This Cabernet Sauvignon pays homage to Evanthuis, a Hackney horse that was imported by Excelsior in 1913. This Hackney sire was a champion in Britain and America, winning first prize four times at the London Hackney show and in New York, in the days when the Hackney was the king of the world. He went on to win many titles in South Africa, including that of Rosebank’s Champion Stallion.

This Cabernet comes from the oldest vines on the farm. They were planted in 1988 in the best calcareous soils. This vineyard is farmed like a bush vine with no trellising wires and no tucking in of shoots. This ensures lots of sun exposure to enable ripening. The growing conditions of the 2015 vintage were ideal with a very healthy crop. Although it was a dry warm year, there were few heatwaves & little rain leading up to the harvest of this vintage. This wine was hand harvested and fermented for 7 days on the skin. This was followed 20 months of ageing in small oak barrels of which 50% were new. Only the best barrels were selected for the final wine. 600 cases of this wine were produced.

The Robertson Wine Valley has the longest unbroken lineage of winemaking and grape-growing families in the country. The De Wet family, producing wine over five generations, embodies this heritage, with South Africa being the oldest ‘New World’ wine-producing country in the world. Wine has been made on Excelsior Estate for 170 years. It is now the most important crop on the farm, with Excelsior exporting wine to over 20 countries. The farm has 220ha (550 acres) planted with noble cultivars such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also small plantings of blending cultivars like Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Viognier. The aim is to produce full-bodied wines that display intense fruit. They achieve this by using strict vineyard practices to ensure a healthy, well-ripened crop. The grapes are harvested by hand, allowing greater quality control and optimal ripeness. Low-yielding vines produce very concentrated fruit, resulting in fresh and zesty whites and deep-coloured intense reds. The weather is moderate, with hot days and cool oceanic breezes in the afternoons and evenings. These temperature fluctuations provide very healthy ‘veraison’ (colour change and even ripening). Additionally, they cultivate 45ha (110 acres) of citrus, with 21ha (50 acres) dedicated to an empowerment project for their 80 employees, all of whom live on the estate. As winemaking pioneers in the region, we have introduced innovative practices such as drip irrigation to the South African wine industry. Furthermore, they are 50% solar powered, which is uncommon in the wine industry.

Kudu steak pan fried with grapeseed oil and lemon.