Prestigious Family Wineries
Live Virtual Auction, 23 July 2023
Prestigious family wineries | Thelema Mountain Vineyards, Raats Family Wines and Savage Wines
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About this Item
Thelema, the Greek word for ‘will’, was a charming dilapidated fruit farm until Gyles Webb came along and purchased the farm with the help of his wife’s family in 1983. Placed at the top of the Helshoogte Pass, Thelema is one of the highest and coolest estates in the area, its deep red soils make it ideal for premium quality wine grape production. At a time when the South African wine scene was focused on quantity rather than quality, Webb was a trailblazing pioneer on a mission to craft world-class wines. Construction began on the winery in 1987, and Thelema produced its first vintage in 1988. Winemaking since 2000 has been in the capable hands of Rudi Schultz, with Gyles's son Thomas involved in running the business.
Critics Ratings
'The 2017 Thelema Rabelais Bordeaux blend sticks to its more recent successful recipe of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon with just a 13% splash of Petit Verdot to add extra interest. A fabulously deep garnet-purple colour, this expertly constructed work of vinous art slowly unfurls in the glass revealing complex notes of crushed black currants, earthy black plum, warm black berry crumble, sweet clove and cedar spice. There are also some distinctive dusty Cabernet Sauvignon aromas that mix harmoniously with notes of half-smoked cigars together with charged perfumed tones of violets, graphite and sweet black chai tea. Medium bodied and supremely tight knit and focused, there is a piercingly arctic fresh line of acidity that cuts through the plush textured fruit concentration like a surgeon’s scalpel through water paper. The intensity is awesome and the all round richness and opulence held tightly in check by the acids but also the super weightless, fine-grained polished marble tannins... A wine that will give endless pleasure from release but has all the requisite building blocks to age gracefully for 20+ years. An exceptional must have Cape icon red.' - Greg Sherwood MW, 97+/100
'"We're very pleased with this," says Rudi Schultz, and quite right too, as it's a superb Bordeaux blend from one of the very best recent vintages. Made from Cabernet with 13% Petit Verdot, aged in 100% new wood, it's compact, dense and serious, with wonderful concentration, freshness, depth and palate length and layers of inky fruit supported by fine tannins. Superb stuff. 2025-35’ – Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2020, 96/100
‘Cab & Petit Verdot duo quietly stellar in youth, striking focus of blackcurrant flavour lifted by ethereal kelp & iodine tones, well-managed tannin structure contains the sleek fruit. New oak from 80% in 2015 to 100%. – Platter's SA Wine Guide 2021, 5* (95/100)
'Quite a price difference! Glowing garnet. Very savoury – almost tobacco-leaf? – nose. Correct with a dry finish. Can't really see the Petit Verdot seasoning. Definitely needs food and is still quite young and unyielding. Decanting recommended for now. Nice fresh minty note and some undertow.’ – Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 16.5/20 (Sep 2020)
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