Vergelegen Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Good to go.

There was a period not so long ago when the red wines of Vergelegen presented as exceptionally green (the bad old leaf-roll virus days?) but I’m happy to say that the current-release Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (R355 a bottle) is drinking well.

Maturation lasted 17 months in French oak, 40% new and total production was 40 000 bottles. The nose shows red fruit, floral perfume, tomato leaf and earth while the palate is medium bodied with fresh acidity and tannins which are already quite mellow (alcohol: 14.47%). It’s no longer entirely primary – you certainly wouldn’t be committing infanticide if you were to broach it now – but it should provide rewarding drinking for at least another five years.

Editor’s rating: 90/100.

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