Excelsior Heritage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Quality out of South Africa has never been better. Esteemed wine writer Jancis Robinson MW was impressed by "the great strides that have been taken in red wine quality" in South Africa. After a tasting, she wrote, "Most of the reds I encountered were really delicious — with fine examples of Cabernet Sauvignon". This ace, Gold-medal red is from the De Wet winery in Robertson. It's a 19th-century family estate with extensive plantings of Cabernet (nearly half their vineyards) and count themselves specialists of this grape. For the Heritage Reserve, winemaker Johann Stemmet searched out the finest, lowest-yield grapes from the limestone soils of this great region. Ageing nearly half the wine in French and American oak has lent a rich layer of spice to the dense notes of cassis. Open early and get the steak sizzling.