Young Guns
Online-Only Auction, 17 - 28 November 2022
Young Guns | For the classicists and the geeks alike, an incredible collection
About the SessionWhat is a Young Gun?
A talented winemaker who pushes the boundaries, breaks the rules and creates cutting-edge wines with personality and energy. Young Guns either work, or have worked for notable estates, but also produce unique wines under their own labels. They are dynamic, working together in pushing the envelope and promoting brand SA. They are the winemakers who should be on your radar as they are making some of the most daring, innovative, and simply delicious wines in SA. They travel and taste extensively, drawing inspiration from the classics through to the more edgy, hip styles and techniques, from the profound and obscure wine regions of the world. And then they apply their own creative interpretations on home soil, often searching for unique vineyard sites, cultivars and old vines. The results are most often small in numbers and high in demand, selling out on release. They are the rising stars, the future icons and ultimately, tomorrow’s investment wines.
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
About this Item
Damascene is a partnership between celebrated Cape winemaker Jean Smit, previously the winemaker at Boekenhoutskloof and David Curl, former owner of Château Gaby in Canon-Fronsac, Bordeaux, now based at Moya Meaker in Elgin. Jean Smit is a rising star in SA winemaking and certainly a winemaker to watch. They seek out unique vineyards and sites across the Western Cape winelands and have created an exciting, pitch-perfect set of wines which are placed amongst the finest in SA. The debut wines were released in 2019, garnering much acclaim and excitement from both local and international wine critics.
The grapes for the Damascene Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from mature vineyards scattered across the Helderberg, Bottelary and Polkadraai Hills. Granitic outcrops, these sites produce fruit with an outstanding purity and brightness. As with all the wines, Smit prefers a natural ferment, the point of difference with the Cabernet however is the use of new oak. Maturation takes place in new French barriques and foudre.
Critics Ratings
'Grapes from Bottelary, Helderberg and Polkadraai. Matured for 22 months in 80% new barrique and 20% in foudre. Cranberry and cassis, cigar box and pencil shavings on the nose. The palate is medium bodied but not overly-refined with fresh acidity and fine tannins. Just about pitch-perfect.' - Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za, 96/100 (Oct 2020)
‘Definitely made to last, Jean Smit's Stellenbosch Cabernet was picked over a period of three weeks for added complexity and levels of ripeness. Firm and extracted, with some new oak texture and perfume cassis and black cherry fruit and plenty of supporting acidity. 2023-28.’ - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2021, 91/100
Provenance
Producer
Other lots that might interest you
