89POINTS
16¼/20
Blankbottle Confessions of a White Glove Chaser 2015
Stellenbosch, Coastal Region, South AfricaFragrant plum, youthful cassis, thorns and a light sappiness on this tight and fresh cabernet sauvignon (tipped with some cinsault). No new oak, this is a clear lens of Helderberg cabernet sauvignon (from three parcels), with 2.5 months skin contact post fermentation before 15 months in small French nine year old barrels and a small amount of sulphur at bottling. Bright fruited, finely structured a whisper tug of tannins. The wine is named because the Helderberg is one of the top places to grow Bordeaux varieties in the Cape, so sourcing the top vineyards is a key skill. There's one group of meticulous vintners that dress all in white, including gloves, when they work in their selected vineyards. Blankbottle's Pieter Walser buys grapes next to where they've chosen, hence, chasing the White Gloves :)Tasted: 01 June 2017Tasted by: Treve RingPrices:Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon - Cinsault