GLENELLY HONOURED WITH TWO 5-STAR RATINGS IN THE 2020 PLATTER’S SOUTH AFRICAN WINE GUIDE For the 2014 vintages of their flagship Lady May Bordeaux-style red and Estate Reserve signature red blend.
Glenelly, the Stellenbosch wine estate with a French touch, located on the southern slopes of the Simonsberg, has been honoured with two coveted 5-Star ratings in the 2020 Platter’s South African Wine Guide: for their flagship Lady May 2014 Bordeaux-style red blend as well as the Estate Reserve 2014 signature red blend.
Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2020 was launched at Cape Town’s Table Bay Hotel on 8 November 2019 with over 230 guests in attendance, the VIPs including the wine producers who achieved the maximum 5-star rating in the new edition , including Glenelly winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain who proudly accepted his two 5-star awards from Platter’s Publisher Jean-Pierre Rossouw. The prestigious 5-star accolade is reserved for wines that are “South African classics” and score 95 points or more on the internationally recognised 100-point scale.
Glenelly’s double Platter’s honour follows hot-on-the-heels of excellent ratings in Tim Atkin’s 2019 South AfricaSpecial Report: Lady May 2014 (96 points) and Estate Reserve Red 2014 (93 points). Tim Atkin is a British Master of Wine and a highly accomplished wine journalist, broadcaster, judge and commentator with over 30 years’ experience under his belt.
GLENELLY LADY MAY 2014
The Lady May 2014, an elegant blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, pays tribute to its legendary owner, world-renowned Bordeaux winemaker, Madame May de Lencquesaing.“It has always been my dream to craft the finest Cabernet Sauvignon blend outside of France. At the grand age of 78, I finally discovered Glenelly Estate, in the heart of the iconic Stellenbosch, the ideal place for my vision to become reality. Selected from the highest and coolest vineyard slopes, these grapes confer to Lady May elegance, exceptional depth and ageing potential. This wine is my legacy.”
Winemaking: The grapes were hand sorted, lightly crushed and naturally fermented in stainless steel tanks. After 2-3 weeks post fermentation skin contact and a gentle pressing, malolactic fermentation took place in oak barrels.
The wine remained on the lees for a long period of time before racking, every four months on average. The wine was matured for 24 months in new oak barrels from the finest French coopers.
Tasting notes: The Lady May 2014 is an intense, deeply coloured wine. Elegant and complex with a big but classic structure, it offers alluring invitation to dark-fruited, richly-tannined depths. Fresh blackberry, cassis, dark cherry and spicy plum notes perfectly combine with dense, age-worthy tannins. Refined and balanced with distinct minerality and underlying fruit power, the wine is fresh, stylish and subtle, with a long, layered finish.
Enjoy: 2019 – 2030
Platter’s 5-star ratings: Glenelly have produced several highly-acclaimed vintages of Lady May, reaping prestigious awards, including a pinnacle 5-star rating for the 2009 and 2014 vintages in Platter’s wine guide.
Retail price: Lady May 2014 can be purchased online at www.glenelly.co.za and is available nationwide at specialist wine merchants. Recommended retail price: R520.
GLENELLY ESTATE RESERVE RED 2014
The Estate Reserve is Glenelly’s signature red blend, with long ageing potential made from the estate’s finest parcels of vines, is based on the classic claret blend from the 1700’s. The label depicts a panoramic landscape view of Glenelly to convey a real sense of place and focus on terroir. The 2014 vintage is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Syrah, 18% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot.
Winemaking: The grapes were hand sorted and lightly crushed into stainless steel fermentation tanks. They were given a cold soak for three days before allowing the natural fermentation to start. Three pump-overs a day were done during fermentation, followed by extended skin contact for 2-3 weeks. The wine was placed in French oak
barrels to undergo malolactic fermentation. Matured for 18 months in French oak and racked on average every
four months.
Tasting notes: The 2014 vintage is all about the combination of power and elegance. Rich powerful aromatics of fresh blackberries and blackcurrant initially present themselves with spicy plum and cedar continuing to lead you into the wine. The palate entry is bold and rich with fine tannins supported by the ripe fresh fruit and hints of
spice. Very good oak integration with a fresh long finish.
Enjoy: 2019 – 2030
Platter’s 5-star rating; Glenelly have produced several highly-acclaimed vintages of the Estate Reserve Red, reaping prestigious awards, including a pinnacle 5-star rating for the 2014 vintage in Platter’s wine guide.
Retail price: The Glenelly Estate Reserve Red 2014 can be purchased online at www.glenelly.co.za and is available nationwide at specialist wine merchants. Recommended retail price: R245.
SUGGESTED FOOD PAIRINGS FROM CHRISTOPHE DEHOSSE AT THE VINE BISTRO AT GLENELLY “At Glenelly we constantly think of our wines in conjunction with food”, says winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain. Christophe Dehosse, chef patron at The Vine Bistro at Glenelly, continues, “We recommend enjoying the 2014 vintages of the flagship Lady May Cabernet Sauvignon and the Estate Reserve Signature Red Blend with the following dishes currently on our menu: Pan-fried pork fillet, Karoo lamb loin and Grilled springbok rump.
MAY DE LENCQUESAING AND GLENELLY ESTATE
May de Lencquesaing is a member of one of Bordeaux’s oldest wine families, the Miailhe, who owned the famous Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac, Bordeaux. Her pursuit of excellence at this domain over 30 years saw the wines being elevated to some of the best in the world and led to May being awarded Decanter Magazine’s Woman of the Year in 1994, among several other prestigious accolades.
Struck by the tremendous potential of South Africa's terroir and the beauty of the country, May de Lencquesaing embarked on a French adventure on African soil when she purchased Glenelly in 2003, with a clear vision to produce wines of great elegance and exceptional ageing ability. She replanted the former fruit farm to pristine vineyards, built a state-of-the-art winery and together with winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain, began producing a highly acclaimed range of wines.
In 2007 she sold Château Pichon to Roederer Champagne and has since devoted her time to the development of Glenelly. In 2017 May de Lencquesaing was presented with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 International Wine Challenge (IWC) Awards in London, honouring her dedication, commitment and significant contribution to the global wine industry.
Glenelly Estate, a world-class winelands destination, is home to: The Vine Bistro headed up by French chef Christophe Dehosse, a tasting room with spectacular views, a stylish museum housing May de Lencquesaing’s extraordinary 500-piece glass collection, a school for the children on the farm, and a range of award-winning wines with power, elegance and balance.
Glenelly Estate: Lelie Street, Idas Valley, Stellenbosch 7600
Tel: 021 809 6440 · Email: wine@glenelly.co.za · Website: www.glenellyestate.com
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