Stark-Condé : Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

A complex and smooth South African red wine

The estate

An illustrious reference among fine Stellenbosch wines, the origins of the Stark-Condé estate date back to 1989 when Hans Schroder and his Japanese wife Midori Maruyama acquired the Oude Nektar estate and began cultivating a vineyard. A few years later, their son-in-law José Condé, a graphic designer by trade, developed a passion for wine and in the year 2000 produced his first Cabernet Sauvignon bottling. Produced in limited quantities, this wine enjoyed a swift and great success with many international critics and established the reputation of the estate.

Located in the Jonkershoek Valley wine region of the Western Cape, the estate has been managing a certified organic vineyard since 2021. The wines of Stark-Condé, made from the great terroirs of Stellenbosch, are renowned beyond the country’s borders for their finesse and elegance.

The vineyard

Stark-Condé's Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a Stellenbosch wine that stems from the property's oldest vineyard. Enjoying a south-western exposure and a gentle slope, this terroir lies on decomposed granite soil upon a clay subsoil. Located at an altitude of 350 metres, this vineyard, known as 'Block 5', is made up of five different types of Cabernet clones, three of which are used to make this wine. Each of them gives the wine its own specificity, in this case the structure, the tannins and the fruitiness. Produced since 2000, this wine is regularly rewarded for its quality.

The vintage

The winter was marked by cool temperatures and heavy rainfall. Subsequently, the warm and dry conditions throughout the vegetative cycle ensured an optimal ripening of the grapes.

Vinification and ageing

Harvested by hand, the grapes are cooled to 14°C before being rigorously sorted. Fermentation with natural yeasts in open vats. Pigeage every 4 hours for half of the fermentation, then every 6 to 8 hours thereafter. Aged for 20 months in French oak barrels (60% new) from several coopers. Bottled without fining or filtration.

The blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (97%)

Petit Verdot (3%)

Stark-Condé’s Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2017: Characteristics and tasting tips

The tasting

Revealing a superb balance between power and elegance, this South African red wine seduces with its silky tannins, concentration as well as floral (violet) and fruity (blackcurrant, black cherry) notes.