Roodekrantz Coronet 2015 continues my #saveSAwine series of articles. Prohibition in South Africa may be (partially and temporarily) lifted, but there are still over 640 million litres of largely unsold wine in storage with a new vintage coming in as I type; there is no space to process and store the new wine!
The 20 weeks of prohibition in the last 12 months have cost the industry over R6 billon (US$400 million) in direct sales alone. We can drive exports by buying to help #saveSAwine.
Coronet 2015 is a Cabernet blend from Roodekrantz, who made the excellent 1954 Old Vines Cinsaut I recently reviewed. The came literally means ‘decorated crown’ and this reflects the quality of Cabernet Sauvignon with the addition of other varietals as the decorations. It is the wine at the top of Roodekrantz range.
The wine is a blend of grapes from vineyards in Paarl and Stellenbosch with deep shale and decomposed granite soils. 2015 was an excellent vintage in these regions so I am hoping for quality and maybe some tertiary characteristics as it is six years old.
Let us commence!
Coronet 2015, Roodekrantz
A complex nose showing the range of aromas that can exist in a Cabernet-based blend. There is blackcurrant, plum and a hint of blackberry fruit. These are ripe, but not overripe, and showing a bit of mature softness to them. Quite attractive!
There are other aromas one might expect in a Bordeaux-style blend: pencil-shavings, tobacco leaf, cedar wood and a hint of tea. These aromas are integrated on the Roodekrantz Coronet with the fruit flavours as age has mellowed them and allowed them to relax into complete harmony with each other.
If the Roodekrantz Coronet had ever seen any new oak it has all been nicely consumed into the collocate set of aromas on the nose and everything on the nose is quite, quite accordant. It certainly has tertiary characteristics on the nose and it smells rather lovely.
The Roodekrantz Coronet palate shows some tertiary character too. The vigorous tannic structure that one might expect from a Cabernet-based wine is there, but it is has palliated into a calm, measured structure that is delightful to drink. The edge of toughness keeps the temperate softness lively and, together with the good acidity, this makes the palate still show plenty of life and suggests there is no real rush to drink.
It has delicious, ripe fruit – a complex array of flavours here – again on this Roodekrantz Coronet these have become a touch more temperate with six years of age and they flatter the palate with enjoyable roundness.
It has a long finish, with some of the chalky tannins one often finds in these wines and – perhaps this is my imagination – I am sure I detect a granitic, solid grip to the Roodekrantz Coronet finish that gives the finish vivacity and enhances its length.
This Roodekrantz Coronet is quite delicious, enjoyable now and I would suggest you drink it over the next five or six years whilst it still has that energetic tension between the Cabernet tannins and mature softness, also the yielding fruit and chalky, grippy finish.
This is another wine from Edgmond Wines and the second in a row from them that has pleasured The Editor and me most satisfactorily. There are other producers on their list that have been recommended to me: Archangeli and Mount Abora have been given particular praise. The Roodekrantz reds have been a real success at Elitistreview Towers. They are certainly worth your time exploring if you are looking to try some new producers. Preet, the boss, is a lovely chap – so all in all a good source.