Vergelegen new releases

There were few producers to match Vergelegen in the early 2000s, after which its winemaking fortunes, for reasons that remain unclear, slipped from that peak. Luke O’Cuinneagain joined from Glenelly in the second half of 2022, and the Anglo American flagship now looks poised for a long-overdue resurgence.

Florence Rosé 2025
Price: R165
68% Shiraz, 17% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre. A hint of reduction before rose, red apple and strawberry. Pure fruit, racy acidity and pithy finish – clean and correct. Alc; 12%.

CE’s rating: 91 | Delicious

Wild Winds Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Price: R165
Shy nose revealing pear, peach, lime, fynbos and a touch of flinty reduction. The palate is linear, fresh and bone dry, bordering on austere. Tightly wound and intensely focused, this is still some way off reaching its best. Alc: 13.1%.

CE’s rating: 91 | Serious

Reserve Chardonnay 2025
Price: R370
Pre-release. Citrus, struck match, vanilla and oatmeal on the nose. The palate is generous yet well balanced, with concentrated fruit, bright acidity and a dry, savoury finish. Matured for 11 months in a combination of 228- and 500-litre barrels plus foudre.  

CE’s rating: 94 | Luxurious

Estate White 2024
Price: R395
52% Semillon, 48% Sauvignon Blanc. Matured for 10 months in barrel, 25% new. Citrus, peach, blackcurrants, hay, fennel, some flinty reduction and a kiss of vanilla. Super-concentrated fruit and electric acidity before an exceptionally long and dry finish. Profoundly good. Alc: 13.5%.  

CE’s rating: 97 | Serious

Mill Race Red 2023
Price: R190
35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Syrah. Matured for 12 months in barrel, 15% new. Red berries and dried herbs on the nose, with little discernible oak influence.  A touch lean through the mid-palate, but vibrant overall. Alc: 14%.

CE’s rating: 90 | Value

Reserve Merlot 2023
Price: R370
Red cherry, plum, rose and a hint of herbs on the nose. Medium bodied with sweet fruit, bright acidity and soft, supple tannins. A wine with a pleasing modesty about it, the oak well handled. Alc: 14.5%.

CE’s rating: 92 | Classic

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Price: R425
Red and black berries, rose and a pronounced herbal note on the nose. The palate is lighter and perhaps a bit underpowered, though the tannins are fine and the finish dry. A well-made wine showing balance, freshness and varietal clarity despite the challenges of a wet vintage.

CE’s rating: 91 | Classic

Estate Red 2023
Price: R575
41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. Aromas of red and black berries, potpourri, herbs, a touch of meat stock and pencil shavings. Medium-bodied and finely detailed, with notable verve, and fine tannins. Precise and composed, this is a deft handling of a difficult vintage. Alc: 14%.

CE’s rating: 94 | Serious

V 2023
Price: R2,150
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of red and black berries with floral perfume, a hint of mint in the best sense, and subtle vanilla and spice. The palate is pure and focused, with excellent fruit clarity, fresh acidity and fine tannins. Oak is well integrated, adding structure without obscuring the fruit, and the wine shows clear potential for further development with age. Alc: 14%.

CE’s rating: 93 | Classic

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