76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 3% Petite Verdot, 2% Malbec. Purple in color, slight ruby at the rim. The nose is dusty and warm with cassis and spice. Soft texture. Good acidity. Nice cassis fruit with an underlying earthiness. Some plums on the finish. Nicely layered, it unwinds in the glass. It seems open but then keeps on opening more. Still some upside here.
Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is dusty with slight aquarium notes. Also some cherries and black cherries. On the palate, there is a lot of heat and it seems disjointed. Tart cherries but brown sugar. Alcohol on the finish. Again, this appears to be a poorly stored bottled, but how to know for sure or where the issue is. Drinkable for sure, but doesn't work with food at this point. Hopefully, this bottle was not representative.
70% Malbec, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, 5% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot. From the family that owns Leoville Poyferre in Bordeaux. Purple/ruby in color. The nose is warm and slightly musty (not in an off way). Also has some cassis and plums. On the palate, this drinks like a Bordeaux; fruit, tobacco and earth. Black raspberries and plums. Slight tannins. It has a nice depth and seems to be closing in on maturity. A bit soft but within reason. Would work with roasted or grilled meats quite well. No hurry, but won't get better and probably should be drunk in the next five years.
39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot, 14% Malbec and 9% Petit Verdot. This is a Bordeaux styled wine from South Africa. It sells for under $20 making it a very nice buy. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is very nice; dusty and complex with cassis, tobacco, some bell pepper. On the palate, this has a chewy texture. Nice complexity. Cassis, dark cherries with enough acid. Good finish. Drinking well now and won't get better but should hold for another five years at least.
7% Syrah, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 3% Sangiovese and 2% Viognier. Purple in color. The nose is nice with black raspberries, some black pepper, spice and slight floral notes. On the palate, this has some depth with a nice varietal complexity. Good mouth feel. Works well with or without food. I don't know if this improves but should last a decade or so. It is basically, the "leftovers" for the Jonata single varietal wines. That doesn't mean it is not excellent in its own right. A nice alternative to their expensive bottlings.
Pop and pour and consumed over two nights. Much better on night 2. I know many people say 2003 was such a warm vintage that the wines are already mature. That might be true, but this one's best days are still to come. 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, graphite, cedar, and smoked cigar. On the palate, this is full bodied with medium tannins. Lush cassis and black cherry fruit layered with forest floor, damp earth and tobacco. Tightly layered. Long finish. This is delicious but very much from Bordeaux a
