RARE REDS CQ (January-March) 2022

RARE REDS  ( 6 bottles )  R1770.00 inc

MITRE’S EDGE Sholto 2018   R295 per bottle

Family-owned and managed boutique winery, Mitre’s Edge, is nestled at the foothills of the Simonsberg Mountain, between Paarl and Stellenbosch. It is in this beautiful setting that winemaker Lola Nicholls, assisted by husband Bernard, focuses on producing relatively smaller quantities of high-quality, award-winning wines. In 1999 Bernard and Lola took over the farm from Lola’s father, Martin Hunting, who had farmed there since 1969. Bernard threw caution to the wind and changed his career from mechanical engineer to wine farmer. Lola’s passion for Bordeaux wines led to the replanting of the old Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards with newer clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Shiraz was also planted, and to complement their wine list with white wines, some Chenin Blanc and Viognier vines were also planted.

Sholto is their flagship wine, being a blend of 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, 16% Petit Verdot. Deep rich garnet colour with delicate Christmas cake notes on the nose followed through with soft black fruits and well-balanced tannins on the palate. Despite its silkiness, it is deep and engaging, with the firm structure required to mature very well in good cellar conditions of <18DegC. If you can, lay it down until 2026.

If serving soon, wait until you have a serious dinner, and see that it pairs well with venison stew, pepper fillet steak or chateaubriand.