Style Profile at a Glance
| Attribute | Profile | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Full-Bodied, Dense & Architectural | ●●●●● |
| Tannins | Firm, Fine-Grained & Classical | ●●●●● |
| Sweetness | Dry | ●●●●● |
| Acidity | Fresh & Poised | ●●●●● |
| Fruit | Blackcurrant, Dark Plum & Morello Cherry | ●●●●● |
| Oak | Prominent but Well-Integrated (French Oak) | ●●●●● |
Expert Tasting Notes & Estate Reputation
- 95 Points – Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon with 3% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and the remainder Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Lady May is firm and red-fruited with a broad yet compact frame. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is generous and juicy on the palate with a robust frame. It is slightly shy in its cocoon phase and should reemerge in about five years and remain a stoic and epic South African red blend for decades to come. This is what you want in your cellar."
- 93 Points – James Suckling: "This has a deep array of dark cherries, dark chocolate, walnuts and dried herbs. Full-bodied and concentrated, showing focus with firm yet well integrated tannins. Excellent balance from a very dry vintage. 85% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc, 6% petit verdot and 3% merlot. Drink from 2024."
- A Bordeaux Pedigree in Stellenbosch: Established on the lower, decomposed granite slopes of the Simonsberg mountain by Madame May de Lencquesaing, Glenelly is intentionally modeled after elite Pauillac properties. Lady May serves as the estate's crown jewel—a wine crafted with a fierce dedication to balance, freshness, and precise architectural symmetry that gracefully eschews jammy New World archetypes.
Highlights
- A classic Bordeaux-style blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, complemented by refined portions of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.
- Sourced entirely from cool, low-yielding, north-facing slopes rooted in ancient decomposed granite soils over a dense clay base.
- Matured for 24 months in elite French oak barrels (incorporating a high percentage of new wood), followed by extensive post-bottling integration in the estate's temperature-controlled cellars.
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Deep, opaque ruby red with intense garnet tones at the rim.
- Nose: Aristocratic, complex, and deeply layered, showing clean aromas of dark blackcurrant, blackberry, and Morello cherry, intertwined with graphite reduction, cigar box cedar, pencil shavings, and fine cocoa.
- Palate: Full-bodied, tight, and impressively architectural. Concentrated dark forest fruits are framed by a precise line of fresh acidity. The structure is supported by firm, fine-grained, and classic chalky tannins that elongate into a long, savory, and beautifully dry finish.
Serving Suggestion
- Temperature: Serve at room temperature between 16–18°C. Keeping it under a controlled cool environment allows the wood oak spices and dark fruits to balance naturally.
- Decanting: A 45-to-60 minute decant is highly recommended to let the compact, aristocratic tannin structure soften and expand. Possesses an exceptional structural core capable of cellaring effortlessly over the next 15–20 years.
- Western Pairing: An immaculate counterpart for prime ribeye steaks cooked over open flames, slow-roasted leg of lamb with rosemary, venison loin, or duck confit.
- Asian & Cantonese Pairing: The firm tannin structure, full body, and cedar-graphite elements are phenomenal at cutting through highly rich fats, caramelized glazes, and deep wok reductions. It pairs flawlessly with 蜜汁黑椒燒牛肉 (Sizzling Beef in Honey Black Pepper Sauce), 柱侯牛腩煲 (Braised Beef Brisket and Tendon Pot), or 醬燒黑豚肉 (Miso-Glazed Kurobuta Pork).
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