Earlier this year we received the spectacular news of being awarded the honourary Certificate of Excellence by the respected South African Wine Index (SAWI). In addition to that, we are remarkably proud of the exceptional accolades our range boasted with this year. In the spirit of festivities, we celebrate and share a few of this year’s highlights and reviews…
Book XVII
Book XVII, the opulent Bordeaux styled blend previously granted the respected title as SA’s Highest Ever Rated Wine by the esteemed USA publisher, Wine Enthusiast, stands proudly amongst the Top 1% of All Wines in the World, on Vivino. To add even a bit more bliss, British Master of Wine, Tim Atkin awarded this ultra-luxurious beauty’s 2015 vintage a stellar 94 Points in his most recent 2018 Tim Atkin SA Report.
“As they say taste and you shall believe.” – Maria & Mariano, Vivino 5* –
“A rare masterpiece. Unique and truly something special.” – Lourens du Plessis, Vivino 5* –
The Black Lion
The powerful The Black Lion Shiraz, also known as SA’s Highest Ever Rated SA Shiraz by Wine Enthusiast, joins Book XVII among the prestigious Vivino list of Top 1% of All Wines in the World. The craftsmanship invested in crafting this sumptuous and robust wine, have been awarded with a remarkable 4.7 out of 5 stars rating on Vivino.
“Cannot help to agree with 5 stars. I am not a Shiraz fan but if all Shiraz taste like this, I will drink Shiraz all day and all night. This is the kind of bottle which you almost don’t want to share.” – James Geldenhuys, Vivino 5* –
De Toren Z
The renowned De Toren Z is our third wine to join the luxurious Book XVII and The Black Lion on Vivino’s incredible list of the Top 1% of All Wines in the World. This prised Merlot-dominated blend have most recently been awarded with SAWI’s Certificate of Excellence, claiming Grand Gold Status. This certificate brings honour to this Bordeaux-style blend for repeatedly achieving worldly rankings of 93/100 and higher. This ruby-hued beauty currently maintains a remarkable Vivino rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. But there is more good news! This expressive wine’s reputable 2015 vintage and spectacular 2016 vintage, was each most recently granted a marvellous 91 Points by both Master of Wine, Tim Atkin and the Editor of Winemag, Christian Eedes, respectively.
“My favorite De Toren offering, apart from the Book 17 and The Black Lion, which I am waiting for a special occasion to open. The Z blend is a Merlot dominant Right-Bank Bordeaux blend with tasting notes of juicy blackberries, ripe cherries, tobacco, cedar, dried herbs, and baking spices. Full bodied with beautifully balanced acidity and chewy tannins.” – Shaun Hamlin Thompson, Vivino 5* –
De Toren Fusion V
Last but not least, the iconic De Toren Fusion V, a Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blend, previously awarded the prestigious 1st Place in the SA Bordeaux Blend Category of Vivino’s 2018 Wine Style Awards, joins the other wines on Vivino’s Top 1% of All Wines in the World, with over 6 000 reviews. To add to the splendour, this expressive Bordeaux-style blend was also honoured with SAWI’s Certificate of Excellence, claiming Platinum Status, honouring this wine for setting a benchmark of aspirational quality and consistently being accredited for wine excellence over a multitude of vintages. This was once again evident, as Tim Atkin awarded this wine’s reputable 2015 vintage with an outstanding 93 Points in his recent 2018 Tim Atkin SA Report. This superb news was followed by more wonderful news, as Editor, Christian Eedes, of Winemag bestowed the spectacular 2016 vintage of this vibrant wine with an outstanding rating of 93/100.
“Now this I will buy again, absolutely outstanding this is really impressive”. – Bruno Pederson, Vivino 5* –
“Another masterpiece from De Toren! Ultra-smooth, soft tannins retained within a complex structure. Lingering fruit on the palate is way less noticeable than the last few vintages. A wine that will age magnificently…” – Greg Hahn, Vivino 4.5* –
De Toren Délicate
The superbly fresh, Malbec-dominated De Toren Délicate is included among the Top 25 South African Bordeaux Blend Wines in the United States, as most recently rated by Vivino users in the USA.
“Very pleasant surprise! Normally I prefer heavy hitters so seeing this one being advised to serve slightly chilled on the label, made me sceptical. The reputation of the winemaker twisted my arm. It’s a great demonstration that light, non vintage wines can be sophisticated and frankly a great experience! Spicy, earthy, strawberry, red cherry, perfect tart acidity and even a reasonable finish. The QPR cements the 4 stars.” – Frederic Knockaert, Vivino 4* –
“Nose of brambles and red fruit. Taste of soft tannins, bit cedar wood and fruity. Good acidity, nice balance.” – Linda Docters van Leeuwen, Vivino 4* –