Vilafonte Seriously Old Dirt 2020
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Youthful, deep ruby-red in color. This Cabernet-based blend exudes rich layers of fresh fruit on the nose; black raspberry, ripe strawberry, plum, and black currant. Undertones of star anise, nutmeg, and fragrant tobacco-leaf add to the hedonistic experience. The vintage reflects a quintessential elegance, with a core of satin-textured tannins and youthful energy.
Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Bright aromas of red cherries, brambleberries, elderflowers and violets. Medium-bodied with soft tannins. Focused, bright and succulent. Red-fruited. Fresh and lively through the elegant finish.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Seriously Old Dirt is composed mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon, with 8% Merlot, 4% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. This delicious red blend boasts juicy flavors of red and black fruits, complemented by a lovely mix of brown baking spices and delicate flowers, compounded by a firm, mineral edge. Medium to full-bodied and sporting 13.5% alcohol on the label, the wine has a succulent palate with dark cherry flavors, followed by bright acidity that drives through the mid-palate with fine-grained tannins. The finish is fresh and picturesque, with lingering notes of just-ripe plum and soft oak tones. Rating:91+
Other Vintages
2021-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert
-
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine
- Decanter
Zelma Long is Head Winemaker for the Vilafonté project. Zelma is one of America's best known winemakers. One of the first women to study enology and viticulture at U.C. Davis, she began her winemaking career at Robert Mondavi Winery, rapidly working into the Chief Winemaker position.
Vilafonté's General Manager is Michael Ratcliffe. Mike qualified as a business major before attending the University of Adelaide. Mike is Managing Director of his family estate, Warwick which is recognized as one of South Africa's foremost wine estates.
Phil Freese is head 'wine-grower' and creator of the Vilafonté vineyard which he calls "Different by Design". Phil spent 13 years as Robert Mondavi’s Vice-President of Wine Growing. Phil designed the first Opus One vineyards, and initiated the remote sensing project with NASA that has spawned a new wave of tools for viticulture analysis and quality enhancement.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
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.