Aromas of tart cherry, cola spices, black tea, and flowers waft from the glass on the nose of this wine. The palate is generously textured with plush tannin and juicy acidity that highlight flavors of cranberry, raspberry compote, salty black plum, cocoa powder, rose petal, and fresh herbs before a long, soft finish.

Elegant yet deeply structured, with tiers of raspberry, blueberry, earthy mineral and juniper berry tones that build graceful tension on the finish. Drink now through 2035.

The 2023 Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton pours a youthful saturated red color and is showing
exceptionally well today, offering an expressive floral perfume, raspberry cordial, anise,
mossy earth, and wildflowers. Medium to full-bodied, it has a supple, silky texture, polished
tannins, dark stony minerality, and a wonderfully approachable personality. Drink 2026-
2036.

A platinum yellow color, the 2023 Chardonnay Yamhill-Carlton is beautifully detailed, with
almond, lemon balm, verbena, citrus oil, toast, white flowers, and white peach. Fullbodied, it has bright salinity, refreshing acidity, and excellent length, with a polished yet
taut, vertical feel that carries through the finish. Drink 2026-2036.

A jeweled ruby/magenta hue, the 2023 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard offers polished notes of
black raspberry compote, crushed flowers, cedar, and fresh mossy earth. Medium-bodied,
it has ripe fruit, fine tannins, balanced acidity, and elegant length. Drink 2026-2036.

Power meets polish in this Merlot, which opens with generous flavors of black cherry and red currant and then builds tension and structure with accents of sweet tobacco and spices. Drink now through 2035.

A keenly structured style, with a firm core wrapped in rich black cherry, licorice and espresso flavors as this builds tension and tannins on the finish. Drink now through 2035.

Full-bodied and well-sculpted, this red offers a dense core of tannins and bright acidity framed by deep tones of blackberry, bitter chocolate and cedar that gather tension toward the broad-shouldered finish. Best from 2027 through 2035.

Tightly wound at the moment, with a dense infrastructure of tannins and lively acidity framed by currant, blackberry, bitter chocolate and stony mineral flavors. Hands off for now. Best from 2027 through 2036. 779 cases made.

The Silene Chardonnay is based on fruit from Capensis’ Fijnbosch Vineyard, but also uses components from four other sites in Stellenbosch. Fermented in 30% new wood, it’s a comparatively good value bottling with gunflint and baking spice aromas, lime, tangerine and passion fruit flavours and an undertow of racy acidity

Last year I got stuck into the Yangarra grenache wines. This year it’s the shiraz. Has to be said that all the fuss is over grenache now, of which I am guilty as charged, but that Yangarra often also makes great shiraz. I love this wine and it also caused me to pause. I’ll be interested to hear what my colleagues think. It’s a meaty, bloody, black cherry-and-blackberry driven wine with earth, sweet spice, game and leather characters littered throughout. It has excellent power and also excellent tannin, the finish firm and commanding. Length is very good/excellent too. I was about to rave about this wine, courtesy of its general seductiveness, but then wondered if it was just a bit too dry and firm on the finish. My score therefore is the ultimate bet each way. Campbell Mattinson. Posted on 04 August 2026.

Medium yellow colour; a toasty bouquet of chopped herbs and cooked vegetables, with pineapple and mango overtones, displaying some development. It's full in the mouth, with rounded, ample flavour and nicely judged phenolics which add a little extra texture. Everything's in balance. Sweet fruit at the core; clean, dry and refreshing to finish.

This year the Ovitelli Blanc is a certified biodynamic and organic blend of 31% grenache gris, 28% grenache blanc, 22% clairette and 19% roussanne.

Medium yellow colour; a toasty bouquet of chopped herbs and cooked vegetables, with pineapple and mango overtones, displaying some development. It’s full in the mouth, with rounded, ample flavour and nicely judged phenolics which add a little extra texture. Everything’s in balance. Sweet fruit at the core; clean, dry and refreshing to finish. (Screwcap)

This young wine carries a similarity to winemaker Greg Brewer’s beloved Brewer-Clifton offerings, but also a darker sensibility. Aromas of black raspberry, fennel pollen, and damp wood converge on the nose. The palate is both bright and dark in fruit tones, blending elderberry and lavender flavors together.

As delicious as it is delightful. There’s a spirit of generosity to the Pinot Noir – it has Drink Me written all over it – but it still manages to be neat and well structured. Red cherry, strawberry, flashes of raspberry, mint, meat, roasted nuts and gentle orange oil notes. It’s satiny, fluid and fresh; it’s charming.

As delicious as it is delightful. There’s a spirit of generosity to the Pinot Noir – it has Drink Me written all over it – but it still manages to be neat and well structured. Red cherry, strawberry, flashes of raspberry, mint, meat, roasted nuts and gentle orange oil notes. It’s satiny, fluid and fresh; it’s charming.

A warmer season than the few prior, though not hot per se, but this certainly has some power and richness to it. Poached pear and apple, custard apple, feijoa, crème brûlée, a hint of fresh mint, lime oil and some balancing rocky mineral notes. It’s textural, somewhat viscous in feel, slippery in a good way, but built for food that has a good deal of import – hot-smoked trout, mackerel, pork terrine etc. It’s an exotic release, intensely flavoured and generously proportioned, but it certainly finishes with a good deal of vigour.

Citrus blossom and lychee mark the nose alongside sourdough bread. The palate is polished with a refined mouthfeel and a deep citrus oil core. Drink 2026-2038

Mostly Pinot Noir (57%) this offers loads of citrus oil and melon tones with raspberry alongside a silky mousse. Refined and elegant, enjoy over the next ten years. Drink 2026-2036

Mocha, brown spice and dried black cherries combine as the 2023 Pinot Noir Cascade opens in the glass. It's silken in feel, with lifting acidity as inner rose tones complement its soothingly ripe red berry fruits on the palate. Hints of cocoa linger with a tart citrus twang as this tapers off lightly tannic and long.

The 2023 Pinot Noir Clairière is understated and airy in the glass, with notes of scant blackberry and sweet sage wafting up. It is more lively on the palate, as sleek textures and racy acidity propel ripe wild berry fruits across it. Edgy tannins grumble but don't get in the way as the 2023 leaves a licorice twang that pinches at the cheeks.

The 2023 Chardonnay Estate slowly opens with a savory mix of crushed green apples, almond paste and vanilla custard. It is rich and supple on the palate, with tart orchard fruits and saline mineral tones that provide balance. A minty inner freshness lingers alongside nuances of sweet spice and citrus as the 2023 tapers off with excellent length and gentle tension.

The 2023 Pinot Noir Ridgecrest opens with an array of crushed plums and blackberries, complemented by nuances of sweet lavender. It's round in feel, with cooling acidity and a collage of red and blue fruits that soothe the senses. Lightly structured and youthfully tense, the 2023 leaves an almost crunchy sensation as blue inner florals slowly fade.

The 2023 Chardonnay Pas de Nom blossoms in the glass with vivid vanilla bean, sweet mint, almond paste and white peach. It is silken in feel, displaying admirable weight as ripe orchard fruits flow across a sensation of liquid stone. The finish is long and gently tannic, leaving hints of sour citrus and a resonance of ripe pear.

The 2024 Chardonnay Jory Hills is more savory, with a wild herbal flourish up front that complicates crushed green apple, while hints of raw almond add richness. It sweeps across the palate with ease, juicy and spry, with ripe orchard fruit underscored by a crunch of minerality. Sweet herbal tones linger as it tapers off with lovely length and a saline inflection that calls me back to the glass for more.