Etienne Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2017

£51.95

In stock

SKU: 29163 Categories: ,

Description

Tasted alongside the 2015 and 2016 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon for added perspective reveals a wine that is quite simply drop dead gorgeous. While 2017 is of course another excellent vintage for reds in the Cape and the quality of this icon was always expected to be high, I was not anticipating it being this good! The aromatics are super fragrant and exuberant, showing intricate perfumed notes of violets and lilacs, cinnamon stick, cedar and sandalwood, cigar box and wonderfully complex herbal hints of thyme, dried fennel seeds and Chinese five spice. There is an impressive elegance and gravitas to the silky, finely textured palate which boasts all the classical Cabernet notes of black currants and black plum, crème de cassis, graphite and savoury, earthy nuances of freshly tilled earth. A beautifully proportioned, multi-dimensional wine that shows such a harmonious balance and sophisticated composure reserved for only the finest red wines around the world. Medium bodied, super elegant and weightlessly intense, the fruit flavours are perfectly ripe and precise, growing in the mouth and energised by an exhilarating freshness that holds everything in place so effortlessly. Certainly one of the most ‘complete’ wines I have tasted from the 2017 vintage so far. Drink this beauty on release but be sure to hold back a couple of cases for long term cellaring of 10, 15 or 20+ years.
97/100 Greg Sherwood MW
5 Stars Platter Guide 2021

Additional information

Vintage

Colour

Style

Region

Winemaking Approach

Grape

Size

Alcohol

Producer

Producer Information: Etienne Le Riche

Le Riche is a family run estate founded by Etienne Le Riche in 1996. Situated close to the historic town of Stellenbosch, the winery is perched on the slopes of the Heldeberg Mountain and surrounded by the majestic Hottentots Holland Mountain range.If youre based in Stellenbosch and going to specialise in something, Cabernet is a great choice! Le Riche are known as ‘Cabernet Masters’ and rightly so. They select grapes from the best possible Stellenbosch terroirs to craft top quality Cabernets with superb cellaring potential. The estate was founded by Etienne Le Riche in 1996 and remains a family affair.These wines are elegant and classy with fine grained tannins and subtle oak integration, and while not aiming to be Bordeaux replicas, they do have much in common with the balance and poise sometimes found in top Margaux. With most of their wines sold domestically, it’s a rare treat to find these wines on UK soils. Production is 8000×6 cases a year, with the Reserve range consisting of only 1000 cases. These wines are rare but worth sourcing.

You may also like…