Here's a wine that quietly does everything right. The Cornerstone is Reyneke's Bordeaux-style red, led by Cabernet Franc with a supporting hand of Cabernet Sauvignon, and it captures exactly what makes Stellenbosch reds so rewarding: freshness and real concentration in the same glass.
Expect cassis, blackberry and black cherry on the nose, with tobacco, nutmeg and a whisper of sandalwood adding intrigue. The palate is layered and precise, pure red and dark fruit shot through with black tea and spice, carried by elegant tannins and a bright acid line that keeps everything lifted. That backbone comes from the Polkadraai Hills, where granite-flecked soils and cooling sea air give Reyneke's reds their hallmark restraint.
There's craft behind it too. Grapes are hand harvested and cooled overnight, fermented in open-top concrete, then aged eighteen months in French oak, the Cabernet Sauvignon in first-fill barrels, the Cabernet Franc in older wood to keep the fruit centre stage. The result drinks beautifully now but has the structure to reward a few years in the rack.
Pour it with a slow-roasted lamb shoulder, a rare ribeye, or a board of mature Cheddar. It also makes a genuinely thoughtful gift for anyone who appreciates wine with a conscience. We ship across the UK, usually within a few days.
