2003 Kanonkop

The 2003 Kanonkop Paul Sauer Stellenbosch has the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc used to date (31%) with 6% Merlot and 63% Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a very refined bouquet, very pure, with star-anise-tinged black fruit with hints of bell pepper and tertiary notes emerging with time. The palate has an understated entry with a slightly grainy texture: blackberry, black olive, a touch of menthol and dried orange rind toward the finish. This is drinking now, but will continue to evolve over 15 to 20 years.

(63% cabernet sauvignon, 31% cabernet franc and 6% merlot) Medium ruby-red. Explosive aromas of blackberry, violet, iron, graphite, meat, leather and licorice, all lifted by a floral note. Sweet, dense and silky, with highly concentrated candied fruit flavors and superb inner-palate verve. Complicating notes of tar and forest floor. Finishes firmly tannic and very long. An outstanding vintage for this South African classic. (Incidentally, I much preferred this to the wilder but less dense and rich 2002; my sample seemed to be evolving quickly and rated 88 points.)