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The Kolab range of wines has become the stuff of legends. Initially an experimental project spear-headed by the Publik Wine Distribution Company, where each winemaker (or winemaking married couple) would be kept secret. The idea was to make some exciting wines, while also giving a platform for some of South Africa’s most prominent winemakers to produce more experimental wines, without risking damage to their already very established international brands.

The important thing to note here is that the very existence of this secrecy is evidence of the pedigree of the winemakers involved.

This GoGetter Cabernet is no exception, and was produced by a winemaker who once made Cabernet Sauvignon for one of South Africa’s most lauded brands, and has since launched his own label that sells out every year, within a week of each new vintage launch.

In this video we discuss what the wine is like in the glass, and also take a quick look at Cabernet Sauvignon’s parentage and a few of his step-siblings as well.

If you have yet to sign up for your Monthly HanDrinksSolo Wine Subscription then you’ll have to hunt this wine down in your own time. But until then, here are my tasting notes and some technical specs:

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👃🏼 A generous open nose of blueberries, blackcurrant pastille and slightly more savoury roasted black plum, and perhaps a hint of fresh tobacco leaf.

👄 The palate is soft and velvety, with a noticeably gentle tannins. Black fruit flows broadly across the palate, jazzed up a little with those savoury notes mentioned on the aroma. There is a lovely juicy black cherry acidity, which keeps the wine uprights.

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Wine of origin Stellenbosch. Matured for 18 months in 2nd and 3rd fill 300-litre oak barrels.

The residual sugar after fermentation is 3.1g, with an alcohol by volume of 14.5%.