Vintage Character 2021 Vilafonté "Series C" is an icon-level red from Wine of Origin Paarl, a Bordeaux-style blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon. In the Cape, 2021 is widely regarded as a strong vintage: a relatively cool, later growing season helped preserve freshness and aromatic definition while allowing even ripening, giving this wine both power and poise. Its identity is inseparable from Vilafonté’s distinctive site, where very old, well-drained soils and the warm, dry Paarl climate shape a wine of depth, structure, and notable concentration.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing The nose shows cassis, black cherry and ripe plum, layered with violet, cedar, dark chocolate and a graphite-like mineral edge. On the palate it is full-bodied and tightly built, with fine but assertive tannins, polished oak integration, and a long, savory finish that carries dark fruit, spice, and pencil-shaving nuance. This is a serious, cellar-worthy expression rather than an easygoing red, and it shines at the table with herb-crusted rack of lamb, dry-aged ribeye, or wild mushroom ragù with pappardelle.
Winery Background Vilafonté was established in 1997 as a pioneering partnership between South African wine figures and internationally respected vintners, with founding winemaker Zelma Long helping set its quality benchmark. The estate is known for meticulous site selection, precision viticulture, and hand-harvesting, all in service of translating its singular Paarl terroir into world-class blends. In the cellar, the philosophy is disciplined and low-intervention in spirit, using careful lot selection and élevage in French oak to build detail, balance, and longevity rather than excess.
Product details
Wine TypeRed
WineryVilafonté
Grape VarietiesCabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc