Mulderbosch Faithful Hound 2015
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Suckling
James -
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Tasting
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The 2015 vintage needs no introduction having been widely hailed as one of the best in living memory. The wine has a deep, brooding color with a dark core and a deep mahogany rim. The first nose greets with ripe brambles, touches of cassis and subtle oak-spice. It is generous and inviting, but there’s also a subtle nod to classic restraint in aromas of leafy tobacco and freshly turned earth. With each sip, richly textured flavors of Christmas pudding and ripe plums course the palate. Offset by sweetly infused Jamon-Iberico notes this is a layered and complex wine, unveiling successive waves of flavor as it evolves.
Robust enough to be enjoyed on its own, or as an accompaniment to a fine cigar, the 2015 Faithful Hound will reward pairing with venison dishes and rustic fare.
Blend: 32% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Plummy and very fruity on the nose, showing chocolate and smoke. Full-bodied with soft tannins and a fruit-forward finish.
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Tasting Panel
Comprising an equal amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Franc as well as a blend of the other three Bordeaux varieties, this vintage—hailed as one of the country’s best—shows well here. Earthy and brambly notes filled out with tobacco and spice perfume the glass. Plush on the palate, chalky tannins work well with blackberry, soy sauce, and a grilled meatiness. It’s chewy and long on the finish.
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One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.