Laborie Merlot /Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 from South Africa

A new world merlot/ cabernet blend this week with a deep garnet red colour and a bouquet of red berry fruit particularly blackcurrants. On the palate it’s fruity with good acidity and the oaky background integrates well.

The alcohol content is 13½%, not excessive these days if there’s plenty of fruit. It’s been made for lasting so there are firm tannins. Always the problem with that is, if it’s corked (that damp cellars smell) you won’t know until you open it. This is a wine to go with roast dinners, game, pasta and cheese.

Laborie is a wine estate over 300 years old- first sold to the Huguenots in 1691.It was purchased by the national wine organisation, K.W.V. in 1972 and now makes sparkling wine and brandy as well as red and white still wine. It lies in the heart of the Paarl mountains some 60kms from Cape town, here the soil is light and fertile and most of the major wine producers in South Africa have vineyards there.

A French connection still exists. One of the wards is Franschhoek (French corner), which specialises in French type wine. The grape varieties in this wine – merlot and cabernet are of course the main grapes in most clarets. During its three-year existence the wine has experienced ageing in small French oak barrels for 12 months and then 2 years maturation in bottle. It can be left for a further 5 years a sign of good quality. This bottle came from Morrisons at £5.99.