TN: 2001 Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon

2001 Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon this Stellenbosch cabernet is in a really good place now. It is still amazingly dark and has a lovely cassis and cocoa nose - it seems to have lost much of the mintiness I recall from my last tasting 6 or 7 years ago, and it is a beefy wine both in weight and in choice of matching food. Lovely now but showing little signs of aging It showed some interesting spice note in the nose as it opened up - nutmeg? Wish I had laid more down - only a couple of bottles left.

[David M. Bueker]

Never had a South African wine with that much age.

Some of them hold up really well. I have Nederburg Auction selections back into the early 80s, and some of the Rust en Vrede, Kanonkop, and Plaisir de Merles in the 90s are still going strong. Thanks for the reminder, though - I better get at the oldest ones and soon!

[Jenise]

Back when I could get my hands on this producer, it was my favorite South African. I don't have any more myself but I always believed them to have good futures. Good to see this! And as for the mint--bring it on, I love that in South African cabernets. Napa too, as you know.