Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2014 Warwick Estate Reserve (Trilogy) is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Cabernet Franc and 16% Merlot from the oldest vines on the estate, between 21 and 26 years old. It undergoes a seven-day cold soak, fermented in stainless steel with malolactic fermentation in tank and barrel. It is matured barrel for two years (60% new oak). It has a nicely focused bouquet of raspberry coulis, blackcurrant and just a hint of Indian spice, a pleasant curry leaf note perhaps from the Cabernet Franc emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, well-judged acidity, like the Blue Lady, quite Médoc-like in style with cedar and tobacco notes towards the masculine finish. Give this two or three years in bottle just to smooth out the edges. This is a well-crafted wine that should give 12-15 years of pleasure.
Critic scores
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
About the producer
With vineyards at the foot of the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch, Warwick Estate is one of South Africa’s most established wine producers. The Ratcliffe family converted the farm to viticulture and started making Bordeaux-inspired blends in the 1980s, including its flagship Trilogy.