4G 67 Imizuzu 2014
By Christian Eedes, 29 January 2020
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4G Wines is the somewhat mysterious project conceived by Switzerland-based management consultant Philipp Axt create a deluxe wine that might come to be considered a “First Growth of the Cape”. Giorgio Dalla Cia, formerly of Meerlust, has consulted as well as famed French winemaker, the late Professor Denis Dubourdieu and part of the positioning concerning the top wine is that it should be the most expensive in the country bar none.
Both the 2011 vintage of the second label The Echo of G. and the 2014 of the first label 67 Imizuzu are available at Frogitt & Vonkel Wine Bar, tasting notes and ratings as follows:
The Echo of G. 2011
R129 per 50ml taster – R450 per 175ml glass – R1 700 per bottle
A blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The nose shows red and black fruit, some violet-like perfume as well as more base notes of black olive, tar and earth. The palate is rich and full-bodied, quite fiery with soft tannins. Makes a huge impression – very forceful, remarkably youthful but lacks refreshment and unfortunately rather predictable in terms of styling.
CE’s rating: 90/100.
Screaming eagle.
4G 67 Imizuzu 2014
R569 per 50ml taster – R1810 per 175ml glass – R7 200 per bottle
Again a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Initially very peppery and spicy on the nose before black fruit, some meatiness, violets and cigar box. Rich and full with moderate acidity and smooth tannins. Warm and comforting to drink – alcohol is 14.5%. More individual than its counterpart above.
CE’s rating: 92/100.
Find our South African wine ratings database here.
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Omega Chemhere | 22 June 2021
I have always been against the absurd prices of wines and mostly influenced by the amount of media coverage and influencers used. Most wine experts have become deiving forces for price and marketing. That said I would like it to be my opinion that this wine is not an average wine at all!!! A great wine for me starts from the way people think and plan for it. Great ones dont just come by, they start with the right intention and the passion behind. This wine has alot of work and great minds around it. The ideas and the work ethic done here should be commended. I think most wine critics in South Africa do not appreciate the idea that a wine from here can be better than french or Napa counterparts.
I have had a sit with one of the directors and listened to the explanation and the way this wine is made, this is a story of a game changer. I tasted the wine and my feeling is always the same as when i tast grand cru wines, i always have that one thought that says great wine but not for that price. Just after that thought, i leave my opionion and pay attention to the wine. I let my mind settle and fairly try to gauge the wine without my bias.
When i tasted The Echo of the G, I thought the wine had such a balance nose, with layers upon layers of beautiful aromas coming through. On the palate the wine had such a great harmony and a fine tannin that had a beautiful acidity. I think the wine needed 3 or so years but was also a beautiful drink. I agree with other that it was very approachable without the gripy and power of most bordeaux blends but remember wine is very subjective and the wine envolves with time. This one has a huge potential and has such agreat story to tell about the ambition of SA wines.
I support this great initiave and if it was in America, the Americans would duly support this. People should be open to this type of things because this is the only way to create a great industry. There is a market for this and this wine reminds me alot of Super Tuscans and some Napa wines. We cant just frown on this one just because we dont believe that this wine should be charged as such.
When judging wine i think one should judge the wine fairly without bias. This is definately not close to a cooking wine, that is such exaggeration of highest order. Other than dismissing that statement, i would like to add how Napa wines were once disregarded even after winning in paris but what happened? They came back to haunt pro French journalist 30 years later. Let it be
Thomas S | 13 September 2020
Really wondering about this bashing of the 4G project in its home country. Outside SA there is countless evidence that the wines are extremly good and have convinced so many experts in blind tastings against the top wines of the world including countless 100-Parker-Point wines. Are your ratings really fair?
Marius Helm | 4 February 2020
The 2015 G seem to be in a better class was first in a blind tasting in Munich 2019 against the best of Bordeaux and the 2014 G was placed above Petrus in a blind tasting Sept 2018 in New York
These wines are all individual wines as the grapes are not all ways from the same vineyards.
GillesP | 1 February 2020
I was at Mosaic restaurant yesterday for lunch and purchased an amazing Chateau Leoville Las Cases 1998 for R4200. This was worth the investment and a great wine with pedigree which in this climber of restaurant makes it very attractive. I asked the sommelier about 4G who admitted it was certainly not on par.
Tim James | 29 January 2020
I remember when the first vintage of G came out, a few important people received half-bottle samples. I wasn’t one of them, but I was at a lunch party with a friend in Johannesburg who was, and we opened the G alongside some first class wines – notably Bordeaux as I recall. The G was showy and sweet and powerful (seems little has changed) and we all agreed that my host should used it for the sauce for the meat, after we’d all had a gingerly sip or two…. I reported on this and my host got into trouble from Mr Axt – so I’m not mentioning his name again.
The only time I’ve recently seen G in South Africa was on the winelist at La Colombe a few years back (I’m sadly not in a position to know if it is still there) . Presumably to be sold to the sort of person who thinks – notably incorrectly in this case – that the more expensive the likely the wine is to be better. But as that sort of person usually is most pleased by excesses of power and intense flavour, and a touch of sweetness, I guess they’ll be satisfied, especially having been reassured by the expense.
But it’s no more of a joke, really than the. cab franc at a mere few thousand rands less. Interesting how both of them feel the need to resort to silly names to help attract attention.
And please note, those who want to adduce the price excesses of top burgundy, bordeaux and champagne that at least those are generally truly excellent wines whose price came as a consequence of that excellence rather than as a vulgar means of attracting attention.
GillesP | 29 January 2020
Thank you Tim.
Well said about the last paragraph.
Hennie C | 30 January 2020
I agree with your last paragraph, except maybe when it comes to first-growth Bordeaux. There’s hardly a scarcity factor and there’s plenty of enjoyment and quality in Bordeaux away from the Mouton Rothschilds, Lafite and Latours of the world . The price you pay for first growth Bordeaux is just as absurd as this 4G.
At least in Burgundy, the high prices are justified through supply and demand. That said – I was in Madrid recently and spotted a Romanee Conti 2011 in Magnum for the miserly sum of €45 000. About four times the price of my car!
Kevin R | 31 January 2020
Tim maybe you weren’t given a sample for not being into heavily manipulated wines
Keith Prothero | 29 January 2020
Not sure what nutters will buy these wines. Suppose some with more money than taste
Rioja | 29 January 2020
same could be said for Bordeaux 😉
GillesP | 29 January 2020
There are some very good Bordeaux with a pedigree available at much cheaper price than this 4G if you look well.
Hennie C | 29 January 2020
I can drink some very fine Bordeaux for that price. In fact, I can get two and a half bottles of Lynch-Bages for R7200.
Matt A | 30 January 2020
And that’s at SA price.. In Europe up to 5 bottles of decent vintage LB.