Le Riche Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Bottle size: 750ml

‘This is another ambitious example of benchmark Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon from the self-proclaimed “Kingdom of Cabernet.” Christo Le Riche was super excited by this new release with its opulence, ripe tannins, and hedonistic texture. Opened and decanted for two hours, this serious effort is initially incredibly saline and mineral driven with intense notes of graphite, cedar spice and iodine over wet tobacco, salty crème de cassis and oystershell nuances. With time in glass, the dark broody black currant, blueberry, and black cherry notes unfurl, following on to the palate that is texturally a hybrid style between the silky, weightless concentration of the 2017 vintage and the bold fleshy opulence of the 2020 vintage. But the Le Riche Reserve is always deceptively easy to drink when young, with its incredibly pure, intense, voluptuous fruit concentration masking its true tannin structure hiding beneath. Wonderfully fresh and tangy in the mouth, this is another majestic effort from one of South Africa’s finest premium wineries. Drink from 2026 to 2040+.’ - Greg Sherwood MW, 96+/100