In his recent review, Master of Wine Greg Sherwood revisited two of our most distinguished icon wines, the Book XVII 2020 and Patronus 2020. Described as “unashamedly luxurious, ripe and hedonistic in style,” the Book XVII 2020 once again affirmed its standing as a wine of global renown. With its intricate composition of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, the 2020 vintage dazzled Sherwood with its seductive aromatics, seamless balance, and finely woven tannins. Aged in 100% new French oak, it is, in his words, “an incredibly impressive premium red wine honed for the most sophisticated of global connoisseurs” and awarded a remarkable 95+ points.
Equally compelling is the Patronus 2020, a bold and opulent expression of one of the Cape’s most beloved cultivars. Crafted from decades-old vines in the Polkadraai Hills and fermented using three distinct vessels to highlight its purity and typicity, the result is a Malbec that sings with ripe blueberry and black plum, laced with exotic spice and velvety tannins. Sherwood praises its broad and powerful palate as “opulent in every sense of the word,” earning it a stellar 95-point score.
Together, these two icons underscore our unwavering pursuit of precision.
