2011 Directors Reserve Red

Tokara has adjusted its line-up of offerings in recent years. As of 2008, there's no longer a Zondernaam ("without name") line-up; these wines have now simply become the Tokara range. Meanwhile, a new Reserve range has been created. And the Director's Reserve series includes red and white flagship blends from Bordeaux varieties grown entirely on the estate in Stellenbosch. There are now 71 hectares of vines planted on the property in Stellenbosch but another 21 in the cooler Elgin area and in Hemel-en-Aarde.

Miles Mossop, who also makes terrific wines under his own label, has been in charge of winemaking here since 2000. Mossop described how climate change has changed the shape of the growing season in the Cape region. "First off, our winter rains are now starting later, and our springs are also later," he told me. "And now we tend to get heat spikes at the beginning of March; these used to come in January and February." So now we can usually make fresh white wines, but sometimes our early-picked reds, like Merlot and Cabernet Franc, can be high in alcohol without having fully ripe tannins, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah picked in drier March and April weather can be more concentrated. (Please note that I have reviewed Mossop's eponymous label elsewhere in this article.)