Thoroughly enjoyable Cabernet under $10 from South Africa, the Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon.
90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot from Robertson, South Africa. The wine was aged for 9 months with 40% in French and American oak. The wine has 2.9 g/L of residual sugar and is vegan friendly.
Sample submitted for review. SRP of $10 and available for as low as $6. Ready to buy? Check your local retailers. Imported by Cape Classics.
The De Wets of Excelsior have a proud winemaking tradition dating back to 1697. The calcareous soils of the Robertson area were once used to raise champion thoroughbred horses, but now these soils are used to produce fine wines.
Crammed with abundant blackcurrant aromas, this full-bodied wine is a mouthful of plum flavors. Delightfully versatile, it makes a delicious partner to a variety of foods, including red meats and rich pasta dishes.
14% Alcohol
As mentioned on the bottle, the winemaking tradition at Excelsior Estate goes back many years and many generations. Now this does not always guarantee the wine will be good, but this kind of longevity is usually a good sign. The Excelsior Estate also has a long history of horse breeding, thus the image on the bottle. And as it turns out, in addition to raising fine thoroughbreds they make a thoroughly enjoyable wine as well.
The 2017 Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon begins with aromas of smoky plum and other dark fruits along with cola, vanilla and a little smoked meat. Tasting the wine shows loads of juicy dark fruit (plum and black cherry primarily) along with licorice and continuing smoky notes from the bouquet. This is a fairly big and bold wine but it is still smooth and easy to drink. Fine but firm tannins lead into the dry, grippy finish of oaky spice. This is a very nice and very flavorful Cab for under $10!
South Africa has long been one of my go-to regions for interesting wines that over-deliver based on their price and this bottle proves they can do it in the very competitive inexpensive Cabernet market as well.
Ready to buy? Check your local retailers.
You can also find more of our favorite wines from South Africa here.
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