Vergelegen, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch, 2007

Andre Van Rensburg quipped that he isn’t quite sure why this is called a reserve because it is the only cabernet he makes. Shame, because this is remarkably good and only 5000 cases are produced. No overripe fruit here. Instead, this is leafy, juicy and fresh with cassis and savoury cigar box. The acidity is wonderfully integrated with the tannins and the almost unnoticeable oak. And it wears the 14.5% alcohol very, very lightly. Benchmark stuff and a pleasure to drink.   Vergelegen was founded by Willem Adriaan van der Stel in 1700 and is now owned by Anglo American. It is situated in Somerset West, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Anglo American took over the vineyard in 1987 and concentrated on the production of high quality wines. Five years later, its first vintage was harvested. Vergelegen has around 3,000 hectares of vineyards, ranging from the banks of the Lourens River to the rock faces of the Hottentots Holland Mountains. It benefits from a mild climate due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean at False Bay and is situated between 140m and 310m altitude above sea level, with slopes facing north to north-west, and south to south-east.