Radford Dale Vinum Gamay Noir - 2022 (750ml)

Winemaker's Notes:
Another relatively new wine to the Radford Dale stable, and our third expression of Gamay Noir. It’s a variety we hold in high esteem and this bottling – in part - comes from the first plantings of Gamay in over 20 years & a site we have established on the Polkadraai hills. This site also serves as the mother block for quality cuttings going forward, which we have used for a new vineyard at our organic Elgin farm and a new block in the Helderberg. There are less than 10 hectares of Gamay currently planted in the Cape.
Deep purple, with a Violet rim. Aromatic mulberry and spiced plum notes on the nose. Generous and juicy, the plate shows medium weight with ripeness and a substantial tannin that draws into a rewardingly full finish.

A note on sustainability: in line with Radford Dale's increasing focus on sustainable business practices, all the Vinum wines are bottled in eco friendly, lightweight glass (396 gm) with recyclable screw caps.

93 points Wine Anorak - Jamie Goode

13% alcohol. There’s a second vineyard in the mix this year, and they were able to pick the younger vineyard on the Polkadraai a bit later. Nice depth here with warm, sweet spicy cherry and berry fruit with a slight herby, peppery edge and nice depth. There’s a sweet, viscous core to the fruit. Rich and spicy.

16/20 JancisRobinson.com

Mid cherry red. Deliciously scented with pure dark -red fruit and a hint of crushed stones. I was worried this would be less fresh than the 2021, and it tastes as if it is even though the numbers are roughly the same. Perhaps the acidity is more hidden by depth of fruit, along with the higher alcohol, but the fruit is still vibrant, both red and dark -red in character. Silky tannins even now but I miss the peppery quality of the 2021. The oak is well -judged and this may have broader appeal than the 2021, which I loved, even if this is probably a more complete, rounded wine. Julia Harding MW