2022 Series M

Proprietor Mike Ratcliffe is a busy man. He was tied up with administrative duties with the Stellenbosch Wine Board, so I had the pleasure of meeting winemakers Chris de Vries and Arlene Mains, who make the Series C/M and Seriously Old Dirt, respectively. There’s clearly a new chapter opening at the estate. Ratcliffe has now bought out the original investment from an original investor, California winemaker Zelma Long. Perhaps this is what triggered a discussion about the future. De Vries told me that they are considering blending the two cuvées to create just a single wine that would be called simply Vilafonté. I was surprised at first. Upon consideration, it could be a wise move. As well as making it clear to consumers that this is the singular wine, there is the prospect of the combination being greater than the sum of its parts, à la Bordeaux. We will see. It wouldn’t surprise me if a trial blend is poured in future visits. In terms of vintages about to be released, the 2022s were in the spotlight on this visit. “In July, we had 300mm of rain, the most ever recorded,” de Vries explained. “In 2017, we had 300mm in a calendar year! It was a mixed vintage, not as fruit-driven as the 2021. There were four well-defined heat waves in January 2022.” He actually confessed to gaining more pleasure from blending the Series M, which actually contains a little more Malbec this year (39%), as he felt it needed more identity. Indeed, I slightly prefer this to the Series C, though there’s only a hair’s breadth between them despite the difference in their composition.