Friends Gift Set "Bad Luck & Sulfur"

Five blends, one Cabernet, six distinct styles

The great strength of Cape red wines lies in the art of assemblage. This discovery set brings together five red wine blends and one single-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon from Constantia, Stellenbosch, Paarl, and Franschhoek: from a Merlot-driven Constantia blend to cuvées featuring all five Bordeaux varieties, through to a heritage blend with Cinsault and a cuvée with a dash of Syrah. Each bottle demonstrates the unique way in which the estates at the Cape work with classic grape varieties. Ideal for comparing, as an introduction to the world of South African red wine, or as a gift for curious wine lovers.

The six bottles in the set

• Glenelly Estate Reserve Red 2017 The signature blend from Glenelly on the Simonsberg, the estate of May de Lencquesaing, longtime owner of Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. Cassis, mulberry, cedar, and tobacco, with a hint of black pepper from the Syrah. Already beautifully matured.
• Glen Carlou Grand Classique 2023 Since 1989, one of South Africa’s defining Bordeaux blends, made from all five classic varieties. Dark fruit, plum, peppermint, and tobacco leaf, plus cranberry and subtle vanilla. Full-bodied and velvety. Simonsberg-Paarl.
• Constantia Glen THREE 2021 The classic Constantia blend made from the three most important Bordeaux varieties, led by Merlot. Blackcurrant, juicy plum, and dried herbs; round and elegant. From the cool, maritime climate below Constantia Nek.
• Anthonij Rupert Optima 2021 The Bordeaux blend from the Rupert family, with grapes from L'Ormarins in Franschhoek and Rooderust in Darling. Violets, blackberry, cherry, cocoa, and spices; soft, round, and velvety. Matured in the bottle for additional time before release.
• Warwick Professor Black Pitch Black 2022 A heritage blend from the Simonsberg, inspired by the Cape red wines of the mid-20th century: the five Bordeaux varieties plus unwooded Cinsault. Dark berries, wild strawberry, violets, and herbs, with bright freshness from the Cinsault.
• Knorhoek Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 From one of the oldest wineries in Stellenbosch, with a history dating back to 1694. Red berries, cranberry, cassis, sour cherry, flint, and leather, with velvety tannins. Best in Show at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 with 97 points.

At a glance: 6 bottles of 0.75 l, red wine, South Africa, dry. Serve best at 16 to 18 degrees.

Vinification

• Glenelly Estate Reserve Red 2017: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 12% Syrah, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Hand-sorted, lightly crushed, three days of cold maceration, spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel with three pump-overs per day. Extended maceration for two to three weeks, malolactic fermentation in barrels, 18 months in French oak. Stellenbosch (Simonsberg).
• Glen Carlou Grand Classique 2023: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec (94% combined) with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. North-facing slopes on weathered granite, vines 9 to 22 years old. Hand-picked in the early morning, varieties vinified separately, 7 to 30 days of skin contact in stainless steel at 24°C. Malolactic fermentation in barrels, 18 months in French oak (50% new). Simonsberg-Paarl (WO Coastal Region).
• Constantia Glen THREE 2021: 55% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon from estate-grown vines. Hand-picked, sorted, batch-vinified. 17 months in French oak (30% new, 50% second fill, 20% third fill). Unfined, only lightly filtered. Constantia.
• Anthonij Rupert Optima 2021: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc with a touch of Petit Verdot. Hand-picked into small crates, cold transport, double sorting with an optical sorter. Fermentation in Nico-Velo concrete tanks and stainless steel, with up to five days of post-fermentation maceration. Each component aged separately for 20 months in 225-liter barriques (30% new), then blended and matured further in the bottle. Franschhoek and Darling.
• Warwick Professor Black Pitch Black 2022: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cinsault (proportions vary by vintage). Bordeaux varieties destemmed, two to three weeks on the skins, 12 months in small French oak barrels. Cinsault fermented as whole bunches and aged without wood. Stellenbosch (Simonsberg).
• Knorhoek Cabernet Sauvignon 2021: Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon (clone CS46) from Hutton and Clovelly soils on the northern slopes of the Simonsberg. Fermentation in open-top stainless steel fermenters, French oak, and concrete, with 4 to 5 punch-downs per day. 21 days of post-fermentation maceration, malolactic fermentation in barrels. Approximately 24 months in 225-liter barriques (52% new), one year of bottle aging before release. Stellenbosch (Simonsberg).

Pairs with: Grilled beef, rack of lamb, game, stews, mature hard cheeses, mushroom dishes, biltong, pasta with rich sauces, and cozy evenings by the fire.