Taaibosch : Crescendo 2021

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Taaibosch Crescendo 2021

Tasting

Nose
The Crescendo 2021 has a particularly fragrant nose, combining notes of rose, red and black fruit, dried herbs and a slightly leafy touch. There are also hints of bilberry, blackcurrant, cedar spice, tobacco, bark and lightly candied redcurrant, along with nuances of fynbos. Black cherry, cranberry and a hint of dill complete this dense, precise aromatic palette, set against a characteristic herbaceous backdrop.

Palate
The attack reveals great clarity of fruit, carried by vibrant acidity and extremely fine, tight, mineral tannins that are almost saline. Both compact and precise, the texture allows fresh blue and black fruit, blackcurrant, austere redcurrant and damson plum to shine through, before a long, complex finish marked by lingering mineral, spicy and woody touches.

Serving and ageing
According to the critics who have tasted this vintage, the Crescendo 2021 has remarkable ageing potential, with a recommended drinking window extending to around 2045. The estate also chose to delay its release by a year to give it more time to mature in bottle before going on sale.

The signature of a South African red wine from Stellenbosch

The estate
Founded in 2018 on the slopes of the Helderberg in Stellenbosch, in the Western Cape, the Taaibosch estate covers around 50 hectares on the historic site of the former Cordoba, a pioneer of South African Cabernet Franc in the 1990s. The estate belongs to the Oddo family, represented by current owners Lorraine and Pascal Oddo, while Schalk-Willem Joubert manages the estate and crafts its single wine. Committed to rigorous organic viticulture and to preserving the Cape's indigenous flora, Taaibosch has chosen to produce just one red wine, The Crescendo, now acclaimed by international critics.

The vineyard
The Taaibosch vineyard lies at the foot of the Helderberg mountains, within the Stellenbosch appellation, offering panoramic views stretching to Cape Point, Table Mountain, Robben Island and the hills of Stellenbosch. The vines, aged 20 years and older, are planted at an altitude of 380 metres on slopes of decomposed granite, facing south-west towards False Bay. This setting allows cool sea breezes to slow the ripening of the grapes during the summer. Farmed according to strict organic principles, without any chemicals, this estate in South Africa also preserves the Cape's indigenous flora, which covers more than half of its total surface area.

Winemaking and ageing
The grapes for the Crescendo 2021 are harvested by hand, then moved by gravity into stainless steel and concrete tanks, without any aggressive pumping. A cold soak precedes fermentation to extract colour, delicate aromas and freshness, followed by an extended maceration that brings texture and intensity. The wine is then aged for thirteen months in 225-litre French barrels (30% new oak), before the final blend is assembled in large 9,000-litre foudres and 4,500-litre concrete tanks for approximately twelve more months. Convinced that this vintage needed additional time to mature, Schalk-Willem Joubert chose to delay the release of the Crescendo 2021 by a year, allowing it to rest longer in bottle before going on sale.

Grape varieties
The Crescendo 2021 is a Bordeaux blend dominated by Cabernet Franc (49%), complemented by Merlot (36%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%). Cabernet Franc brings elegance and aromatic structure, Merlot fruity roundness, and Cabernet Sauvignon depth and tannins.