"Optima" 2018

Hold up. The one proposed here by Anthonij Rupert is not the usual wine all fruit and little substance from the New World. Quite the contrary. Tasted blind, in fact, this Optima from the Western Cape, and in particular from the Franschhoek area, could easily be mistaken for a Bordeaux red. Especially for the blend, which is 100 percent French, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot splitting the cut almost equally, and with an addition of Malbec to back them up. All grapes come from the L'Ormarins estate in Franschhoek and the Rooderust estate in Darling. Specific sites with mainly granitic soils and unique climatic conditions. Best suited to produce the best grapes for the Optima blend. Harvested between February and March, here the grapes are selected by an optical sorter, which can identify only the best quality bunches. Once in the cellar, the must ferments on the skins and undergoes prolonged maceration. After processing, the wine matures in 225-liter French oak barrels, at least 30 percent of which are new. This slow phase lasts for about 20 months. Intense and dark red, the nose reveals clearly recognizable notes of plum, fresh flowers and dried lavender. In the mouth there is an almost total match, with added notes of sweet spices and herbs. Solid but elegant structure, the wood is perfectly integrated. The finish, however, is persistent and of great distinction. Game, spicy dishes and aged cheeses.