5 ***** 2012 John Platter
Approaching its 30th birthday, cab-based blend with merlot, cab franc still Cape benchmark. Splendid 07 (*****) reflects work in the vineyard, with remarkably intense fruit core, currently masked by firm, integrated tannin which should preserve charms to 2025.
92 pts Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May 2011
74% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot and 11% cabernet franc. Bright, saturated ruby-red. Brooding aromas of cassis, dark chocolate, licorice, violet and pepper. Dense, broad and sweet, with a youthful reserve to the intense flavors of dark berries, tobacco and spices. Already shows a plush texture but there's terrific sappy energy at the core. Finishes very long and aromatic, with fine, building tannins and the structure for long aging. |
