Here is a wine that lets you drink at a serious estate's table without paying serious estate prices. Seriously Old Dirt is Vilafonte's accessible expression, conceived in the classic Bordeaux tradition of a second wine: built from the same ancient Western Cape soils, the same obsessive vineyard work, just released younger and more giving.
And Vilafonte is no ordinary address. It was born from a meeting of minds between South African Michael Ratcliffe and two Californian heavyweights, Dr Zelma Long and Dr Phil Freese, whose CVs read like a who's who of fine wine. That pedigree shows. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend with dark plum, blackcurrant and cigar-box spice, a savoury graphite edge, and tannins that are firm but polished rather than chewy. Power and approachability, held in genuine balance.
It drinks beautifully now, with the structure to reward another five to eight years in a cool cupboard if you would rather wait. Either way, give it a slow-roasted lamb shoulder, a rare ribeye, or a board of mature Cape and Cheddar cheeses and watch it come alive.
It also makes a quietly impressive gift, especially for anyone who loves Bordeaux or misses the Cape. We ship it to your door anywhere in the UK, usually within a few days.
