NEDERBURG | The Manor House | Cabernet Sauvignon | 2016
cabernet sauvignon

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Today we are going to review a single-varietal cabernet sauvignon wine from Paarl, South Africa – The Manor House Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 by Nederburg Wine Estate. Cabernet Sauvignon is grown all over the world in a wide range of climates and regions and it can produce wines high in tannins and acidity, wines that can mature and develop for many years in the bottle. Cabernet Sauvignon is also a late ripening grape variety, which means that it is best suited to warm climates, where it can result in wines that can reach into realms of perfection. This particular wine has been aged in a combination of new, second- and third-fill french and american oak barrels for at least 21 months prior to blending and is produced from cabernet sauvignon grapes that are sourced from the the Paarl wine district, that lies to the north of Stellenbosch. Paarl is bordered by the Groot Klein Drakenstein mountains to the south and Franschhoek ranges to the south-east, with the Berg River running through – the life-giving artery of this wine-producing area. The curious thing about Paarl is that the valley land requires supplementary irrigation in the hot growing season before the harvest, yet the vineyards on the eastern slopes, having better water retention, frequently need none at all. The Manor House is an ultra-premium collection of single varietal wines that represent Nederburg’s best sites. The name of the series is inspired by the Cape Dutch manor house built in 1800 by Nederburg’s founder, Philippus Wolvaart. That said, without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
concentration: deep
colour: ruby
clarity: hazy
hue/rim: garnet

//Olfactory
intensity: rich
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits
__red fruits: sour cherry
__black fruits: black cherry | blackcurrant | black plum | blackberry
fruit character: overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earth | other
__spice: black pepper | red pepper | paprika
__oak: roasted oakwood | cherry tree wood
__earth: black soil dust | compost | forest floor
__other: black tea | leaves | cherry tree bark
__wood: old & new / light & medium toasted

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: high
tannin: med(+)
__grip: fine
body: round | medium+
balance: good
__dominant: alcohol & acidity
complexity: moderate

//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: overripe
non fruit: spice | earth
finish: med(+)
aftertaste: seedy-tart

//Scoring
NEDERBURG | The Manor House | Cabernet Sauvignon | 2016
variety: cabernet sauvignon
country: South Africa
region: Paarl
rating: 91.3

//Conclusion
maturity: on the rise | youthful
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of South Africa and, with a total of 91.3 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is a very fine cabernet sauvignon wine, maybe just a bit youthful in its current state, a wine that still needs a bit more time in the bottle (2 to 3 years should suffice) before it will reach the summit of its prime form. It tastes round, crisp and tart, with a nuanced fruity-earthy accent, overwhelming acidity and some alcoholic warmth on the palate. The wine feels seedy, robust and slightly angular, with a medium-plus body, rough acidity and a ripe, fine-grained grip on the mouthfeel. The wine also displays some expressive spicy-oaky notes, which forms a quite seedy-tart finale, where primary fruit is complemented nicely by the oak-infused flavours, such as red pepper and paprika. Overall the wine lacks a bit of structure and harmony on the plate, as the acidity clearly dominates over the others. Additional ageing is required before the wine will start to develop any form of elegance or finesse.
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