2022 Vilafonté Seriously Old Dirt

The second label from Vilafonté winery, Seriously Old Dirt, is named after the old Vilafonté soil where the vines have been growing for almost two decades. "It's all about the dirt." The vines are planted on completely uncultivated land: Seriously Old Dirt. Each hectare of vines at Vilafonté is meticulously cultivated and harvested, with attention to detail and a unique focus. Seriously Old Dirt uses hand-picked grapes from younger vines, approximately 4 to 6 years old. After harvesting, 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 aged in French oak barrels for 22 months.

Seriously Old Dirt is also described as "Playful and Intriguing." The wine is ruby red in color and remarkably fresh and fruity on the nose, with aromas of red cherry, plum, and blueberry. Accented by hints of spicy Szechuan and cayenne pepper, and notes of dried herbs, it is complemented by notes of vanilla, white chocolate, cinnamon, and a cigar box aroma. The palate is generous, with juicy red fruit and a delightful mouthfeel, with a core of fine tannins and a long finish. Delicious with steak in a coffee rub, fillet steak with truffle jus, lamb tagine, green lentil curry, and meatballs with eggplant and porcini mushrooms in tomato sauce.

All three Vilafonté wines made it into James Suckling's "Top 100 Wines of South Africa" list – each scoring over 93 points!

Vilafonté - America meets South Africa

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

Vilafonté's commitment to quality encompasses the entire production process, from the soil to the bottle, with a luxurious and grand appearance as its primary focus. The name, Vilafonté, is derived from the estate's 40-hectare soil type, the character of which forms the source of the estate's wines. The composition of the team involved with Vilafonté creates a unique blend of knowledge, skills, international vision, and 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 Vilafonté project's winemaking team. Zelma is one of the best-known winemakers in the United States, with a strong international reputation. Michael Ratcliffe is Vilafonté's General Manager. Mike is Managing Director of his family estate, Warwick, considered one of South Africa's leading wineries. Phil Feese is responsible for the strategic direction of vineyard management and all aspects of vineyard development. Phil is in charge of vineyard management and designed the Vilafonté vineyard, which he calls "Different by Design."

Also at the heart of the business is partner Bartholomew Broadbent (yes, the son of), who is responsible for Vilafonté's distribution in the US. Bartholomew is the owner of one of the most prestigious small importers in the United States. Decanter Magazine recently named him one of the 50 most influential people in the wine world. Vilafonté owns a total of 12 hectares, planted in 1998 and 1999. The estate covers a total of 42 hectares. Vilafonté is entirely planted as a classic Bordeaux vineyard, with strictly selected clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Merlot. The planting utilized cutting-edge satellite mapping techniques, mapping the vineyards with infrared and multi-spectrum images to determine which grapes should be planted where and to determine where more or less irrigation is needed. In this way, optimal care of the vineyard ensures the best results from the planting. The wines are a perfect reflection of this: South African with great class.