The estate is now delighted to announce that once again, the 2009 Fusion V, the flagship wine from the estate, has been awarded the coveted Five Stars in the 2012 John Platter Guide, continuing with the international and local recognition already received by the farm over the years. The John Platter guide, which has become known as the bible of the South African wine industry, hails the wine as “Pure drinking pleasure...” with a description of “cassis & dark chocolate, with complex nuances keeping you involved. Structure strikes perfect balance between polished accessibility and ageing ability.” Cellar Master, Albie Koch, and his team, have once again created a full five varietal Bordeaux blend, made up of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 11% Malbec, 10% Merlot & 7% Petit Verdot, expertly blended and carefully aged in French & American oak barrels for 12 months to develop a unique balance of flavours. This accolade is another amazing achievement for this small but passionate estate, and joins other international acclaimed publications in celebrating the achievements of this boutique producer. Last year, Wine Enthusiast Magazine rated the Fusion V 74th in the top 100 wines in the world in 2010, the highest ranked South African wine on the list, and Wine Spectator Magazine has given the wine 93pts, classing it alongside some of the great iconic French Bordeaux producers. The farm is also the only South African winery to be nominated for “New World Winery of the Year 2011” by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, results of which will be announced later this year. De Toren is named after the unique tower within the cellar, that forms an integral part of the winemaking process. This one of a kind tower incorporates gravity into the handling of the wine, thus ensuring that the wine never has to experience the torture of harsh mechanical pumps. This attention to detail and the soft handling of the grapes form the inextricable core of De Toren’s philosophy – one of gentle handling, no pumps, and minimal manipulation, the same as the traditional methods used in Bordeaux, France. The farm produces two different styles of Bordeaux blends, namely the “Fusion V” and “Z” – both of which are available in the finest hotels, restaurants and high end wine stores throughout the country, and is proudly distributed by Liquidity, purveyors of fine wines and spirits. For more information, contact Liquidity on +27.219059066, info@liq.co.za or visit the websites www.liq.co.za or www.de-toren.com