2011 MR de Compostella

The 2011 MR de Compostella comes from separately vinified parcels that are assessed blind after 12 months, the highest rated barrels spending another 12 months in wood, a tripartite mixture of new, one and two-year-old oak. It has a seductive bouquet that is beautifully defined: blackberry, raspberry and blueberry fruit wrapped up in judicious new oak and hints of cedar and sandalwood that come through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp red berries, soy and hints of spice. It is perfectly controlled with more finesse on the finish than the twenty odd South African samples I tasted before this. To sum up this wine in two words: world class. Ignore at your own risk. I hope that my praise of Bruwer Raats and Mzokhona Mvemve’s astounding MR de Compostella helped put this wine on the map. Here is another sublime offering to savor. During my peer group tasting it simply shone in terms of its elegance and finesse, allied with the Rolls Royce engine purring underneath. I sometimes think that those touting their wines as possessing those aforementioned attributes should do themselves a favor and taste the MR de Compostella to experience the real deal. Importer: Cape Classics, New York, NY; tel. (212) 686-1300.