Morgenster, Lourens River Valley Red, Stellenbosch

Spice. Still lots of fruit, but showing strong tertiary development. Pretty decent shape.

2003 vintage

Another swing and a miss. Whilst this is still in good shape, and I suspect I would have really enjoyed it a few years ago, I’m just really enjoying younger and fresher wines at the moment. Unlike the Cavallotto, this isn’t brown and rustic. It’s still fresh and energetic with well developed tertiaries. Lots of mushroom, leather, sous bois. Exactly what you’d expect. Nice tannins grip. Bit of earth. Bit of menthol. Actually very nice. Just not loving the flavour …

2003 vintage

A blend of Merlot (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). Aged for 13 months in 300-liter oak barrels. 14% alcohol, 2,4 g/l residual sugar, 6,3 g/l acidity and pH 3,58. Surprisingly dark and extracted, almost completely opaque pomegranate color with an evolved mahogany hue and a lighter, pale red rim. Somewhat oxidative and slightly underwhelming nose with evolved aromas of sweet raisiny fruit, some soy sauce, light sweet notes of lifted VA, a little bit of dry leather, …

2003 vintage

Mature and magnificent. Plums, leather and a bit of pepper. Soft and integrated. Wonderful. Q: 4/4 P: 3/3 X: 2/3 9/10

2003 vintage

Good on opening but much better after an hour of air. Complex wine, all sorts going on, reminded me of Musar. Good under any circumstances but for the money this is really exceptional value and even after 16 years still drinking well though it needs drinking now.

2003 vintage

2nd trial of the same vintage. Complex flavour of bell pepper, leather, blackcurrant and herbs. Very solid muscular structure. Obvious Bordeaux blend character but lack of Bordeaux earthiness. Better than last time.

2003 vintage

An interesting wine for sure and blind difficult to pick versus a mid class aged Bdx. Quite complex with library notes and underbrush on the nose and a touch of lavender on the dry but not drying finish of cassis fruit.

2003 vintage

91-92 points Bouquet: dark fruits; Palate: very well balanced with lots of dark fruits especially cranberry and red currant, unbelievable good structure after 15 years. At its peak in my opinion. Food: I tried with salmon in red Thai curry but doesn't really match, I think food was too spicy and also had some sourness which empathises the acid in the wine. However it's really perfect for a steak, with its acid backbone, barbecued steak great too as I tried …

2003 vintage

Surprisingly very oaky with nice leather and pencil shavings

2003 vintage

juicy, earthy, leafy, dark ashy berries. velvet and leafy spices. hint smoke, and cassis. Nicely balanced, easy and approachable. Well developed.

2003 vintage

Wine Appreciation@SUTD (Somapah) : Oh golly, what a classic right bank! Old school ruby-garnet in glass, lovely and easy nose of dark leafy berries, black and red fruit, juicy plums, cassis, graphite, sweet tobacco and cedar box. Silky and leafy mouthfeel. Balanced with effortless finish. At a lovely stage of development, drinking beautifully. Wonderful example of a great old-world style from the new-world. This was a treat and highlight of the evening!

2003 vintage

Looks clear and mid garnet. Nose of mature bdx, leaf, black currant and smoke. Mouth is medium plus intensity, clean from the acid spine, well fruited and secondary notes. Very SA. Very good.

2003 vintage

Good aroma of smoke, leather, bell pepper and dark cherry. Nice complexity. Quite muscular structure and rustic tannin. Full body. The texture was a bit rough and distinguished it from fine wine class. Still a good effort for a South Africa wine at this price range.

2003 vintage

Non blind: Sweeter tomato paste on the nose compared to the 2012. The age is showing with garnet/copper edging. 7/10 tannins

2004 vintage

A blend of Merlot (53%), Cabernet Sauvignon (23%) and Cabernet Franc (13%). Aged for 13 months in French 300-liter oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol, 2,4 g/l residual sugar, 5,6 g/l acidity, pH 3,7. Moderately translucent, developed color with a mature hue of brick orange, turning almost tawny-yellow towards the rim. The nose is quite a beast; someone described it as jamming a soft-ripened cheese into an old wool sock and burying this cheese sock into ashes and tar obtained by burning …

2004 vintage

A blend of Merlot (53%), Cabernet Sauvignon (23%) and Cabernet Franc (13%). Aged for 13 months in French 300-liter oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol, 2,4 g/l residual sugar, 5,6 g/l acidity, pH 3,7. Moderately translucent, developed color with a mature hue of brick orange, turning almost tawny-yellow towards the rim. The nose is quite a beast; someone described it as jamming a soft-ripened cheese into an old wool sock and burying this cheese sock into ashes and tar obtained by burning …

2004 vintage

The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis), mineral and oak. It tastes like blueberry, black currant (cassis), burnt, dust and ethanol. The body is medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has high acidity balanced with the right flavours

2003 vintage

Dark crimson with half inch meniscus; nose of cigar, currant, gravel, whisky barrel; rich, warm, and caressing, a dead ringer for Bordeaux, also some roasted fruit, and good acid lift.

2003 vintage

Eye: dark garnet color. Nose: RSA terroir, dark berries, dried fruit, vanilla, smoke. Palate: good solid tannins, dark fruit, full body, crisp cab franc with long smooth finish from the merlot. Very enjoyable.

2004 vintage

Mature and drinking beautifully - such good value from the winery with no markup applied to older wines from the cellar

1999 vintage

similar notes as before

2003 vintage

solid well made wine, interesting nose of tobacco, cedar, older black fruit, similar palate with some interesting tea/tar component in the mid palate medium finish with smooth mouth feel acidity and tannins very well integrated at this point

2003 vintage

This is ultra smooottthhhhh. Wonderful, so easy to drink, liked by all.

2004 vintage

Fine, mature....really opened up...elegant

1999 vintage

nose: tar and black cherries, palate: sweet cherries, raspberries, boysenberries, little bit of tar and the classic stellenbosch rusty nail but not too much. drink now or hold.

2004 vintage

A good bordeaux blend, balanced, dark fruit, a little spice.

2003 vintage

Similar to other tasters, this is very Bordeaux-like and a good value. Unfiltered with fine pieces of sediment. Lots of earthy tones and very dry. After about a 30 minute decant, it is good to go.

2003 vintage

Decanted for 1 hour before dinner (grilled skirt steak - salt & pepper rub) / Nice aromatics - tobacco / earthy / blackberry / cedar (as prior taster noted, might guess Bordeaux blind). Palate consistent with nose. Nice acids / medium+ finish. Excellent with skirt steak. Good QPR and would buy again.

2003 vintage

Celebrate South Africa Tasting (The Box, San Francisco, California) : Nice Bordeaux-like, tobacco, tart black fruit nose; tobacco, tart black fruit palate, like Bordeaux but riper; medium-plus finish (60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon)

2003 vintage

Excellent. Velvet and rich on the palate.

2003 vintage

Smoky at first taste, mellowed after decanting. Enjoyable wine.

2004 vintage

Juicy blackberry, nice colour. Velvety on the tounge. Really very nice.

2003 vintage

Decanter Fine Wine Encounter (The Landmark Hotel, London) : A predominantly Merlot based blend (40%) this wine shows excellent berry fruit character on the nose. The palate is rounded and delicious - supple fruit and supple liquorice characters.

2004 vintage

Decanter Fine Wine Encounter (Landmark Hotel, London) : Slightly muddy nose, hints of chocolate.

2004 vintage

Decanter Fine Wine Encounter (Landmark Hotel, London) : Fresh nose, bright. Palate is lively too.

2003 vintage

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Morgenster, Lourens River Valley Red, Stellenbosch

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