A family tragedy delayed last week’s RECM Best Value Cabernet Sauvignon results and postponed the second tasting of the King of Red Grapes until next Wednesday. But life goes on and we’re all set for take II. The results from a blind tasting of the first 36 last week were wildly unexpected with the first three places claimed by brands far off the radar screen:

Bushmanspad Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 price R99.00 score 16.00
Les Coteaux Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 price R70.00 score 15.80
Hoeks Rivier Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 price R35.00 score 15.70
Landskroon Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 price R60.00 score 15.70
Vergenoegd Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 price R190.00 score 15.60
Paarl Families Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 price R60.00 score 15.60

A wave of the RECM best value wand turns up some incredible deals:

Hoeks Rivier Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 price R35.00 value R120.00 score 15.70
Les Coteaux Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 price R70.00 value R190.00 score 15.80
Perdeberg Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 price R42.00 value R99.67 score 15.50
Landskroon Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 price R60.00 value R120.00 score 15.70
Paarl Families Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 price R60.00 value R120.00 score 15.60
Bushmanspad Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 price R99.00 value R195.00 score 16.00

with the presence of Perdeberg throwing all kinds of questions makes at the decision to focus on Chenin Blanc as the flagship grape for the Perdeberg Group. A Russian visitor claimed that Les Coteaux was the most French red he’d tasted in SA and he is not wrong.