Leeu Passant Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch South Africa 2019 (13.5% ABV) – 88.3
SF | Raven-black at the core, with a narrow rim. A nose of graphite, peat, blueberry, and crushed rock, a complexity that echoes down the palate; just a touch earthy and unresolved at the moment, the tannins rigorous and uncompromising. 89
AR | Evolved in color, this is pleasantly aromatic, but when you taste, it's rather drying for a wine that, at this age, should be starting to soften down as it evolves, and isn't, or at least not very much; and in fact, it appears more evolved than it should be, with a slightly hollow middle that raises suspicions about its potential. 88
DW | A very tight, dense, ball of youthful fruit and tannin, but there's a core of dark-fruited intensity, wiry, with licorice notes. Needs a wee bit of time. 88