Wine Composition
A sumptuous blend of 45% Malbec, 34% Merlot & 21% Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemakers Comments
Deep red and black fruit leads this Malbec driven vintage of the
series m. A nose of blackberries, black cherries, raspberry and
beef bouillon is followed by balsamic, dried flowers and chocolate
with a beautiful perfume undertone. The palate is soft and inviting
with good weight and composure.
Awards
Tim Atkin | 95 points
Wine Spectator | 93 points
Wine Enthusiast | 92 points
Vintage
The dry and windy start to spring in September 2012 produced
tell-tale weather patterns for a great 2013 vintage. Our locality
on the northern Simonsberg bench managed to side step the
devastating winds that later that year wreaked havoc through
many of the vineyards in Stellenbosch. Weather leading to
harvest ranged from mild to very warm, allowing our grapes to
reach full even phenolic ripeness with ease.
Maturation
The ‘Series M’ matured for 20 months in French Oak barrels and
a further 12 months in bottle.
Winemaker
Name: Martin Smith & Zelma Long
Winery
Vilafonté is the first American and South African joint wine-making venture. This groundbreaking red wine project is a partnership between a respected group of winespecialists from South Africa (Michael Ratcliffe) and the United States (Zelma Long and Phillip Freese). Vilafonté is the first winery in South Africa to focus on making wine aimed specifically at the US market. The name Vilafonté is derived from the primary soil type of the 100-acre estate, whose character forms the foundation of the wines. The Vilafonté project aims to create the first luxury wine brand from South Africa.