There is so much to love about South Africa’s De Toren winery. For those of you reading this column while simultaneously hugging a tree or using your laptop to shield a baby seal, you will be happy to know that De Toren is environmentally friendly: it was one of the first wineries to get the South African Wine and Spirit Board’s certification for sustainable winemaking.
But I love De Toren because they are a little crazy. For instance, their flagship red, “Fusion V” (presumably pronounced Fusion Five, not Fusion Vee) is made up of all five of the classic Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. This is normal enough. However, the final assemblage is determined not solely by their winemaker, but by a large panel that includes various sommeliers and local enthusiasts. This is like directing a film by committee. It should be a disaster — but instead, it creates a stunning success.
De Toren does another nifty trick with their winemaking. They only make two wines; both are red, and both are blends of Bordeaux grapes. But they differ tremendously because the “Fusion V” is patterned after the left bank of Bordeaux, while “Z” imitates the right bank. What’s the difference? In a nutshell, the Left Bank has more gravel soil that favours Cabernet Sauvignon, creating tannic, powerful wines with lots of aging potential. The right bank, however, has more clay, which is better for Merlot. Merlot makes a fruitier, softer wine that matures more quickly.
- De Toren 2006 “Fusion V,” Stellenbosch, South Africa ($37.95 from Lifford Wine Agency)This massive wine highlights the distinct flavours of Cabernet Sauvignon: spicy fruit laced with mint, chocolate and fresh cigars. It has a relaxed and evolving bouquet, with notes of bitter cocoa and South Africa’s trademark smokiness. Although it already has a smooth and juicy texture, it will continue to mature nicely for five or six more years (if you can wait that long). 90/100
- De Toren 2006 “Z,” Stellenbosch, South Africa ($37.95 from Lifford Wine Agency)
Although the “V” in “Fusion V” is not pronounced “Vee”, the “Z” in this wine is pronounced “Zee” — even though South Africans follow the British usage of “Zed”. Confused? Well, I told you De Toren was a little crazy. In any case, this wine is absolutely superb. It has a beautiful nose that vaults out of the glass, offering up sweet raspberry laced and chalky minerality. But what makes this wine truly special is its texture: in your mouth it is as smooth as satin, with mellow, round fruit flavours that melt in your mouth. It’s gentle, soft and very sexy. Will be at its peak for the next two or three years. Delicious. 92/100
Matthew Sullivan is a civil litigator in Toronto. He writes a weekly blog entry here on lawandstyle.ca. The Short Cellar column also appears in the print edition of Precedent. Matthew can be reached at matthew@lawandstyle.beta-site.ca. Follow along on Twitter: @shortcellar.