Located in the Paarl/Simonsberg region of the Western Cape, Vilafonté was established in yjr late 1990s as a collaboration between South African and American wine experts — Michael Ratcliffe, Dr. Zelma Long and Dr. Phil Freese —with the ambition to craft wines that could “stand shoulder to shoulder with the greatest wines in the world”. The estate spans about 42 hectares planted exclusively to the four classic Bordeaux red varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec) on the ancient “vilafontes” soils — soils estimated to be between 750,000 and 1.5 million years old, which have remained undisturbed by glaciation or volcanic activity. The vines are planted at high density, and yields are kept deliberately low to produce highly concentrated fruit. Their wines have earned international acclaim, becoming among the highest-scoring Bordeaux-style reds from South Africa. The “Seriously Old Dirt” is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with small amounts of Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, matured for 18 months in 48% new French oak barrels.