2021 Vilafonté Seriously Old Dirt Magnum

The second label of the Vilafonté winery Seriously Old Dirt is named after the old Vilafontes soil on which the vines have been growing for almost two decades. "It's all about the dirt." The vines are planted on completely uncultivated soil: Seriously Old Dirt. Each hectare of vines at Vilafonté is meticulously cultivated and harvested, with attention to detail and a unique focus. For Seriously Old Dirt, hand-picked grapes are used from the younger vines, about 4 to 6 years old. After picking, the grapes are left to soak for 6 to 7 days in a cool climate. During fermentation, partial natural fermentation and an extended fermentation period are used. The juice is matured in French oak barrels for 22 months.

Seriously Old Dirt is also described as “Playful and Intriguing”. The wine is ruby red in colour and is remarkably fresh and fruity in the nose, with aromas of red cherry, plum and blueberry. Accentuated by hints of spicy Szechuan and cayenne pepper and notes of dried herbs are complemented by vanilla, white chocolate, cinnamon and a scent of cigar boxes. The taste of the wine is generous, with juicy red fruit and a delicious mouthfeel, with a core of fine tannins and a long finish. Delicious with a steak in a coffee rub, fillet steak with truffle jus, a tagine of lamb, green lentil curry and meatballs with aubergine and porcini mushrooms in tomato sauce. This is a magnum of 1.5 liters. Even tastier and a longer drinking window.

All three 2021 Vilafonté wines made it into James Sucklings “Top 100 Wines of South Africa” – each scoring over 93 points!

Vilafonté - America meets South Africa

Vilafonté is a special project in Paarl. It is the first collaboration between an American and a South African company in the world of wine. And not only in that respect it is unique. It is also special because it is a collaboration between partners who are fully committed to top quality, 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 is now also successful in other important export markets.

Vilafonté’s pursuit of quality concerns the entire production process, from the soil to the bottle, with a luxurious and grand appearance as the first focus. The name, Vilafonté, is derived from the main soil type of the estate, which is 40 hectares in size, and which, due to its character, is the source of the wines of the winery. 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 the first real luxury wine brand in South Africa.

The following partners are involved in the project: Zelma Long is the head of the winemaking team for 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 the Managing Director of his family estate, Warwick, which is considered one of the leading wineries in South Africa. Phil Feese is responsible for the strategic direction of the vineyard management and all matters relating to the development of the vineyards. Phil is in charge of the vineyard management and is the one who designed the Vilafonté vineyard, which he calls “Different by Design”.

Also at the heart of it all is partner Bartholomew Broadbent (yes, the son of), who is responsible for distributing Vilafonté in the US. Bartholomew is the owner of one of the most prestigious small importers in the US. Decanter Magazine recently listed him as one of the 50 most influential people in the world of wine. Vilafonté owns a total of 12 hectares, planted in 1998 and 1999. The estate measures 42 hectares in total. Vilafonté is entirely planted as a classic Bordeaux vineyard, with strictly selected clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Merlot. The planting was carried out using the latest techniques in satellite mapping, mapping the winery with infrared photographs and multi-spectrum images to see which grapes 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 through optimal care of the vineyard. The wines are a perfect reflection of this: South African with great class.