Here's a Cabernet that punches well above its price, and it carries a lovely story too. The First Lady honours Norma Ratcliffe, one of the first women to make wine commercially in South Africa, and the spirit of that pioneering streak still runs through every bottle. You're not just buying a Cab. You're pouring a piece of Stellenbosch history.
In the glass it's deep, brooding ruby, and the nose does exactly what a good Cape Cabernet should: cassis, sweet black cherry and blueberry, with cedarwood and that classic whiff of pencil shavings underneath. The palate follows through with blackberry and a hint of dark chocolate, all wrapped in smooth, ripe tannins that keep things supple rather than stern. A spell in oak (just a touch of it new) adds a soft vanilla warmth without ever stealing the show.
This is Stellenbosch's calling card. Mountain slopes, cooling ocean breezes off False Bay and granite soils give the region its reputation for structured, age-worthy Cabernet, and the First Lady captures it beautifully. Drink it now or tuck a few bottles away for a handful of years.
Pour it alongside a Sunday roast, a charcoal-grilled steak or a wedge of mature Cheddar. We deliver across the UK, and a bottle with a story like this makes a thoughtful gift for any Cape wine lover.
