2013 Vergelegen "V"
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Tasting notes
A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% each of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, the 2013 V starts with focused red and black fruits on the nose with integrated oak. The palate shows control and balance with rusticity. The finish is tight and reminiscent of a Super Tuscan with a full-bodied expression that will age for decades.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 2013 Vergelegen "V" is the flagship wine from a single site, the Cabernet Sauvignon complemented by Merlot and Cabernet Franc from adjacent vineyards in this vintage (the first time this has happened since the 2008). It was matured for 18 months in 100% new oak, Taransaud T5 (60 months drying before assembling). It has a clean and precise bouquet with intense blackberry, wild strawberry, graphite and melted tar aromas that for me, offer much more precision and sophistication compared to the GVB Red this year. The palate is dense and full-bodied with powerful black fruit laced with graphite and a touch of spice. This feels robust but not muscular, even a little foursquare toward the finish, suggesting that it will require two or three years in bottle to mellow. Very promising, but long-term.
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Fresh and linear on the nose. Very sweet and chewy on the end. A little bit simple. (JR)