Vuurberg Reserve Red '19

In addition to the excellent wines that Donovan Rall makes under the Rall label, this superstar South African winemaker also brings his talent and skill to Vuurberg (“Fire Mountain”), a small winery in Stellenbosch, on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain, about an hour’s drive east of Cape Town.

The clay soils on the Vuurberg farm are ideal for Bordeaux varieties, and the Vuurberg Reserve is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Cinsault. In the winery, Donovan takes a straightforward approach to vinification, keeping the process simple by fermenting with natural yeast, using a small basket press, and bottling without fining and with light filtration. The Vuurberg Reserve Red is aged in small French barrels for about two years.

This is a full-bodied, hearty wine, with notes of cassis, blackberry, earth, and spice, and with a structure and acidity that beautifully balance the bold flavors. If you enjoy Napa Cabernet and similar Bordeaux-style red blends, you’ll do well to stock up on this wine and enjoy it throughout the next decade. And you’ll appreciate it all the more for its surprisingly more reasonable price point.