Greg Sherwood MW (97)

The 2018 Paul Sauer is a classical blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc from vines averaging 30 years of age grown on dryland vineyards of Decomposed Granite and Hutton and Clovelly soils. Vibrant and ruby / purple, the wine almost glows in the glass with inviting promise. At this youthful stage, the Cabernet Sauvignon component shines through strongly revealing a generally dark, broody, black fruited demeanour embellished with subtle notes of saline crème de cassis, star anise, lead pencil shavings, dried violets and signature nuances of freshly tilled earth, buttered brown toast and hints of breakfast espresso. In the mouth, the palate shows gorgeous elegance, purity and fruit focus with the most fine grained filigree tannins, soothingly generous black berry fruits and delicious mouth-watering acids. This wine is precision personified showing such effortless grace and harmony together with a measured power and intensity. The 2018 is certainly a very classically schooled expression that waltzes across the palate without ever putting a foot out of place. Like all truly great Bordeaux blends, this has the finesse and textural harmony to drink on release but also the intensity and gravitas to age effortlessly for 20 to 30+ years.

Greg Sherwood MW (97)

The 2018 Paul Sauer is a classical blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc from vines averaging 30 years of age grown on dryland vineyards of Decomposed Granite and Hutton and Clovelly soils. Vibrant and ruby / purple, the wine almost glows in the glass with inviting promise. At this youthful stage, the Cabernet Sauvignon component shines through strongly revealing a generally dark, broody, black fruited demeanour embellished with subtle notes of saline crème de cassis, star anise, lead pencil shavings, dried violets and signature nuances of freshly tilled earth, buttered brown toast and hints of breakfast espresso. In the mouth, the palate shows gorgeous elegance, purity and fruit focus with the most fine grained filigree tannins, soothingly generous black berry fruits and delicious mouth-watering acids. This wine is precision personified showing such effortless grace and harmony together with a measured power and intensity. The 2018 is certainly a very classically schooled expression that waltzes across the palate without ever putting a foot out of place. Like all truly great Bordeaux blends, this has the finesse and textural harmony to drink on release but also the intensity and gravitas to age effortlessly for 20 to 30+ years.

Greg Sherwood MW (96+)

This classically styled Paul Sauer 2019 is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc and 11% Merlot. After noticeably more fruit forward aromatics on the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 on release, this 2019 represents somewhat of departure in style with a decidedly tight, broody aromatic profile of inky dark berry fruits, iodine, crushed gravel, Bouquet Garni, dried herbs, sweet clove and graphite before subtle hints of pithy black currant and black cherry join the party and mingle with perfumed notes of pressed violets and lilac. Despite its 24 months in 100% new French Never oak 225 litre barriques, there is only a mere suggestion of wood influence with a beautifully refined cedar spice and unsmoked cigar nuances. On the palate, the results of a cooler and smaller harvest manifest themselves through a distinctly classical Old World restraint, purity, wound spring tension and supremely refined tannins that linger on the palate with seamless precision. As with many longer, cooler Bordeaux vintages, there is more a sense of concentration and power rather than an actual overt textural display, with sinewy black fruits, cocoa powder and earthy, brambly layers concertinaed by lively acids and yet more overt minerality. An impressive creation indeed that will benefit from a good 8 to 10 years in the cellar to fully blossom despite its textural finesse, balance and accessibility.

Greg Sherwood MW (97)

Launched in the 50th anniversary of the estate, it was an absolute pleasure to first taste the new release 2020 Paul Sauer in London with both winemaker Abrie Beeslaar and uber critical owner, Johan Krige. Together, these are two individuals who both have very high expectations for every new Paul Sauer release, but not only that, they are both people who will find a way for the new wine to express the new vintage blend in the most succinct and honest way. In 2020, the Paul Sauer is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc and 14% Merlot from Simonsberg vines grown on decomposed granite at an average of 30+ years old. The aromatics are delicate yet sophisticated, whispering a rich complexity of saline cassis, sweet violets, dried sage, crunchy black berry, iodine and salty oyster shell nuances with a hint of melted candles and incense complexity. Fabulously pure, focused, weightless and intense, there is a notable ambition and intent on the palate, that bristles with a maritime salinity, deep layers of crème de cassis, blue berry, cedar spice and a tart red berry extravagance. This is simply like no other 2020 I have tasted from Stellenbosch. The wine possesses its own class, elegance and swagger, but with an incredible refinement and precision. You would expect nothing less from one of South Africa’s first growth producers!

Greg Sherwood MW (99)

A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 13% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Paul Sauer is beautifully intense and utterly seductive, the aromatics pulling you in with their perfumed notes of incense, violets, black currant, saline oyster shell, black cherry, sweet cherry tobacco and graphite with subtle blueberry notes and a subtle kiss of sweet cedar and vanilla pod spice. The palate shows sprawling breadth and depth with a gentle picante spice together with a noticeably intense salinity and maritime, nori seaweed nuance before more bold flavours of black currant, mulberry, black cherry and blueberry coat the mouth. The fine silky tannins are deceptively taut and crisp with the fresh glassy acids adding to the wine’s obvious power, focus and superb intensity. So much wine in the glass, so much to assimilate! The 2021 Paul Sauer represents a true Cape Bordeaux blend masterclass once again from Abrie Beeslaar!

Vinous (96)

Bright medium ruby. Alluring aromas of dark berries, licorice, lavender and violet. Wonderfully dense, spicy wine with an exhilarating sugar/acid balance giving definition to its dark berry, mineral and floral flavors. Offers outstanding thickness and depth of texture without any undue weight. Really echoes and rises on the long back end, with the noble tannins thoroughly integrated with the wine's fruit. This makes the Roberta's seem a bit ungiving, but I suspect that that wine will yet gain in pliancy. One of the handful of superstars of its vintage, from fruit picked between October 14 and 17, or almost a full month later than the Roberta's Merlot (September 18). (14.5% alcohol; 98% new French and 2% new Hungarian oak)

Vinous (98+)

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin is a real stunner. Despite an overall impression of femininity and understatement, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin is simply dazzling. Sweet, floral and open-knit, the 2012 is nevertheless holding quite a bit back in potential. When I visited Kapcsándy during the 2012 harvest the enthusiasm was very high. This wine shows why. The blend is 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot.

Vinous (98+)

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin is a real stunner. Despite an overall impression of femininity and understatement, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin is simply dazzling. Sweet, floral and open-knit, the 2012 is nevertheless holding quite a bit back in potential. When I visited Kapcsándy during the 2012 harvest the enthusiasm was very high. This wine shows why. The blend is 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot.

Wine Advocate (100)

Little can be added to the greatness of the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin, a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. The wine (600 cases) is truly stunning in its dense, crème de cassis and blackberry-scented nose with a hint of barbecue smoke and forest floor. Tasting like a ripe vintage of Château Latour from Pauillac, the wine has amazing richness and a savory, expansive mouthfeel, but tiptoes across the palate like a ballerina. A wine of magnificent richness and intensity, but vibrancy, purity and overall equilibrium, this is a staggeringly great wine and another tribute to the Kapcsándy family’s extraordinary professionalism and meticulous attention to detail in their vineyard.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (99)

Kapcsándy's 2014 Grand Vin is everything I had hoped it would be. Fresh and complex in the glass, the 2014 dazzles with a stunning range of Cabernet Sauvignon aromas and flavors that race across the palate. The long, vibrant finish is breathtaking in its beauty and dimension. I can’t help thinking this is probably the sort of wine Lou Kapcsándy dreamed of making. Readers will find a Cabernet Sauvignon of total gravitas. A dollop of Merlot rounds out the blend.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (99)

Kapcsándy's 2014 Grand Vin is everything I had hoped it would be. Fresh and complex in the glass, the 2014 dazzles with a stunning range of Cabernet Sauvignon aromas and flavors that race across the palate. The long, vibrant finish is breathtaking in its beauty and dimension. I can’t help thinking this is probably the sort of wine Lou Kapcsándy dreamed of making. Readers will find a Cabernet Sauvignon of total gravitas. A dollop of Merlot rounds out the blend.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is pure perfection and undeniably one of the greatest wines in this terrific vintage. With a Château Latour like stature and depth, full-bodied richness, and incredible notes of blue fruits, crushed violets, tobacco, forest floor, and huge minerality, this tight, backward, concentrated 2015 is for those with patience and cold cellar, but it’s a legendary wine in the making. Bravo!

Wine Advocate (100)

A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in 90% new French oak, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is deep garnet-purple colored with a lovely crème de cassis core backed-up by the most amazing perfume of lilacs, oolong tea, camphor and dark chocolate plus gentle wafts of aniseed and red currants. Medium-bodied with fantastic vibrancy and intensity, the palate practically rings with spine-tingling energy. It slowly builds in the mouth to reveal layers of red and black fruits supported by a very finely grained frame and seamless freshness, leading to a drop dead gorgeous, perfumed lift on the long finish. Sex in a glass. 425 cases produced.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Only the second time it's been 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin sports a deep purple color as well as a Latour-like bouquet of crème de cassis, scorched earth, violets, graphite, camphor, and lead pencil. Rich, powerful and concentrated, with incredible elegance and purity as well as building structure, this magical effort needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will live for 50 years or more.

Wine Advocate (100)

Deep purple-black, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard rockets out of the glass with intense notes of blackcurrant cordial, plum preserves and blueberry pie, plus hints of Chinese five spice, dusty soil, menthol, tar and black truffles, with a waft of roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in poise, delivering layer upon layer of vibrant black and blue fruits with a rock-solid backbone of super ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and just plain delicious. Pure, seemingly effortless, seamless perfection. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 80% new French oak, the alcohol is a relatively modest 14.3%. 300 cases were made.

Vinous (88)

Kápcsandy's 2015 Estate Cuvée is perplexing. Neither bottle I tasted was impressive nor close to what I tasted from barrel. Sweet dried cherry, mint, dried flowers, cedar and tobacco are some of the signatures. Light in color, body and structure, the 2015 appears to be built for near term drinking. Quite frankly, I expected more.

Vinous (95)

The 2016 Estate Cuvée has turned out beautifully. Pliant, supple and inviting, the 2016 Estate Cuvée is one of the most refined wines I have tasted from Kapcsándy. Silky tannins and lifted, savory aromatics add to an impression of polish. The Cabernet Sauvignon savory notes are quite prominent, while the addition of 16% Roberta's Merlot helps fill out the mid-palate beautifully. This is such a pretty wine.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (98)

The 2014 Rhapszodia is a wine of pure and total sensuality. Powerful, deep and resonant, it is incredibly hedonistic and intellectual at the same time. It offers up an exotic mélange of black cherry/plum fruit, new leather, licorice, mocha, cedar and espresso. The 2014 remains fresh, complex and wonderfully dynamic. It’s a totally alluring wine that hits all the right spots. In 2014, Rhapszodia was equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot, as opposed to the pure Franc that is the norm these days. What a wine!

James Suckling (98)

This is a superb merlot with black olive, blueberry, iodine, and oyster shell. Full body, tight tannins. Chocolate, walnut, and bramble berry. Superb finish. A beauty. Try now but give it four to five years of bottle age.

Vinous (100)

The 2013 Roberta's Reserve is just as compelling it has always been. Dark, powerful and exotic, the 2013 Roberta's tastes like it has barely budged since I tasted it last year. Intense dark fruit, chocolate, smoke, licorice and tobacco are front and center. Exceptionally polished and towering in its structure, the 2013 will drink well for many, many years. The tannins soften a bit with time in the glass, but the 2013 remains a young wine in need of cellaring.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2014 Roberta’s Reserve is a total delight. Now at the beginning of its first plateau of maturity, the 2014 is showing beautifully. Cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, mint, dried cherry and coffee open in the super-expressive bouquet. Truffle, dried flowers, mint and mocha appear later to play off a core of dark Merlot fruit. A touch of Cabernet Franc completes the blend. At ten years of age, this is still a youngster.

Vinous (97+)

The 2016 Roberta's Reserve is a powerful, dense wine with serious tannic clout. Beams of supporting tannin give the wine energy and drive. Reticent at first, the Roberta's fleshes out on the mid-palate and finish, where the succulence and intensity of the fruit is most apparent. Super-ripe red cherry, kirsch, pomegranate and dried flowers meld into the resonant, substantial finish. There is so much to the 2016.

Immerse yourself in the sublime nuances of the Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Beerenauslese Nr25 2010. Produced with consummate Riesling expertise by the noted Karthäuserhof estate, this wine bears testament to the impeccable vineyards nestled within Germany's Rheinland-Pfalz region. Blessed with the right climatic conditions potentiated the Botrytis Cinerea, the Riesling grapes were meticulously selected for the Beerenauslese category, infusing this wine with breathtaking depth.

Following traditional wine-making methods, the super-ripe and partially noble rot affected grapes were immaculately fermented, navigating its innate sweetness and acidity towards a notable balance. This meticulously crafted late harvest Riesling hails from the esteemed 2010 vintage, exuding grandeur with its luxurious sweetness, complex mineral hues, and invigorating acidity.

Raise a glass to the exquisite Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Beerenauslese Nr25 2010, and indulge in flavours that are astoundingly vivid, with a finish that lingers elegantly.