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TECHNICAL INFO

Varietal/Blend:  90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot & Malbec

ABV:  14.43%

Vineyard:  From Tokara’s Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. Only grapes from the best parts of the blocks are used. The vineyards yield between
7-9 t/ha. The grapes were hand-picked at optimal ripeness between the 25th March and the 16th April.

Cellar: Fruit is de-stemmed, passes through a mechanical sorting table, then a hand sorting table. Crushed directly into tanks for fermentation (gravity fed only). Cold maceration for up to 5 days before fermentation starts (spontaneously, with indigenous yeast) in stainless steel and upright oak fermenter foudres. Pump-overs, délestage, and punching down of the cap are all used as best determined for ideal extraction, implemented twice a day until fermentation was complete. A discretionary post fermentation maceration is carried out. The wine's then racked to french oak for MLF, after which it is again racked, sulphured, and put back to barrel. The wine ages for a total of twenty-two months in 59% new French oak barriques, the remainder being older oak barriques. During maturation the wines received four racking’s, all done barrel to barrel. The wine was bottled in January 2022 without fining and only a light filtration.

CSPC:  124085

Winemakers Note: The wine displays a brilliant purple-black core and deep ruby edge. The nose leads with classic aromas of cassis, ripe cherry, subtle liquorice and graphite. There is an intriguing freshness underscoring these aromas with hints of cigar box and fynbos. The palate is full-bodied with dense fine-grained tannins, indulgent ripe fruit and a multi-layered persistent finish. Food pairing: Roast lamb shoulder with rosemary jus, duck fat potatoes and slow roasted beetroot or Parmigiana Melanzane.

What the Critics are saying: 2021 Vintage: "This intriguing Bordeaux blend from the Cape’s Stellenbosch (Cabernet with, in this case, a little Petit Verdot and Malbec but no Merlot) is splendidly deep in colour and has sophisticated aromas which take the drinker well beyond blackcurrant towards plum, bramble and damson, with sumptuous incense spices lending a little exotic lustre. It’s deep and shows complex fruits on the palate which engage and carry the wine engagingly through to the finish. A juicy acidity provides the principle balancing note, with supple supporting tannins. The winemaking here puts the emphasis on drinkability with detail; there’s no need to age this accessible, agile wine any further (though the quality of the raw materials will carry it through time, too)." - 97, Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 - Best in Show

"Stellenbosch (14.4%) Further proof - if any were needed - that Tokara is a fantastic site for Cabernet Sauvignon, this is an enticingly perfumed, opulent red with a textbook combination of acidity and tannins, mountain herb and cedarwood top notes and a tangy core of cranberry and blackcurrant. Drink from 2024-35." - 94, Tim Atkin MW

"The Tokara 2021 Stellenbosch Reserve Collection Cabernet Sauvignon is beautifully contained and shows varietal tones of blackberry, damson plum, bramble and an earthy ferrous note of rusty nail. I like the linear simplicity of this medium- to full-bodied wine. This 15,000-bottle release ages for 22 months in 225-liter French oak, with 59% new wood." 93, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate ~ Monica Lerner

TECHNICAL INFO

Country:  South Africa

Region:  Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, South Africa

Appellation:  Stellenbosch WO

Climate:  Moderate Mediterranean

Altitude:  150-215m

Soils:  Deep, red volcanic soil

Varietal/Blend:  90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot & Malbec

Fermentation:  Spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in old oak puncheons.

Ageing:  Aged in old oak puncheons.

Vineyard & Vine Age:  Bull Swamp and Manilla vineyards in Baw Baw Shire. The vines were planted in 1961 and and 1964 respectively.

ABV:  14.43%

Produced Cases:  50

CSPC:  124085