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Vilafonte Seriously Old Dirt bottle
Vilafonte
SKU 103984

2022 Vilafonte - Red Blend Paarl Seriously Old Dirt (750ml)

$31.99 - $31.99
$31.99
$31.99 - $31.99
$31.99
Availability:
12 available

2022 Vilafonté Seriously Old Dirt, Paarl (750ml) is a Cabernet-led red that embodies Vilafonté’s Bordeaux-inspired ambition from old Paarl soils. Though Seriously Old Dirt is Vilafonté’s second label, it punches well above that designation. The 2022 is a Cabernet-dominant blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 2% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, matured eighteen months in French oak.

In the glass, it shows a dark, opaque purple-black plum color with bold aromatics: mint leaf, violets, crème de cassis, black cherries, dried thyme, cigar wrapper, and hints of chocolate. On the palate, the mouthfeel is alluring and supple, delivering dark blackberries, fresh peppermint, vanilla, and sweet spice, with a finish framed by mineral, graphite tannins.

Vilafonté’s Seriously Old Dirt is built to age gracefully yet rewards current drinking with its concentrated fruit and mineral spine. The wine reflects its terroir—the legacy of old Paarl soils—while delivering the structure and balance expected from a Bordeaux-focused estate in South Africa.

Technical details

  • Grape composition: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 2% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc
  • Appellation: Paarl, South Africa
  • Oak maturation: 18 months in French oak
  • Bottle size: 750ml

Food pairing

  • Grilled ribeye or other richly marbled red meats with peppery sauces
  • Braised beef short ribs with a dark savory glaze
  • Roasted rack of lamb with herbs
  • Wild mushroom ragout or risotto with subtle truffle notes
  • Aged hard cheeses such as Gouda or Manchego
93 Points
"The Vilafonté 2022 Seriously Old Dirt pays homage to the wonders of South African geology based on, ahem, very old soils. These range from shale, decomposed granite, sandstone and other formations traced back one billion years and having seen little to no movement in the form of glaciation, volcanic events or earthquakes. So-called Vilafontes soils are some of the world's oldest documented soil types.

This is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller parts Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from older vines for structure and complexity. These latter varieties are the "salt and pepper," says Winemaker Arlene Mains. They add darker fruit, pencil shaving and petrichor over a medium-plus body with a bold and austere personality. Hand-me-down barrels used in the Series C and Series M wines are directed to this wine and represent mostly second- and third-use oak; however, some of the barrels in the program date back to 2004. The wine matures in oak for 18 months. Reddish stone soils add a salty or ferrous quality to the wine. Tobacco leaf and cigar box emerge as the wine spends more time in the glass."
—Monica Larner-Wine Advocate
Appellation: Paarl
Vintage: 2022
Region: Coastal Region
Country: South Africa
Bottle Size: 750ml
Producer: Vilafonte
Vilafonte

2022 Vilafonté Seriously Old Dirt, Paarl (750ml) is a Cabernet-led red that embodies Vilafonté’s Bordeaux-inspired ambition from old Paarl soils. Though Seriously Old Dirt is Vilafonté’s second label, it punches well above that designation. The 2022 is a Cabernet-dominant blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 2% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, matured eighteen months in French oak.

In the glass, it shows a dark, opaque purple-black plum color with bold aromatics: mint leaf, violets, crème de cassis, black cherries, dried thyme, cigar wrapper, and hints of chocolate. On the palate, the mouthfeel is alluring and supple, delivering dark blackberries, fresh peppermint, vanilla, and sweet spice, with a finish framed by mineral, graphite tannins.

Vilafonté’s Seriously Old Dirt is built to age gracefully yet rewards current drinking with its concentrated fruit and mineral spine. The wine reflects its terroir—the legacy of old Paarl soils—while delivering the structure and balance expected from a Bordeaux-focused estate in South Africa.

Technical details

  • Grape composition: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 2% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc
  • Appellation: Paarl, South Africa
  • Oak maturation: 18 months in French oak
  • Bottle size: 750ml

Food pairing

  • Grilled ribeye or other richly marbled red meats with peppery sauces
  • Braised beef short ribs with a dark savory glaze
  • Roasted rack of lamb with herbs
  • Wild mushroom ragout or risotto with subtle truffle notes
  • Aged hard cheeses such as Gouda or Manchego
93 Points
"The Vilafonté 2022 Seriously Old Dirt pays homage to the wonders of South African geology based on, ahem, very old soils. These range from shale, decomposed granite, sandstone and other formations traced back one billion years and having seen little to no movement in the form of glaciation, volcanic events or earthquakes. So-called Vilafontes soils are some of the world's oldest documented soil types.

This is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller parts Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from older vines for structure and complexity. These latter varieties are the "salt and pepper," says Winemaker Arlene Mains. They add darker fruit, pencil shaving and petrichor over a medium-plus body with a bold and austere personality. Hand-me-down barrels used in the Series C and Series M wines are directed to this wine and represent mostly second- and third-use oak; however, some of the barrels in the program date back to 2004. The wine matures in oak for 18 months. Reddish stone soils add a salty or ferrous quality to the wine. Tobacco leaf and cigar box emerge as the wine spends more time in the glass."
—Monica Larner-Wine Advocate
Appellation: Paarl
Vintage: 2022
Region: Coastal Region
Country: South Africa
Bottle Size: 750ml
Producer: Vilafonte