Klein Graniet Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa 75cl

Tucked into the western foothills of the Simonsberg near Stellenbosch, Klein Graniet is the work of brothers Retief and Stephan du Toit. They farm just a handful of hectares on decomposed granite, the soil that gives the estate both its name and its character. Once known as Deux Frères, it remains a boutique, family-run affair with a firm focus on quality over quantity.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the backbone of the estate and the grape behind its flagship blend, so a single-varietal bottling like this carries some weight. The fruit comes off the Simonsberg’s granite slopes, where cooler mountain influence helps hold freshness and structure. This is Cabernet made to show its terroir, classically styled and patiently matured, built to reflect where it grew rather than chase power for its own sake.

2020 is remembered fondly in Stellenbosch. Yields were smaller than usual, but quality was superb, giving reds that are intense, dark and well structured. Cabernet from the vintage tends to be a touch tightly wound in its youth, built to reward patience, so a few years in bottle only helps a wine like this settle and open up.

The colour is a deep red garnet. The nose is classic Cabernet, black fruit and blackcurrant with plum and a lift of violets, framed by soft cedar and cigar box. On the palate the tannins are well integrated and smooth, carrying the fruit through to a long, lingering finish. It drinks well now alongside hearty food, and has the structure to hold and improve over the coming years.

In style this is a classic Stellenbosch Cabernet, in the mould of the region’s well-known cassis-and-cedar reds but from a far smaller address. It is a fine partner for a Sunday roast or a good steak, and it will happily hold a place in the cellar. For the price of a boutique bottle, it offers a genuine sense of place.