Bellevue Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 Bottelary, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa 75cl

Bellevue’s Reserve tier is where the estate turns up the ambition, selecting its best parcels and giving them more time in better oak. Under winemaker Wilhelm Kritzinger, these wines have quietly become some of the Bottelary Hills’ most talked-about reds, praised by critics for their poise as much as their power.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the classic Stellenbosch red grape, and Bellevue’s decomposed-granite soils give it a firm, savoury backbone. This 100 percent Cabernet is matured in French oak, a good portion of it new, to frame the fruit with cedar and structure. It sits a clear step above the Estate wines in concentration and cellar potential.

The 2023 harvest was among the smallest of the decade, cool and wet with late rains and real disease pressure. Growers who worked hard in the vineyard and picked selectively were rewarded, and well-managed Cabernet came in with fresh acidity, fine tannin and clearly defined fruit rather than jammy weight.

The nose is deep and sumptuous, with blackcurrant and damson plum over tilled earth, wet tobacco leaf and a graphite edge. The palate is broad and velvety, its soft, silky tannins and mineral undertone giving both generosity and grip. It drinks well now with air, but has the structure to develop for a decade or more. A natural match for steak, roast lamb or venison.

Greg Sherwood MW rated the 2023 an impressive 94-plus points, with a drinking window running to 2036 and beyond. If you enjoy structured Stellenbosch Cabernet, or the graphite-and-cassis style of a classed-growth Bordeaux, this delivers that character at a far gentler price. It is a confident choice for a dinner that matters.