I first discovered this wine years ago at the Animal Kingdom Lodge in Walt Disney World. The Lodge has an amazing African themed restaurant with a wine list devoted to African wines. The quality of the wines from South Africa is surprisngly good and this specific wine hails from Stellenbosch, South Africa’s Napa Valley.
The 2004 De Toren Fusion V takes it’s name from the blend it’s comprised of; the 5 classic Bordeaux varietals of Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. This is the recent release, and from my previous experience, the wine is typically fleshier than this current version.
Deep, dark purple in the glass, the French roots come forward with the aroma of this wine. There’s cedar, slight green herbs, cassis, and stones. On the palate, the wine is plummy, slightly austere, and reserved. It’s tannins are ripe and rather substantial. We grilled a Fiorentina steak and the fruit really came forward with the meal. The char on the meat played well to the mineral and cedar components in the wine. The whole, clearly better than the parts in this case. While Stellenbosch may equate to Napa, there is nothing new world about this wine. 90 points, with room for improvement as it cellars. About $40.
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| 2004 De Toren Fusion V |
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| 4 1/2″ Tuscan Fiorentina |
June 28, 2012
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