Thistle & Weed Nastergal 2016

Black ops.

Thistle & Weed is the own label jointly belonging to Fairview winemaker Stephanie Wiid and Delheim viticulturist Etienne Terblanche, their maiden Duwweltjie Chenin Blanc 2016 proving delicious when tasted earlier in the year (see here). They have subsequently released a 2016 red called Nastergal, a blend of Tempranillo and Alicante Bouschet (the latter noteworthy because of its unusual red flesh and the deep colour it gives to the end-wine).

The nose shows a hint of fynbos before red and black fruit, earth and spice. The palate is sweet, rich and broad with soft tannins – hearty (alcohol is 15%) but somewhat unnuanced. It’s an oddity, Wiid and Terblanche deserving a shout-out for trying something different. Approximate retail price: R210 a bottle.

Editor’s rating: 89/100.

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