This is perhaps how I should feel after a week that’s been more than usually busy; in fact vertical and horizontal refer to two enjoyable and informative tastings I was fortunate enough to be invited to.

It was with some level of shock that Zelma Long, Phil Freese (pictured) and I realised we’ve known each other since this American couple first came to the Cape in 1990 – a whole 20 years ago! They perceived then the potential to make site specific wines here and, thanks to an adventurous spirit, they founded Vilafonté, producing their first vintage in 2003.

As their Platter taster for the first three years, I have followed their two wines from the beginning and now participate in what has become an annual vertical of this duo from that maiden vintage. This year we covered 2003 up to trial blends, still to go back into oak, from 2009, so 18 wines in total.

It was fascinating to see how some have opened up over the past year (Series M 2003, 2006, Series C 2005, while others seem to have gone into their shell or are at an awkward stage (Series M 2004, Series C 2006). Perhaps I should point out that the wines are based on style, rather than a strict varietal regime, so Series M, which is intended to be the more accessible (though that’s relative), is merlot-based, while Series C is cabernet-based and, as might be expected, is the one that needs time to evolve.

But since those maiden 2003s are a mere six years, it’s hardly likely either are at a peak or on a downwards slope.

One of the points of discussion during our tasting is vintage characteristics, so the following day, I was pleased to read Tim James’s article Learning Vintage Truths. While all the Vilafonté wines are thoughtfully and well made with some natural positive progression as the Freese/Long partnership gets to know their vineyards better, the vintage itself is an essential part of the equation.

They were lucky to have 2003 as a maiden vintage, a year where reds showed good colour and flavour from smaller than usual berries and had excellent analyses. A vintage year for keeping; both Vilafonté’s suggest real evolution over time.

I’ve never been quite as enthusiastic about 2004, though I note it as `the second quality vintage in a row’. Generally I find reds are big with sturdy tannins – a bit four-square - and, while I don’t doubt the best will stay the course, I don’t see the same evolution as in 2003. Vilafonté Series M seems to have closed up, while the C shows some meaty development: patience is required here but also a watchful eye.

By 2005 the Cape was in the grip of a drought cycle, though the harvest was ‘the driest, wettest, earliest and hottest’ depending on where you were. Powerful and blockbuster are terms associated with 2005 reds and fit both M and C. The former is by far the more accessible and is both expressive and harmonious with a refreshing minerally ring; the latter’s rich viscosity presently engulfed in a tannin fortress. Neither should be taken lightly! I think the thing to beware of in 2005 is that fruit isn’t outlasted by alcohol.

I prefer the elegance that re-emerges in 2006 (the year of the power cuts!) with sightly lower alcohols and balanced freshness and structure. These are characteristics of the M with its expressive fragrance and elegant silky flow, though C (a Platter 5*) on this occasion seemed to me to be sulky. I feel the best 06’s will age well with complexity.

A wonderful winter led up to the 2007 harvest, which proved demanding thanks to prolonged heat followed by beneficial rain and cooler weather. And it is a sense of coolness that many lovely reds have. Series M, though still very primary, has beautiful purity of fruit, ripe fruit tannins and focusing mineral core. I’ve used words like ‘elegant’ and ‘refined’ too for the C, despite its richness and dense structure. I feel confident 2007 is a great year in the making.

The ageability and development potential of 2008 I’m less certain about. After another great winter, spring and summer threw an all-sorts of weather conditions, which led me to describe the year as ‘a viticulturist’s vintage’. Neither of the Vilafonté’s are yet bottled, but on this showing, neither appear to have the concentration for a long life.

Can 2009 be the vintage of the decade? Pronouncements of such nature on infant, unformed reds is dangerous, but it is certainly something very special, as the trial M and C blends show; they are now destined for a further year in oak. The end result is a tempting prospect.

My confidence in 2009 grew as I tasted through six infant Constantia Glen red varietal wines. This treat came at the invitation of winemaker, Karl Lambour and was timed to coincide when he and Bordelais consultant, Dominique Hebrard, were making up the eponymous blend.

Of course, they start with many more components – 40 different lots consisting of between two and 10 barrels each, every single one of which is tasted prior to selection for either blend (anything not considered up to par is sold off).

The real beginning is the vineyards themselves, which to minimise the detail, are pampered in order to deliver the perfect grape.

Vineyards on decomposed granite the cellar side and those on the sandstone slopes of the Constantiaberg have been identified as producing the best fruit for the Constantia Glen label, while those on the transitional soils in between better suit the Constantia Saddle, where a more accessible style is the goal. Each block is kept separate up to blending. Barrels from five coopers are now on the regular list, with a new one trialled each year; all are medium toast.

This should give some idea of the numerous and complicated permutations available. On top of which, both Lambour and Hebrard maintain choices in 2009 are difficult because every variety is of such high quality, Hebrard (pictured) adding the main difficulty is precision (purity or focus if you like).

After sampling merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and two malbecs (the same wine in different barrels), precision is a term easily attached to these wines. There could be other similar line-ups where one variety could be confused with another; not here. And it’s not just the fruit profile, but structure as well. For instance, cabernet sauvignon expresses the variety’s dark berries and cassis with mouthfilling dense, yet fine tannins, while petit verdot has a delicate violet fragrance, poised vibrant acidity, lots of fruit and less formidable structure than the cabernet. And so it goes across the varietal spectrum.

The importance of correct oak selection, even within the same cooper, was emphasised by those two malbec samples. This is exactly the same wine, one part aged in Boutes Grand Reserve, very mineral, tight with sappy mulberry fruit and mouth coating chalky tannins; the other in Boutes Selection is more lush, the tannins more diffuse.

The one problem I could envisage with such a line up of individuals is that they would fail to marry in a blend. Not in the possible 2009 blend (I say that, as at the time of tasting, it had to be approved by everyone involved), which has all the precision Hebrard could wish for; engagingly fragrant, there’s also depth and a balanced structure. A clear case of the whole being greater than the parts and a classic elegance that’s pure Constantia.

Another tempting 2009 prospect.