Here it is. Certifiable proof that South Africa has world-class wines capable of competing with the best of Napa or Bordeaux.

The pros agree. With 97 points from Decanter and 94 from Wine Advocate. More importantly, we agree. And the best part? You can get what little we have for 40% OFF.

Warwick Estate has been making wines for nearly 200 years, and this comes from a few prime plots in the Simonsberg-Stellenbosch Ward, one of the premier sub-regions in Stellenbosch. A “ward” is basically a unique plot of land with vineyards that set it apart. Similar to a Cru in Burgundy, for example.

As Jancis Robinson pointed on for Financial Times just a few months ago “There really is dynamism in Cape cellars and vineyards, and everyone is agreed on the headline trends: much more specialization in what’s suitable for the site, rather than trying to produce everything; more single-vineyard wines and greater emphasis on the different characters of subdistricts such as those of Stellenbosch…”

And this, dear Operatives, is the poster child for that winemaking revolution.

With 55% Cabernet Franc, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Merlot it serves up a king-sized mashup of blackberry, stewed plums, spiced meats, and Ceylon tea. The assemblage is meticulous. Each lot is hand sorted, destemmed, and vinified separately. Extended maceration, with 3-4 pump-overs and 55% new French oak all play a role in creating this exceptionally balanced wine. “It’s absolutely brilliant” as the Wine Advocate review notes, and we agree.

Now the bad news. Only about 20 cases came off the container with our name, and fast it will go.

97 Points – Decanter

“A complex nose of spiced black fruits, soy, roasted meats, and toasty oak. A rich melange of blackberry confit, stewed winter plums, and seductive saline cassis nuances on the palate. A creamy, classical wine of note. World Wine Awards 2021.”

94 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“Made from a blend of 55% Cabernet Franc, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot, the 2018 Warwick Estate Reserve (Trilogy) is firm and rustic yet juicy and offers a bold nose. The wine slowly unwinds out of the glass, offering layered oak essences atop notes of blackberry jus, caramel, sage, cherries jubilee and dusty plum blossoms. Full-bodied, the palate is precise, focused and still tannic and will need an additional year or two in the bottle to find its stride. Flavors of bitter black tea, roasted red peppers and cherries with cedar and cigar box sway across the mid-palate before ending with an evolving and elongated finish. It’s absolutely brilliant; just give it another year in bottle and then drink through the middle of the next decade. Bravo!”