Reviews & Ratings

2011 De Toren South African (Red Blend) "Z"

Winery: De Toren

Vintage: 2011

Wine Name/Vineyard: "Z"

Wine Category: South African (Red Blend)

Grape blend: 58% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 11% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, & 3% Petit Verdot

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Stellenbosch

State or country: South Africa

Price: $50

Cases produced: 500

KWG Score: 89.8 (based on 5 reviews)

Ken's Wine Rating: Very Good+ (90)

Review date: April 21, 2014

Wine Review: This pitch black colored South African blend opens with a pleasant boysenberry bouquet with hints of black raspberry. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic and juicy. The flavor profile is a mild mineral infused black plum with nicely integrated faint old oak and some black licorice. I also detected a touch of black raspberry towards the end. The finish is rather dry and impressive. Its moderate tannins build up and stick around for a quite a while. This wine is built for comfort food. I would pair it with a hearty and tender beef stew. Enjoy - Ken

Winemaker Notes: This sophisticated "Right Bank-styled" Bordeaux blend debuted in the 2004 vintage as a complement to De Toren's legendary "Left Bank-styled" Fusion V. A higher proportion of Merlot makes this enchanting red softer and more approachable in its youth than its blockbuster counterpart. It delivers complex, appealing aromas and flavors of dark berries, cassis and black currant with hints of spice and herbs. The well integrated flavors are balanced by a delicate acidity and smooth tannins that linger in the lengthy finish.

Buy it: Use 1000 Corks to find stores that sell De Toren 2011 Z.