Crescendo 2018

Our excitement about the aptly named Crescendo is growing louder and louder.

In the mid-to-late 1990s, Cordoba Crescendo was a cult wine and one of the most revered in the Cape. Sadly, the cellarmaster at the time lost interest in the project and the last vintage to be released was the 2003. After that, the grapes from this iconic vineyard were simply sold off to other wineries. Now the estate has a new name, Taaibosch, and at the helm is a called Bertrand Oddo. Previously a director at Rupert & Rothschild and CEO of the Rothschild family’s Château Clarke in Bordeaux, Bertrand Oddo purchased the estate in 2017 and has resurrected the Crescendo name as part of the re-emerging Stellenbosch red wine renaissance.

We love a winery with focus. Taaibosch makes just one wine, and that’s this blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Matured in oak and cement tanks for an ordinately long time, almost three years to be precise, Taaibosch Crescendo 2018 is a gorgeous red that pulses with summer berry fruit, clove spice, white pepper and subtle oak. This is our top recommendation for barbeque season.

Taaibosch is a picturesque family-run estate at the foot of the Helderberg mountain. It was named after the ‘Sticky Bush’, an indigenous species of fynbos that covers much of the property. In fact, this environmentally conscious and organic producer allows natural flora to grow wild on 55% of the footprint of their land, with the rest dedicated to vines and buildings. Their location, just 8km from the coast, imparts a surprising freshness and elegance to a wine that is matured for so long.