Before every blend, De Toren's cellar master writes three or four words on a sticky note. The final wine has to taste like them. Recorded in the vineyards of De Toren in the Polkadraai Hills of Stellenbosch, managing director Albie Koch and cellar master Charles Williams tell the story of South Africa's first five-grape Bordeaux blend. Albie made his first vintage in 1999, at 22, and explains how they tracked down Petit Verdot and Malbec when almost no one in Stellenbosch grew them. Charles explains why the vineyard comes before the cellar, what working in Napa taught him about elegance over power, and why South African wine is no longer afraid to be South African. They also take on what Americans get wrong about South African wine, why Polkadraai belongs on the label, and where they want De Toren to be in 2046. De Toren means "the tower," named for its gravity-flow cellar. Its flagship, Fusion V, blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Coming up in the South Africa Series: [confirm next estate]. Mentioned: De Toren Fusion V, De Toren Z, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carménère, Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch, the Helderberg, the Simonsberg, Constantia, Buitenverwachting (Bayten), Table Mountain, Cape Point, Bordeaux, Languedoc, Napa Valley, Rutherford, Screaming Eagle, Andy Erickson, Nick Gislason, Martin Fourie, Bruwer Raats, Simon van der Stel. GLASVINGlasvin is The Preferred Glass of The Wine Centric Show. Use code WINECENTRIC for 10% off (affiliate link): https://tidd.ly/41vgdSQ FEARRINGTON HOUSEFearrington House is the location and hospitality partner of The Wine Centric Show. Fearrington House / Fearrington Eats De Toren Private Cellar: de-toren.comInstagram: @detorenprivatecellarThe Wine Centric Show: winecentricshow.com
