WTN: Excelsior Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

[iamthestretch]

"Value" seems to be a word that crops up a lot in connection with Excelsior's recent cab efforts, despite the South African rand appreciating almost 50 percent against the dollar over the last few years. Robert Parker called the 2002 an "extraordinary value" at $8, while James Molesworth over at WS plumped for "heck of a value." Both agreed it packed a ton of good fruit into a middleweight package with a touch of African earth to boot.

I noticed the 2003 vintage on the shelf at the new Wegmans in Virginia last week for $7.50 and picked up a few to see if the new bottling would stand comparison. Happily, it does, and then some -- it's thick and rich with soft tannins and loads of blackcurrants, plums and chocolate. Not exactly subtle, but a treat with a spice-rubbed broiled flank steak. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, as 2003 was supposed to be one of the finest vintages in recent memory in the Cape. John Platter, South Africa's Parker equivalent, calls it "an outstanding year, with concentrated, structured and generous reds as well as whites."

Unhappily, I'm obviously not the only person to appreciate this little bargain, as when I went back for a case some other thrifty bugger had cleaned out every single bottle in the store. But Excelsior is one of the largest estates in South Africa and cranks out up to 75,000 cases a year, so I've high hopes of this finding its way to a nearby Costco soon enough. (They were selling the 2002 for $6. $6! First time I ever wished I had an SUV...)