Morgenster Reserve 2011 – 93 points
Cellar master Henry Kotzé who worked on this, his second Bordeaux harvest for the Estate, said that the increasing maturity of the vines which varied in age from 7 to 18 years, facilitated his and the viticulturist’s efforts to bring the fruit to the specific ripeness he wanted. The bright plum red wine offers the nose an opulence of red and black Merlot fruit offset with fragrant spice of Petit Verdot and enhanced with blueberry, blackberry and cassis of Cabernet Sauvignon. Soft silky tannins fill the mouth and classical flavours show pencil shavings, fresh paprika and prominent concentrations of sweet cherry and black currant.
Morgenster Reserve 2012 – 91 points
A great vintage, according to Henry Kotzé. Maturing vines and carefully selected clonal material let him craft a wine which showcases fruit and the Schapenberg terroir within the Morgenster flagship style developed with winemaker consultant Pierre Lurton of Château Cheval Blanc. A dense ruby red, the wine offers an intense perfumed nose with plum, red and black berry richness, almonds and coffee with classical pencil shavings, cigar box and cassis. Mouth filling elegance has sweeter, dark berry fruit engulfed in mouth caressing tannins. Henry says that Morgenster Reserve 2012 will be creating memories from now until as far as 20 years into the future.
Both wines R389 from the Estate, www.morgenster.co.za; the online shop http://shop.morgenster.co.za/ or selected retailers nationally and internationally.