1994 Kanonkop Wine Estate Paul Sauer

BY NEAL MARTIN | OCTOBER 28, 2019I used to be dismissive of South African wine. Overshadowed
by the New (World) Kids on the Block, New Zealand and Argentina, South Africa
was plagued by substandard commercial fare and a lack of ambition. Pinotage was
the whipping boy for some merciless wine scribes back in the day. Thankfully, a
&nbsp;revolution in quality has now made the
Cape one of the most dynamic and revelatory regions in the world. Wineries that
dominated the industry when apartheid fell and export markets opened up are still
around, though they often feel anachronistic juxtaposed against the legion of
ambitious, quality-focused young producers inspired by old vines on unique
sites and minimal intervention, all delivered with sassy marketing and at
affordable prices.&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1572276190147-paul_sauer_1994_bottle.jpg"> 

Kanonkop is the exception. It is regarded as one of South
Africa’s stalwarts. Its proprietors, the Krige family, have made wine at the
125-hectare property on the foothills of the Simonsberg Mountains for over four
decades. But unlike many other estates of a similar age, Kanonkop makes wines that
are as good as, and often better than, those of the young guns and artisan
winemakers that proliferate today. I have been critical of South Africa’s
Bordeaux blends and still regard them as a weaker category compared to the whites,
Rhône blends and Pinot Noirs. However, Kanonkop’s “Paul Sauer” constantly shows
that world-class Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends are well within grasp and,
moreover, proves how supremely well they age.

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1572276171827-paul_sauer_1994_back_label.jpg"> The bottle comes with
an informative back label. The only crucial information missing was the blend.

The 1994 Paul Sauer might lie in the shadow of the highly
reputed 1995, but this bottle, opened at the end of a full day tasting South
African new releases in London, was simply magnificent after 25 years. The
bottle came directly from the cellar of South Africa maven Greg Sherwood MW,
who bought it on release. I had encountered the 1994 once before, at a Kanonkop
tasting several years ago, though it didn’t show as well as this. The 1994
displays only slight bricking on the rim, and the bouquet is better than you will
find in most clarets of this vintage, offering a mélange of raspberry coulis,
wild strawberry, cedar and thyme. It blossoms with aeration over the course of
three hours, developing tertiary and terra-cotta scents. The palate nods to
Bordeaux but is unashamedly South African, delivering the lushness of the Cape
with the structure and depth. of Bordeaux. Layers of mainly red berry fruit intermingle
with sage, thyme, cedar and tobacco, building and fanning out toward the sweet,
fleshy finish. The wine is so vivacious that it could easily mature for another
25 years. This bottle was testament to one of South Africa’s great wine estates
and one of its most respected and consistent labels. Prices of old bottles are
rising due to their rarity and growing appreciation. The good news is that
recent vintages are just as good and represent outstanding value. 95/Drink 2019-2045.

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