamy risotto, aged Alpine cheeses, or Moroccan-spiced dishes.

Verdict: 
A sophisticated, cerebral Chenin Blanc that rewards attention. Precision meets quiet power, delivering complexity without heaviness and showing clear aging potential.

Did You Know?: 
FMC stands for Forrester’s Mission Chenin, named after the original Mission Station vineyard block that inspired this flagship cuvée, now regarded as one of South Africa’s most collectible and age-worthy Chenin Blancs.

🍷 Personal Pick: 
This is the kind of Chenin that reminds you why the Cape has earned global respect, layered, disciplined, mineral-driven, and deeply expressive. Serious wine, serious pleasure. — 2 months ago

Shay A

9.2

My experience with South African red wines is limited, but I’ve enjoyed some Meerlust reds and a few other random bottles. I have to say, while this wasn’t a revelation, it is the best South African wine I’ve had to date.

This was a bottle opened blind for a few people. Oddly enough, there were similarities to this and a 2013 Almaviva…a burnt rubber/tire note on the nose alongside a vegetal/herbal pronounced note on the nose. Tangy/sour black cherries, red currant and red licorice too. Mostly red and black underripe fruit dominant. Even a bit of tar. This drinks like a chinon mixed with a lean vintage Bordeaux…the spice and vegetal flair is there next to the lightweight mid palate from a cooler Bordeaux vintage. A blend of five “noble varietals” in honor of Bordeaux, this was a unique wine that had people guessing from all over the world. After 1-2hrs of air from
bottle, it was balanced/integrated and ready to roll. I’d enjoy these sooner rather than later. — 4 years ago

Kobus Theron

9.6

One of my all time favourites. Good with any red meat. — 7 years ago

Lisanne Nijenhuis

9.0

South African tasting — 6 months ago

Robin Bundy

9.1

This is a South African wine. Berries and chocolate flavors. In Arizona celebrating my nephew’s graduation - May 2023 — 3 years ago

Nicolas Greinacher

9.3

The 2017 Mullineux Syrah is expressively floral and peppery on the nose, along with hints of blackberry, black cherry, dried herbs, cedar wood, grilled beef and coffee. It floods the palate with well defined fresh black fruits, lively acidity, ripe and grippy tannins and closes with a long finish. This is a delicious South African Syrah, showcasing finesse and definition. Drink now until 2037. — 3 years ago

Shawn Thompson

9.1

A really wonderful South African Bordeaux style wine. It’s called creative block 5 because it has the five primary Bordeaux grapes blended into a nicely structured red with a complex set of flavours including blackberry, cherry and dark chocolate with hints of woody cedar, leather and cigar box. We decanted for 2 hours and paired it with a grilled ribeye that included our attempt to create the legendary “café de Paris sauce” (green tarragon-based-butter-shallot-white wine sauce) Amazing! — 6 years ago