South African Success Story

Very Good

Warwick (Stellenbosch) "Estate Reserve" 2000 ($32, Broadbent Selections): Deep, concentrated fruit is backed with lots of smoky oak that lends vanilla and spice notes to the basic berry and black cherry flavors.

Delheim (Simonsberg, Stellenbosch) "Grand Reserve" 2000 ($29, Fairest Cape Beverage Co.): Dark, intense, assertive stuff, with intense dark fruit notes and nice oak edging.

Kaapzicht (Stellenbosch) "Estate Red" 2002 ($14, Fairest Cape Beverage Co.): Formidable but not hard, this features delicious dark berry fruit with light oak and soft tannins that make for a long finish.

Groot Constantia (Constantia) 2001 ($12, 57 Main Street): A lovely wine and a terrific value, this shows very strong materials and excellent winemaking. Dark and quite rich, but still soft and juicy.

Umkhulu (Stellenbosch) "Titan" 2001 ($17, AIDC): A blend of 67 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 15 percent Merlot, 11 percent Cabernet Franc and 7 percent Malbec, this shows lots of power but remains balanced and classy.

Laborie (Paarl) Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 ($12, 57 Main Street): The blend here is 60/40 and the results are superb. With open, expressive plum and berry fruit supported by lightly spicy oak, this tastes more like a $20 bottle.

Charles Back (Western Cape) "Goat Roti" 2002 ($16.50, Vineyard Brands): This tastes closer to South Australia than the Northern Rhone, but with soft, ultra-ripe fruit firmed by seriously spicy oak, nobody will be inclined to quibble.

KWV (Western Cape) "Roodeberg" 2002 ($12, 57 Main Street): This wonderful bargain is based on fruit that recalls plums and red berries. With delicate accents of cedar and spices, it is admirably versatile with food.

Warwick (Stellenbosch) "Three Cape Ladies" 2001 ($25, Broadbent Selections): Soft and supple but sufficiently robust to work well with food, this wine offers blackberry and red cherry fruit with subtle oak and pleasant texture.

Also Recommended

Le Riche (Stellenbosch) Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2001 ($22, Confluence Wine Importers): Bradgate (Stellenbosch) Cabernet/Merlot/Shiraz 2003 ($10, Vinovative); Graham Beck (Western Cape) Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon "Railroad Red" 2002 ($10, Country Vintner); Guardian Peak (Western Cape) "Frontier"2002 ($9, Vineyard Brands); Charles Back (Paarl) "Goats do Roam" 2002 ($8.50, Vineyard Brands); Robert's Rock (Western Cape) Shiraz/Malbec 2001 ($7, 57 Main Street).

Michael Franz will offer additional recommendations and answer questions live today at noon on washingtonpost.com.