This Cab's for YOU!
May 06, 2009
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"Forgive me if I'm excited, but I can't help it.
I want to tell you straight out that South Africa, of all
places, is one of the greatest sources for moderately priced
Cabernet Sauvignon on the planet today."...."South Africa has
caught up, and how, just consider our No. 1, the 2004 Stellenbosch Cabernet from de
Trafford, which we awarded a top score of four stars.
"
Eric
Asimov, Wine Editor NY Times - January 21,
2009
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Dear Wine Friend,
To put
this achievement into
proper perspective, the last time ANY
wine received the rare top score of 4 stars
from the NY Times' tasting panel was nearly four
years ago!
Just one week before the
Times published this article, we
had stayed at the Trafford's guest cottage for
two nights, finishing our visit with David and Rita
Trafford in their vineyard home with a private
tasting and luncheon. One must be willing
to endure the half hour drive up a very
narrow, and at times steep, bumpy and pot
holed road high into the Helderberg
Mountains separating False Bay and Stellenbosch.The
estate vineyard, Mont Fleur, is an example of high
altitude, severe viticulture where vines are challenged
to survive nature's stress test (including baboons
and recent wild fires!). The results are
stringently low yields, averaging less than one ton of
Cabernet Sauvignon fruit per acre; arguably a guarantee
for intensely concentrated, rich, and well structured
wines.
We know, because we tried
numerous vintages during our stay. The wines
reminded me of the way Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
used to be made in the mid 1980s; like when Randy
Dunn was the winemaker at Caymus - big, rich black
cherry and cassis-like fruit, with firm tannins, but
great balance and transparency to detail nuances like
cedar, tobacco, and violets.
Last week de Trafford's importer was in San
Francisco, so I had another opportunity to retaste the
glorious 2005 Cabernet
Sauvignon. Only 47 cases (780
produced) are being imported to the US market, which
reiterates what I have been saying about how we never
have a chance to experience the best of SA.
I have ten of those 47 cases reserved to arrive
this Friday. I know there is a small
window of opportunity if I need more. It is
so important
to enlighten everyone that great
wine at extremely fair pricing still exists,
be it South Africa's Stellenbosch region. For the
first ten cases, I am discounting
the price from $40
to only $34 a bottle.
YES! I will be pouring the 05 de Trafford Cabernet
Sauvignon at this Saturday's Tasting
Bar, but PLEASE RESERVE NOW BY
REPLYING DIRECTLY TO THIS EMAIL!
FYI for production and
tasting notes, and this just in from the Wine
Spectator !
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The Wine
Consultant - est 1990
Eric Stumpf
Renee Kroeger
8039 Greenback
Lane
Citrus Heights, CA
95610
(916) 721-WINE
(9463)
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The Wine Consultant | 8039
Greenback Lane | Citrus Heights | CA |
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