Leopards Leap Special Edition Red Blend 2022

Leopard's Leap is a Franschhoek-based producer that blends fruit from suited pockets of the Western Cape to create approachable, consistent wines. The Special Edition Red Blend is a Merlot-led Bordeaux-style cuvee made from carefully handled vineyard parcels (many on cooler slopes facing False Bay) and matured in French oak to add structure and spice without dominating the fruit. Winemaking is pragmatic and site-aware: each variety is vinified separately, allowed through malolactic fermentation and then matured in 225-litre French oak (a portion in first-fill, the remainder in second/third fill) for 16-18 months to build texture and polish. The result is a confident, food-friendly South African take on a classic blend. Colour: Deep, rich purple with bright red hues and good clarity. Packed with red fruits - ripe cherry, blueberry and cassis - with gentle sweet spice and subtle oak-derived vanilla and toast. A faint savoury, herb-leaf note sits behind the fruit. Palate: Medium-plus body with integrated blueberry and blackcurrant flavours, a smooth mid-palate and elegant tannins. The Merlot and Cabernet backbone provide plush fruit, Cabernet Franc and the small Rhone/boarder additions (Malbec, Petit Verdot) add lift and a hint of spice. The oak is supportive from the 16-18 months' maturation, giving structure and a dry, rounded mouthfeel rather than overt woodiness. Finish: Long, finishing on dark fruit, mixed spice and a dry, savoury edge that keeps the wine approachable with food.