South Africa is generating some fabulous finds for Cab lovers. Open this bottle and you’ll agree. A bouquet of berries and mint begins this excursion with plump juicy flavors of black currant and pepper nearly jumping from the glass. Cellar five to ten years.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, very good to excellent, "Bright red-ruby. Very ripe berries, plum, smoked meat, tobacco and coffee on the nose. Supple and sweet, with a slightly stewed berry flavor complemented by by smoky oak. Finishes with rather smooth tannins and a whiff of mint."

Smoked meats of any type will simply melt in your mouth with this Cabernet Sauvignon. Or, offer it as an exotic match with a basic steak or burger.

If America is known as a great “melting-pot”, then South Africa is nothing short of a “culinary cauldron”, chock full of a rich heritage, melding the ancient with the current, creating a culture like no other. The eclectic mixture that is South Africa is well-reflected in its wines. Craftsmen here learned their art from the Dutch and from French Huguenots and have mastered Old World wine making techniques in New World terroir. From European staples like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc to unique indigenous varietals like Pinotage, there isn’t a grape variety that winemakers here haven’t experimented with. Fortunately for us, the Rietvallei Estate, a winery that once specialized only in dessert Muscat, has evolved into a fine wine specialist and produced a premium estate release of Cabernet Sauvignon that is one of a kind.

Many wine experts predict that the future of South Africa lies with Bordeaux varietals. This release proves that the Robertson region can deliver and that the Burger family estate of Rietvallei is one of its best producers. Embracing century old winemaking traditions to maintain the elegance of Old World style, winemakers here have skillfully blended it with the sassy, fruit-driven style of the New World, resulting in wines worthy of a well-earned spot in the international wine market.

Handed down through six generations, the Burger family estate is one of the oldest family-owned and operated wineries in the region. Their estate wine, derived from the most widely planted red wine grape in South Africa, Cabernet Sauvignon, is replete with aromas and flavors of ripe raspberries and plum, cedar and currant, smoky, toasty notes and a subtle hint of anise. With supple tannins, it will age magnificently. The result is a New World Cabernet Sauvignon that should make fans of even the staunchest Old World aficionados.

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