The 2020 Leeu Passant Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon is a distinguished offering from the acclaimed Leeu Passant winery, a collaboration between Chris and Andrea Mullineux and Analjit Singh.

Inspired by the classic Cape wines of the 1960s through the 1980s, this Cabernet Sauvignon captures the essence of Stellenboschs renowned terroir, sourced from the cool slopes of Helderberg Mountain and Polkadraai Hills.

Crafted with meticulous care, the grapes are hand-harvested, sorted, and naturally fermented without inoculation. Following a gentle maceration process, the wine matures for 20 months in 500L French oak barrels, with 30% being new oak, allowing the wine to develop its complex character and depth.

On the nose, this Cabernet exudes aromatic notes of cassis, tarragon, graphite, and cedar. These aromas carry through to the palate, which reveals a silky texture and finely structured tannins. It’s rich and powerful but still retains balance and harmony, as well as an impressively long and dry finish.

An ode to Stellenboschs great Clarets, and another stunning offering from this formidable winemaking team.

95 points
“Firm, structured, taut and muscular on the palate, with uncommonly fresh acids, while tannins are chiseled, supported by those acids, leading through the long finish. A stellar wine to be revisited after 2025 at least, and I suspect this will age positively, and comfortably, into the late ’30s. Terrific value on top of it all.”
– John Szabo, MS (Wine Align)