Do you have a coterie? A small group of people with shared interests or tastes, especially one that is exclusive of other people? I think you probably have a small group of friends that you enjoy drinking wine with. I do. They are my coterie.
Today I sampled the Wildeberg Coterie Cabernet Franc & Malbec 2018 wine from the Franschhoek region of South Africa. It is made with 67% Cabernet Franc and 33% Malbec and spent 20 months in barrel before bottling. This wine is vegan-friendly.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Wildeberg Coterie Cabernet Franc & Malbec 2018 (BC $24.99 on sale till Jan 1, 2022)
Appearance: A dull medium intensity ruby colour. About 70% opaque.
Nose: Medium intensity nose showing a mix of berries, blackberries, plums, some meatiness, cracked black pepper and sweet spices aromas. Lots of ripe berry aromas and a touch of floral with decanting. No meatiness or black pepper.
Palate: This wine is slightly off-dry with a light silky soft mouthfeel. If you give the wine a few minutes and swirls in your glass, it becomes a bit rounder and thicker. Very light fine tannins. Blackberries, black cherries, black plums and sweet spices on the palate. The mouthfeel and flavours stay the same with decanting but you can add a touch of floral.
Finish: Medium length finishing with berry fruits, black cherries and a touch of oak and cedar. Very light tannins to start, but again giving it some time in the glass, the tannins get a little stronger. No cedar with decanting, but you get those ripe berry fruits and black cherries. Tannins are stronger than when first opened.
This wine is nice when first opened and it has a bit of swirl time in your glass. It does not change much with much longer decanting. So just enjoy sipping it and having something to eat with it. I did make pot roast and tried this wine with it. It was very complimentary. The roast was cooked till it was so soft and tender that it did not need a red wine with big tannins. A nice pairing.
Rating: 
– 
A deeper dull ruby colour. Medium intensity aromas of berries, blackberries, some meat, cracked black pepper and sweet spices when first opened. Slightly off-dry soft and silky. It gets a bit rounder and thicker with some swirling in your glass. Low acidity and very light fine tannins. Light intensity flavours of blackberries, black plums and sweet spices on the palate. Some floral aromas and flavours with decanting.
Where Can I Buy This Wine?
This wine is on sale at BC Liquor Stores for $24.99 till Jan 1, 2022.
