2018 Taaibosch Crescendo

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 23, 2022

Whilst up to my neck in Bordeaux primeur samples, one sunny evening during a brief return home for Easter, I took a break from Cabernet and cracked open a South African wine that had been sent to my home, the 2018 Taaibosch Crescendo. It was a timely reminder that there are plenty of alternatives to Bordeaux if primeur prices are unfavourable. A bit of background. In the afterglow of post-Apartheid, the Cordoba Crescendo became one of the Cape’s premier wines after debuting with the 1995 vintage. It came from the Helderberg Ward of Stellenbosch, a sought-after site advantaged by altitude (250m to 380m) and proximity to False Bay, sea breezes manifesting a cooler micro-climate. The wine was made by Christ Keet. Unfortunately, the owners’ interest waned and Keet departed. The last vintage was 2003 whereafter the fruit began to be sold off for the profit of other producers.