2008 Morgenster

A blend of 36% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Petit Verdot aged in 300-liter French barrels for 18 months, the 2008 Proprietary Red has lifted blackberry, mulberry and mint on the nose with just a touch of sage and dried herbs. The palate is medium-bodied with dry tannins on the entry, a fleshy core of red cherry and wild strawberry with a supple, feminine finish that is very appealing. But I wager that it is not a wine for the long-haul like the 2006. Drink now-2017. Although I am not totally convinced that Bordeaux blends are a strong hand for South Africa, Morgenster proved that they can produce a sublime combination of Old World meets New World Cabernet/Merlot based wines. The 300-year old estate in Somerset West used to be part of Vergelegen. In 1992 Giulio Bertrand purchased the estate, and the first vines were planted the following year. Since 1999, the busiest man in Bordeaux, Pierre Lurton, has consulted for Morgenster and together with winemaker Henry Kotze they impart a tangible Bordeaux sensibility to the wine. Their classically styled Proprietary Red is one of South Africa’s most eligible wines for aging and so I completed two small verticals that proved their wines can repay cellaring over a decade or more, commencing with their entry-level Lourens River Valley. Importer: Worthwhile Wine Company, Atlanta, GA; tel. (678) 358-5241