Description
The new release of Kanonkop Estate’s iconic Paul Sauer Bordeaux-style red wine is an annual highlight on the wine calendar, and this year is no exception.
The grapes for the Paul Sauer originate from vineyards averaging 30 years in age and grown on Kanonkop’s decomposed granite soils. Winemaking adheres to the traditional principles that have made Kanonkop a renowned red wine producer. The grapes are harvested by hand, and go through three sorting processes before they are pumped into open concrete fermenters. Fermentation takes place at 29°C over five days, with the floating skins punched down manually every two hours to ensure a continual and gentle extraction and harmonious interaction between skins, flesh and juice.
The Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (17%) and Cabernet Franc (13%) components are blended after malolactic fermentation whereafter the wine is placed in new 225l French oak barrels. As for each vintage, the wine is matured in oak barrels for 24 months.
The 2021 vintage has a deep ruby colour. A classic, perfumed nose packed with cherries, cassis, cedar, cigar box, tea leaves and tomato paste, followed by a palate of cassis, cranberries, savoury plum and sweet vanilla.
A complex multi-layered, refined wine with a beautiful structure, balanced acidity, elegant, fine grained tannins and a long, persistent finish.
Ageing potential: 20 – 25 years from vintage
Food pairing: Paired well all types of steak, meat casseroles, roast leg of lamb and matured cheeses.
Alcohol: 13.49% ABV
Greg Sherwood MW – 99/100 “2021 Paul Sauer is beautifully intense and utterly seductive, the aromatics pulling you in with their perfumed notes of incense, violets, black currant, saline oyster shell, black cherry, sweet cherry tobacco and graphite with subtle blueberry notes and a subtle kiss of sweet cedar and vanilla pod spice. The palate shows sprawling breadth and depth with a gentle picante spice together with a noticeably intense salinity and maritime, nori seaweed nuance before more bold flavours of black currant, mulberry, black cherry and blueberry coat the mouth. The fine silky tannins are deceptively taut and crisp with the fresh glassy acids adding to the wine’s obvious power, focus and superb intensity. So much wine in the glass, so much to assimilate! The 2021 Paul Sauer represents a true Cape Bordeaux blend masterclass once again from Abrie Beeslaar!’
