MR de Compostella 2020
By Christian Eedes, 10 November 2022
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MR de Compostella, the collaboration between Mzo Mvemve and Bruwer Raats, is now firmly entrenched as one of the best Cape Bordeaux Red Blends around. When the 2018 vintage appeared in a line-up of 10 wines as part of Wine Cellar’s Luxury Red Wine Review in September, I rated it 96 tasting blind and placed it second overall.
What has become the defining characteristic of De Compostella is that it manages to combine concentration with refinement and the same vintage can look quite forceful in one context and demure in another.
The 2020 vintage has just been released, the blend consisting of 30% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 16% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, maturation lasting 24 months in French oak, 20% new.
The aromatics are compelling with red and black berries, floral perfume, some leafiness, pencil shavings, vanilla and baking spice. The palate has great presence but equally is not short of energy, a dense core of fruit matched by bright acidity. Initially, it appears rather sumptuous, but you soon realise just how well balanced it is, the finish wonderfully dry. Price: R1 950 a bottle.
CE’s rating: 96/100.
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Greg Sherwood | 10 November 2022
Interesting one Christian. Bruwer now has… 95,96,97 and 98 from four different critics. I feel your 96 score and Tim’s 95 does not differentiate enough from previous vintages. The 2018 and 2020 are clearly stand out and up there with the exceptional quality of the 2015 and 2017. As always, I stand by my 98 and would happily see the 2018 or the 2020 lined up in a blind tasting of 98 to 100 pointers from respected global critics for California and Bordeaux wines. It would be facinating. The fact you scored the 2018 a solid 96 blind, should indicate that your score for the 2018 and 2020 are perhaps a point or two too low… as blind tastings normally result in slightly lower scores by at least 1 or 2 points.