The C des Carmes uses around 30% whole bunch this year, primarily from the Merlot component. The final blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% merlot and 1% Petit Verdot from gravelly soils around Martillac. The nose is spicy and expressive with notes of wild herbs, sandalwood and violets. With a little time in the glass aromas of lavander and dark cherry fruit emerge. There is a silky, caressing feel on the palate with a great deal of elegance and charm. A delicious, vibrant and wonderfully balanced wine that finishes with accents of salted liquorice.

A blend of 71% Sauvignon and 29% Semillon this is made of three vineyard sites on a combination of sandstone and granite soils. Opening with a flinty note and sea spray, it is tighly wound and vibrant with flavours of white flowers, white grapefruit and a little blackcurrant lead. One of the most impressive whites made by Duncan.

The nose opens with aromas of quince, apricot and orange blossom. There is a nod to tropical fruit which is balanced by a saline focus through the palate. This builds on the palate to a finish that is wonderfully layered with notes of acacia, ginger and lemongrass.

The soil here is very shallow shale soils in the Paardeberg, which gives the wine a real mineral focus. There is restraint on the nose, chiselled and tense with a core of mineral, salty energy. Driven and crystalline on the palate, there are notes of white grapefruit, white flowers and white peach. Really impressive density and drive to this wine.

Sparkling with energy there is a little spiciness here of ginger and a dusting of warm rocks. Red berries, ocean spray, there is wonderful focus and drive to the wine. There is a grip on the palate and a structure that means this is most definitely one for the cellar.

Beautifully elegant, red cherry and wild strawberry notes with a twist of fynbos. There are notes of liquorice and violets with a supple, sinewy tannins that delicately frame the fruit. Easy to approach but a wine has serious potential.

Expressive on the nose with notes of oyster shell, white flowers, orange peel and quince. The palate shows both richness and freshness with a note of lemon oil and white grapefruit. Long and beautifully textured finish.

A beautifully classic nose of violets, pepper and dark cherry fruit. The peppery spice is equally present on the palate with accents of grilled herbs adding layers of complexity to the ripe plum fruit. Juniper spice and violets lift from the glass while the supple frame of tannins adds tension through the finish.

Impressively complete, the 2022 Max from Miles Mossop is a real standout wine. Rich and bold there is a fine spiced note of cedar and five spice that leads while plenty of ripe cassis fruit fills the palate. This is all elegance and power wrapped into one and one of the best wines tasted from Miles.

The fruit for the Boekenhoutskloof Syrah comes 90% from the Porseleinberg farm and 10% from Goldmine. This is a spicy, nuanced Syrah with around two thirds whole bunch that was vinified in concrete before ageing in large foudres and 500 litre barrels. There are aromas of cracked pepper, roast beef, with a fleshy and rounded feel to the bramble fruit. The tannins are ripe but well defined adding tension to the finish. An excellent effort and another great Syrah from Gottfried.