Klein Graniet Tribute 2019 Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa 75cl

Klein Graniet takes its name from the small granite outcrops that run through its vineyards on the Simonsberg’s western slopes, just outside Stellenbosch. Retief and Stephan du Toit farm it as a family concern, drawing quiet inspiration from the great estates of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. Formerly Deux Frères, the label changed but the ambition, better wine rather than more of it, did not.

Tribute is the estate’s flagship and its most serious statement. It brings together Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Shiraz, each hand-harvested and vinified separately before the brothers decide on the final blend. The grapes are cold soaked, worked gently through fermentation, then aged in French oak barrels for up to two years. It is the wine that shows what this small estate can do when everything comes together.

2019 was a small, hard-won South African vintage. A third dry year in a row meant naturally low yields, but the fruit that made it through was concentrated and deeply flavoured. For a structured red blend like Tribute, that translates into density and depth, the kind of raw material that stands up well to time in oak.

The colour is a deep, glossy ruby. The nose layers dark berries with cocoa and a classic note of cigar box. What catches you is the entry, soft and almost gentle, before the wine opens out into beautifully balanced fruit and acidity. Tannins are smooth and well integrated, carrying a long, lingering finish. It drinks well now with rich food, and has the structure to reward a few more years in the cellar.

The previous 2018 Tribute earned a 94-point score and a Double Gold from Gilbert & Gaillard, which tells you the level this blend plays at. In style it nods to a polished Bordeaux blend, with a warm Cape generosity of fruit. Pour it for a special dinner or a meal that deserves a bit of ceremony. It is a wine that quietly makes its case.