Waterkloof Circumstance Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (75cl, 14%)

This is a 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon from Waterkloof, high on the slopes of the Schapenberg in Stellenbosch, overlooking False Bay. It comes from a single, windswept vineyard block 270 to 300 metres above sea level and about two miles from the Atlantic, where cooling winds keep the ripe fruit fresh. Yields are small, at around four tonnes per hectare, and the grapes are picked by hand. Fermentation is with wild yeasts in large open-top wooden fermenters, with 35 days on the skins, followed by around 20 months in mostly older oak barriques. The nose offers ripe blackberry and blackcurrant with pencil shavings, spice and savoury notes. The palate is rich and concentrated, with fine tannins and fresh acidity, and the finish is long with black fruit and spice.