2020 DAMASCENE Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch, Lea & Sandeman

DAMASCENE

2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch

IN STOCK
Grapes Cab Sauv
Colour Red
Origin South Africa, Stellenbosch
Village Stellenbosch
ABV 14.5%

Displaying beautiful oak aromas with fresh, red fruit tones, the 2020 Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon is spicy with notes of cranberry skin and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, the palate offers a firm, rocky minerality that will need one more year in the bottle to come around but has good bones and is built for distance. Nicely done! Drinking range: 2024 - 2040 Rating: 93+ Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate (Dec 2023)

*Case price discount: Mix any 12 bottles of wine (or 9 litre equivalent) or 6 bottles of Champagne, Spirits, Sweet Wine or Fortified (4.5 litres) to get the discounted 'case price' for each bottle.

Deftly combining grapes from the increasingly fashionable Polkadraai Hills with a smaller 25% component from the cooler corner of the Helderberg, this is a superb Cabernet Sauvignon from a winemaker at the top of his form. Aged in 60% new oak before a further spell in foudres, it's focused, granitic and lightly wooded, with layers of plum, violet and blackcurrant and firm, yet integrated tannins. Drinking range: 2025 - 2035 Rating: 94 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Sept 2023)

75% comes from a block next to Boschkloof, and 25% from the Helderberg. 11 months in small oak, 11 months in foudre. Such finesse here with sweet, sleek blackcurrant fruit with some stoniness. Notes of gravel and spice, as well as good structure. There’s real finesse to this wine which is concentrated, elegant and very fine. Massive potential. 96/100 (JG) Rating: 96 Jamie Goode, www.wineanorak.com (Sept 2023)

Grapes from Vlottenburg, Helderberg and Bottelary. Matured for 11 months in barrel of which 60% was new before a further 11 months in foudre. Red and black berries, some leafiness, violets and oak spice on the nose. The palate has real presence without being too forceful – good fruit weight, bright acidity and tannins that are wonderfully powdery. Intense and deep, this is still very youthful and packed away. Rating: 95 www.winemag.co.za (Oct 2022)

Damascene

Damascene is a seriously exciting new find for us in South Africa. Their maiden vintage here was 2018 and we were blown away by the results. 2019, their second vintage was sold out on release, read the press release HERE.

The highly acclaimed Jean Smit, previously winemaker at Boekenhoutskloof, has teamed up with David Curl, former owner of Bordeaux’s Chateau Gaby.

Their goal is to explore all across the South African winelands in search of exceptional sites. Sites that deliver an important moment of insight, and hence the name of the project. A Damascene moment of clarity, where we can all understand the greatness of these small, prized plots.

The vineyards are old and well established but small, so each of these brilliant wines is only released in very small quantities. We urge you to catch them while you can.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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