Grape Juice

WBW #47: Ses’fikile – 2004 “Matriarch” Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on 10. Jul, 2008 by Erin in South Africa, Tasting

Wine Blogging Wednesday #47 — Today’s Wine Brought To You By The Letter “S” was a theme that we wanted to do to shake the cobwebs loose, dance a mental jig, and get back to the root of what makes wine so fascinating: it’s incredible diversity. How better to be exposed to new and wonderful things than to keep the selection process as open to interpretation as possible. From the reception we got, it seems that the suggestion caused a surprisingly supportive sensation. I promise that’s the last of the super “s” sentences, I couldn’t help myself. In all seriousness though, a huge thank you to all that participated, I hope that everyone had a great time, made some new wino friends, and learned at least one thing along the way. I hope to write up the summary this weekend, so you have until Monday morning to get me your notes if you haven’t been able to send them my way just yet. Late? Psh. I won’t tell if you won’t tell.

Winery & Wine Background

Not only does this wine beautifully encompass the “s” theme of WBW #47 (South Africa, Ses’fikile, Cab. Sauvignon, Somerset West), but the impressive amount of S-trogen (sorry! I know I promised…) involved in the conceptualization of the brand and the wines themselves makes this an obvious choice for a couple of wine gals of wine industry infamy.

Ses’fikile means “we have arrived” in isiXhosa, a simple yet empowerment laden statement from four black, female entrepreneurs in South Africa. Comprised of three former school teachers from Khayelitsha, a predominantly black township in the Western Cape,as well a fourth companion, these women went from wine novices to wine brand mavens through intensive study, business planning, and support from The Black Association of the Wine and Spirits industry (BAWSI). Through sheer determination, they were able to register the Ses’fikile brand in 2004 and partner with Somerset West located Flagstone Winery, for mentorship in both winemaking and wine marketing.

Since then, it’s all been up, up and away for Nondumiso Pikashe, Jackie Mayo, Nomvuyo Xaliphi and Phelela Mgundlwa. As great (and marketable) as their story is, it’s their wines that are garnering a lot of attention. The brand has expanded into three tiers of products: Rain Song (described as the “discovery” tier), Folklore (“exploration”), and Matriarch (“the best of the best”).

Tasting Note: Ses’fikile – 2004 “Matriarch” Cabernet Sauvignon

Country: South Africa
Region: WO Western Cape
Producer: Ses’fikile
Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 15.5%
Price: $24.95(CDN)

Visit the winery!

The Matriarch product line is supposed to be a tribute to strong women everywhere; starting, apparently, with the massive, muscled lionness that they managed to vinify and stick in a bottle. Strong? This thing was Miss Universe. At least in the alcohol department, where every speck of its 15.5% was showing with gumption. We wanted to love this wine, truly, madly and deeply. It had all the characteristics that we love in a great South African wine, with a focused, lovely structure, leather, char, …oh yes, it was all there, just coated in a think layer of booze. While we do gripe about high alkies here at Grape Juice, it’s largely a personal preference thing and we recognize that, as long as the wine can be interpreted as in balance on some scale.

Whatever finesse and complexity had existed in the 2004 Matriarch Cab Sauv was overpowered and obliterated by the volatility of alcohol, which burned both nose and palate alike. Every once in a while you would get the most wonderful whiff of what could have been, almost like a cruel jab at errant expectations, but on the whole, it was unbalanced, medicinal, and overwhelming. After sitting in a decanter for a couple days, the sweet, flattening hand of oxidation helped to actually round the wine out a bit, but in so doing, it also lost its unique and promising character. It just seemed so unnecessary; if you’ve got that gorgeous earthy thing going on, let it do its thing! Rather than sighing disappointedly, we would have been raving enthusiastically.

Call it a stylistic departure between different minded people, or a biased opinion if you like, but this could have been so much more, especially for the price. We’re interested in trying some of their other wines to see if we’re being wrongly judgmental, if it’s just the cab sauv that wasn’t up our alley, or if we’ll steer clear from Ses’fikile entirely in the future.

Erin’s Rating: I Wouldn’t Make Faces (+)

Michelle’s Rating: I Wouldn’t Make Faces

Tags: 2004, Cabernet Sauvignon, red, review, Ses'fikile, South Africa, Tasting, WBW, wine