2017 Vilafonté Series M

The Series M from Vilafonté stands for the refined style and the almost stately elegance of the wine. The blend consists mainly of malbec and merlot, supplemented with cabernet sauvignon and in some years some cabernet franc for extra structure. Nice fleshy texture with black fruit thanks to the malbec and a velvety softness and red fruit due to the merlot. Each volume is a snapshot of Mother Nature at her best. The wine is accessible, immediately drinkable and has a smooth taste. But it is certainly also a wine that can be enjoyed in the years to come.

It is a classic (burgundy) looking wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot. In the glass, the Vilafonté M series has a deep red color. In the nose we smell pure, rich aromas of cranberry, ripe raspberry and sour cherries. The aroma palette is further characterized by vanilla, pencil sharpening, cedar and lilac flowers. In the mouth, the Vilafonté has a fine acidity supporting the juicy structure. The tannins are fine and velvety, giving the wine finesse. Delicious to drink, but can certainly plummet for another 10-15 years. Challenge your wine friends and let them taste this beautiful South African blind. It would not surprise us that this is then tasted as a much more expensive Bordeaux or a Napa wine.

The 2017 vintage has been given the description “Grace & Finesse”. In the year before 2016, Vilafonté had to deal with the smallest harvest ever for the winery. In 2017, the volume was back to the level of the long-term average. Precipitation in the growing year was still below average, already for the 4th year in a row. The quality of the harvest was excellent. The wine was aged for 21 months in 23% new and 77% in older French oak barrels. A total of 79 barrels were produced. When blending the different varieties, the base wines were very expressive, with classic elegance and understated power and velvety smoothness. The final blend of Series M 2017 is harmonious, elegant and seductive. The winery calls the wine “instantly captivating” for now, but expects it to mature very gracefully and for the patient collector to really enjoy the full concentration.

Vilafonté - America meets South Africa

Vilafonté is a special project in Paarl. It is the first collaborative project between an American and a South African company in the world of wine. And not only in that respect is it unique. It is also special because it is a collaboration between partners who are fully committed to excellence, with specialists from both countries who are fully focused on making 'quality wines'. Vilafonté started as a project that initially focused on the American market, but which is now also successful in other important export markets.

Vilafonté's aim for quality concerns the entire production process, from the bottom to the bottle, and with a luxurious and grand appearance as the first focus. The name, Vilafonté, comes from the main soil type of the estate, which covers 40 hectares and which, due to its character, is the source of the winery of the estate. Due to the composition of the team involved in Vilafonté, there is a unique mix of knowledge, skills, international vision, and at the same time international recognition. The goal of the Vilafonté project is nothing less than to become South Africa's first true luxury wine brand.

The following partners are involved in the project: Zelma Long heads the winemakers team of the Vilafonté project. Zelma is one of the best-known winemakers in the United States, with a great international reputation. Michael Ratcliffe is the General Manager of Vilafonté. Mike is Managing Director of his family estate, Warwick, which is considered one of South Africa's premier wine estates. Phil Feese is responsible for the strategic direction of vineyard management and everything related to vineyard development. Phil is in charge of vineyard management and is the one who designed the vineyard of Vilafonté, the one he calls “Different by Design”.

Also at the base is partner Bartholomew Broadbent (yes, son of), who is responsible for Vilafonté's distribution in the US Bartholomew owns one of the most prestigious small importers in the United States. Decanter Magazine recently put him on its list of the 50 most influential people in the wine world. Vilafonté owns a total of 12 hectares, planted in 1998 and 1999. The winery measures a total of 42 hectares. Vilafonté is completely planted like a classic Bordeaux vineyard, with carefully selected clones of Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Malbec and Merlot. The planting used the latest satellite cartography techniques, mapping the wine list with infrared photos and multi-spectrum images to see which grape should be planted where and to determine where more or less irrigation is needed. In this way, the best results are obtained from the planting by optimal care of the vineyard. The wines are a perfect reflection of that: South African with great class.

Order Vilafonté wines online at Grandcruwijnen

You can of course buy Vilafonté wines online at Grandcruwijnen.nl, the wine trade with one of the largest wine collections in the Netherlands and Belgium, where you can order special wines as well as wines for every budget. Quality products, fast delivery & reliable service, that's Grandcruwijnen!