Le Riche is one of the great names of Stellenbosch Cabernet, and this is the wine that carries the whole house style. Christo le Riche blends fruit from five wards across the district, so the 2019 reads as a portrait of Stellenbosch itself: dark cherry and blackcurrant, cedar and fresh herbs, framed by fine granular tannins and a long, juicy finish. It is classic in structure and modern in its freshness, drinking well now and built to reward a few more years in the cellar.

The fruit comes from selected vineyard sites across Stellenbosch, in the wards of Jonkershoek, Firgrove, Raithby, Simonsberg and Helderberg. The mix is deliberate: cool, gravelly slopes facing False Bay bring freshness and definition, while the rich red granitic soils around Stellenbosch add depth and weight. Once harvested, the grapes are bunch sorted and moved into open-top fermenters, where Christo le Riche and the winemaking team vinify each vineyard block separately so that every site keeps its own character. After a year of ageing, the final blend is assembled, and the wine then spends a further year in French oak, 22 months in total with 25% new barrels, before release. The result is a Cabernet Sauvignon with real complexity from diverse terroir, approachable young and rewarding with time in the cellar. 

Tasting Notes: Pour it and the glass opens with cherries, plums and ripe blackcurrant, layered with fresh herbs, cedar and a whisper of nutmeg from the French oak. Nothing is overdone. The fruit and the wood have settled into each other, which is exactly what two years in barrel should deliver. On the palate the tannins are granular and finely grained, giving real grip and a structured frame, while a lift of freshness keeps the wine moving. The finish is long and lingering, ending on juicy, soft fruit that invites another sip. A classic Stellenbosch Cabernet, poised enough to enjoy young and serious enough to cellar. Decant for 30 minutes and serve at cellar temperature, around 16 to 18°C. 

Food Pairing: This is a wine made for the table, and for fire. Grilled beef fillet or a well-aged rib-eye is the natural partner, the tannins softening against the richness of the meat while the blackcurrant fruit lifts the char. Roast rack of lamb with rosemary and garlic suits the herbal, cedar-edged side of the wine, and slow-braised short rib or oxtail will happily match its structure. For something a little more modern, try venison loin with a red wine jus, or roasted mushrooms and porcini on soft polenta. A lekkers steak braai works just as well, with sirloin off the coals and a simple chimichurri. To finish, a wedge of aged Gruyere or a mature Cheddar is all it needs.  

"Lovers wait impatiently for each year, a wine of good value from Christo le Riche's pan-regional cuvee. He found the 2019 youthful, vigorous and firm, with leafy fynbos, mint and blackcurrant flavours, sturdy and ageworthy tannins and scented new oak. His verdict was simple: “One to cellar.” He gave a drinking window starting from 2023."  Tim Atkin MW, South Africa Special Report 2021: 93 points. 

ANALYSIS: ALC 14.21% | TA 5.3g/L | pH 3.72 | RS 1.8g/L