2021 DAMASCENE Cabernet Franc Stellenbosch, Lea & Sandeman

DAMASCENE

2021 Cabernet Franc Stellenbosch

IN STOCK
Grapes Cab Franc
Colour Red
Origin South Africa, Stellenbosch
Village Stellenbosch
ABV 13.5%

Beginning floral and red-fruited, the 2021 Stellenbosch Cabernet Franc sways with elegance and finesse, offering lively notes of roasted red bell pepper and smoked plums. Medium-bodied and with 13% alcohol, this will do wonders in the cellar, as it has a slightly tight expression in its youthful state before delivering a food-friendly finish that will continue to please over the next 15+ years. Bravo! This is fantastic Cabernet Franc! Rating: 93+ Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate (Dec 2023)

*Case price discount: Mix any 12 bottles of wine (or 9 litre equivalent) or 6 bottles of Champagne, Spirits, Sweet Wine or Fortified (4.5 litres) to get the discounted 'case price' for each bottle.

Jean Smit is so brilliant at making Syrah that it's easy to forget that he's a wizard with Cabernet Franc, too. This is made with the CF1 clone, sourced from an east-facing site in the Bottelary Hills. So perfumed that it "takes over the cellar", it has kale, sage and graphite aromas, damson, black cherry and fennel flavours and serious, grippy tannins. Drinking range: 2024 - 2030 Rating: 94 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Sept 2023)

East-facing block on poor granite soils on a farm next to Kaapzicht, east-facing soils. CF1 clone, with exceptionally small berries. Kept on the skins for just 10 days. Made in foudre. Supple and refined with lovely red cherry and red currant fruit. Chalky and grainy, and quite elegant. Fine, fresh and pure with a bit of grip on the finish. 95/100 (JG) Rating: 95 Jamie Goode, www.wineanorak.com (Sept 2023)

From Bottelary vineyards on granite. The nose shows rose, red currant plus pretty and intriguing herbal notes while the palate is ethereal – light-bodied but not angular or attenuated. Great fruit purity and lively acidity before a finish that is long and dry but certainly not astringent. A precise wine but equally full of charm. Something of a revelation as to what can be achieved with this variety locally. Rating: 96 www.winemag.co.za (Oct 2022)

Damascene

Damascene is a seriously exciting new find for us in South Africa. Their maiden vintage here was 2018 and we were blown away by the results. 2019, their second vintage was sold out on release, read the press release HERE.

The highly acclaimed Jean Smit, previously winemaker at Boekenhoutskloof, has teamed up with David Curl, former owner of Bordeaux’s Chateau Gaby.

Their goal is to explore all across the South African winelands in search of exceptional sites. Sites that deliver an important moment of insight, and hence the name of the project. A Damascene moment of clarity, where we can all understand the greatness of these small, prized plots.

The vineyards are old and well established but small, so each of these brilliant wines is only released in very small quantities. We urge you to catch them while you can.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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