Pardus by Hein Koegelenberg 2018

Pardus is the Latin for panther or leopard and is the name of a new wine from Leopard’s Leap, the Franschhoek winery sponsoring satellite mapping as part of the study of leopards that inhabit the surrounding mountains.

It’s a blend of 60% Merlot sourced from Stellenbosch, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from Paarl and 20% Cinsault from Darling, each variety fermented and matured separately, the Merlot and Cab in a combination of new and used barrels for 18 months, the Cinsault entirely in older barrels for 12 months.

The nose shows cherries, plums and cassis plus hints of herbs and earth while the palate is full but not too opulent – good clarity of fruit and bright acidity before a dry finish. A wine of depth and structure that over-delivers at R170 a bottle.

CE’s rating: 93/100.

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