Cabernet Sauvignon Vertical tasting: Remington Norman’s notes
November 2008

Dr Remington Norman is a well respected wine writer from the UK, who has the good sense to spend his summers in the Cape.  A longstanding customer of ours, Remington attended our vertical tasting and kindly agreed to do our tasting notes for us.  Best known for the authorative “Rhône Renaissance” and “The Great Domaines of Burgundy”.  


2005 Deep coloured with complex nose of fully ripe – but not overripe – fruit. Still obviously youthful on the palate the wine’s immediately striking feature is the near perfect balance of constituents – fruit, silky tannins, alcohol and acidity and judicious oaking. On the palate, the layers of flavour are supported by a finely tuned structure of ripe silky tannins and fair acidity with a dense mid-palate and excellent length. Although this wine is thoroughly seductive and already eminently approachable, to drink it now would be to be deprived of years of interesting development ahead. Very lovely. Drink now – 15 years.
   
2004 Deep true red colour.  Youthful red fruit and spicy cedar.  Subtle new oak still evident.  Components not yet integrated – need time to come together and gain complexity.  Best between 2010 and 2015.  David Trafford
   
2003 Dense colour; reduced, understated nose; tight-grained fruit supported by firm, ripe tannins. The texture is grainy with a fresh undertone which lifts the fruit. Could do with a touch more concentration and mid-palate length. Attractive nonetheless. Drinking window 5-10 years.
   
2002 Less dense and showing more aromatic evolution than the ’03. Smoky red berry aromas with a distinct vegetal component. Flavours somewhat more dilute and evolved than the denser wines in this line-up. Attractive drinking over the next 3-7 years or so.
   
2001 Fine, dense, limpid appearance; attractive aromas of pebbles / stone-fruit starting to emerge; these will gain in complexity with time as will the flavours; finely-textured palate, ripe fruit supported by an elegant, almost seamless structure; good length and inherent complexity.  A complete and refined wine which deserves another few years in bottle, after which it will give great pleasure to those lucky enough to have both the bottles and the patience to wait. Together with the 2005 and 1997, the best of the line-up.
   
2000 (Old Mutual Trophy Winner) A big wine, dark plum and cherry flavours and a firm core of ripe fruit. However the tannins are out of balance with the fruit and it is unlikely that the wine will age gracefully. Nonetheless, a well-hung piece of beef or game in a rich sauce would knock off some of the rough edges. A somewhat ungainly wine in this context. Drink over the next few years.
   
1999 Fine deep colour, some maturation evident; secondary aromatics starting to emerge; on the palate, sweet fruit and generally soft, elegant mouthfeel without excessive alcohol. Ripeness is marginal (fruit stress during the growing season) leaving a lack of real concentration.  An attractive, if rather innocuous wine. At best over the next few years.
   
1998 Deep dark plum hue; closed nose; big, wine with burly, grippy tannins which stand apart from the fruit and are unlikely to resolve.  Has much in common with the 2000 but with less harshness and heat. Drink soon.
   
1997 (Mildew and rain; late harvest). Back on the true de Trafford track here. Fine pebbly aromatics and soft-centred flavours; very Bordelais in style and mouthfeel. Tight tannins, good fruit and length. Lovely wine, at its peak. Drink sooner rather than later.
   
1996 (Cool wet year). Good colour holding up well. Soft, attractive loose-knit flavours, red fruit, almost Burgundian finish. Lacks the depth and concentration of the best here, but still attractive drinking. Nothing to be gained from further cellaring.

(Most of the vintages below suffer from poor quality corks.  We have had some bottles in much better condition recently. David Trafford)

1995 Colour holding up, some maturation evident; good ripe fruit, soft clean lines. Fruit is starting to attenuate with structure poking through. Drink up.
   
1994 Good wine but simple and direct compared with most of the younger vintages – and the 1995; tannins prominent and lacks the concentration required to balance the structure. Drink up.
   
1993 Good colour, some age; fine mature aromas; flavours evolved around a core of ripe fruit. Soft, fully mature wine, quite loose-knit in texture. Fruit is fading, so drink up!
   
1992 (First de T Cab. Vintage – only 3 x 225L barrels made). Very similar to 1993, but with better definition and density and an altogether firmer structure. Fruit drying out and a raw finish, but still interesting. Likely to be considerable bottle variation after 17 years (if there are any left). Drink up.

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