Remhoogte current releases

Remhoogte in Stellenbosch was acquired by Murray Boustred in 1994 and is today run by his sons, Chris, who is winemaker, and Rob, who handles sales and marketing. Own plantings consist of 30ha, 3ha of which are Chenin Blanc and the rest consisting of red varieties (another 5ha set to be established shortly). Tasting notes and ratings as follows:

Free to Be Weisser Riesling 2023
Price: R225
Fermented in concrete egg, no lees contact. A top note of floral perfume before lime and white peach. Good fruit concentration, bright acidity and a pithy finish. True to the variety, pleasing and accessible. Alc: 13%

CE’s rating: 90/100.

Free to Be Orange Chenin Blanc 2023
Price: R225
Three weeks of skin contact in flexicube before maturation for 12 months in concrete eggs, some ullage left to allow the development of flor. The nose shows orange along with nutty, spicy note while the palate is light-bodied with fresh acidity and a saline finish. A good introduction to the category in the sense of not being too odd or unconventional. Alc: 13%.

CE’s rating: 91/100.

Free to Be Carbonic Syrah 2023
Price: R225
20% crushed, matured for 10 months in concrete tank. Red berries and floral perfume on the nose – violets and potpourri. The palate is medium bodied with fresh acidity and fine tannins, the finish super-dry. Easy drinking but far from facile. Alc: 13.8%.

CE’s rating: 91/100.

Reserve Honeybunch Chenin Blanc 2022
Price: R300
Grapes from a vineyard planted in 1987. Includes a 12% botrytis-infected portion. Some 15 hours of skin contact. Matured for 12 months, 80% in 225-litre barrels of which 20% were new and 20% in concrete eggs. The nose has top notes of hay and herbs before lemon, peach and some wet wool character.  Dense fruit and punchy acidity before a finish that is slightly bitter. As ever with this wine, it offers impressive depth of flavour while remaining beautifully balanced. Alc: 13.5%.

CE’s rating: 95/100.

Reserve Sir Thomas Cullinan 2019
Price: R450
67% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and, for the first time, 13% Cabernet Franc, this from the 2021 vintage – most of the wine matured for 25 months in barrel., 60% new. Cherry, plum, cassis, some leafiness, dried herbs plus hints of vanilla, oak spice and pencil shavings. Medium bodied with lively acidity and fine tannins – has a nice austerity about it. Alc: 14.5%.

CE’s rating: 93/100.

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Price: R450
Matured for 24 months in barrel, 80% new. Cassis, some leafiness and vanilla on the nose. Big-volume palate with sweet fruit and a smooth texture. Some heat to the finish – alcohol is 15%.

CE’s rating: 89/100.

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