# Tokara Director's Reserve Red (2023)

- **Producer:** Tokara
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec
- **Region:** Western Cape, South Africa
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €35
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackcurrant, plum, eucalyptus, mint, chocolate, cedar, coffee

## About this wine

GT Ferreira purchased the Tokara site on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in 1994, initially for residential purposes, before discovering its exceptional potential for high-altitude viticulture. Located at the crest of the Helshoogte Pass in Stellenbosch, Tokara has grown into a benchmark South African estate integrating wine, culinary excellence, and art. The Director's Reserve Red represents the estate's flagship Bordeaux-style blend, sourced from top-performing vineyard parcels planted on weathered granite and sandstone soils.

## Interesting facts

- GT Ferreira originally bought the property as a residential site before discovering its terroir potential.
- The vineyards sit high on the Simonsberg Mountain at around 400 meters altitude along the Helshoogte Pass.
- Winemaker Stuart Botha was named Young Winemaker of the Year in Tim Atkin MW's South Africa Special Report.
- The 2023 vintage received a 95-point rating from Decanter magazine.

## Food pairing

The robust tannin structure and full body of this Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend require rich, protein-dense meats or aged cheeses to soften astringency. The vibrant acidity cuts cleanly through rich fats and sauces, maintaining freshness on the palate.

## Wine making process

Winemaker Stuart Botha crafts this flagship cuvée through double sorting of hand-picked grapes from high-altitude blocks. After up to five days of cold maceration, the grapes undergo spontaneous fermentation in upright stainless steel tanks and large wooden foudres. Cap management is performed twice daily via pump-overs, délestage, and manual punch-downs. The wine matures for 22 months in French oak barriques, with approximately 45–50% new oak and the remainder in older barrels.