Vilafonté, Series M 2013
Deep red and black fruit leads this Malbec driven vintage.
A nose of blackberries, black cherries, raspberry and beef bouillon is followed by balsamic, dried flowers and chocolate with a beautiful perfume undertone.
The palate is soft and inviting with good weight and composure.
£70.00
Out of stock
Paarl
Bordeaux Blend, Red Blend
LightFull Bodied
Description
Founded in 1997, Vilafonté was the first American and South African joint wine-making venture within the global wine community. This ground-breaking founding partnership included a well-respected group of quality driven wine specialists from South Africa and the United States.
The 42ha property with its unique ancient soils, called vilafontes, served as the fuse to their winemaking vision. The defining character of the weathered soils formed the foundation for the vineyard, designed by Dr Phil Freese (previous Opus One Head of Wine Growing).
High density planting, which is different by design, encourages smaller vines, lower yields and highly concentrated fruit – a canvass for the artistry to create wines of elegant complexity, structure and longevity.
Vilafonté Series M and Series C are exclusively from grapes grown on this property. Vilafonté strives to encourage a philosophy of patience in the cellaring and enjoyment of their wines.
THE SERIES M BLEND
45% Malbec gives its suppleness and deep black fruit flavours; 34% Merlot provides complex red fruit aromas of raspberry, red cherry and plum, while the 21% Cabernet Sauvignon grounds the Series M with structure and density
CELLARING ADVICE
The Series M matured for twenty months in French oak barriques, seventeen percent new and a year in bottle before release.
With proper cellaring, Series M 2013 will continue to develop the bouquet and palate for at least a decade or more.
Decanting before serving is recommended for any wine of advanced complexity.
DEEP FRUIT & EXPANSIVE FLAVOURS
Deep red and black fruit leads this Malbec driven vintage.
A nose of blackberries, black cherries, raspberry and beef bouillon is followed by balsamic, dried flowers and chocolate with a beautiful perfume undertone.
The palate is soft and inviting with good weight and composure.
THE VINTAGE
The dry and windy start to spring in September 2012 produced tell-tale weather patterns for a great 2013 vintage. Vilafonté’s locality on the northern Simonsberg bench managed to side step the devastating winds that later wreaked havoc through many of the vineyards in Stellenbosch.
Weather leading to harvest ranged from mild to very warm, allowing our grapes to reach full balanced phenolic ripeness with ease.
Additional information
| Wine Farm | |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2013 |
| Grape | Bordeaux Blend, Red Blend |
| Alcohol vol | 14% |
Dishes containing red meat - steak or your Sunday roast.
3 reviews for Vilafonté, Series M 2013
Location
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90 pts | Wine Enthusiast
A blend of 45% Malbec, 34% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, there are some upfront notes of game, leather and cured meat that add interest to the black plum and cherry core. The palate is plush and broad, but not flat, with soft, approachable tannins and pleasant dark berry and plum flavors that are lifted by ample acidity.
Wine Enthusiast –
17.5/20 pts | Jancis Robinson
Tasted September 2018. Recommended drinking window 2018 – 2033
Jancis Robinson –
92 pts | Christian Eedes for Winemag.co.za
Wines don’t come more luxuriously styled than those from Vilafonté, the Paarl property which sees Mike Ratcliffe, who also oversees Warwick in partnership with two eminent US wine industry personalities, namely Phil Freese and Zelma Long. The Series M set for release is as sleek and opulent as ever. A blend of 45% Malbec, 34% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, it was matured for 20 months in French oak, 17% new. Red, blue and black fruit plus notes of vanilla, chocolate, earth and oak spice. It really is immaculately well made – luscious on entry, soft on the finish but not glib or ingratiating. If you like a fruitier style of red wine with less aggressive tannins, then you can’t go wrong. Tasted April 2016.
Christian Eedes for Winemag.co.za –