Aslina Wines Umsasane 2022

Aslina Wines was founded by Ntsiki Biyela, who became South Africa’s first Black female winemaker after graduating from Stellenbosch University and joining Stellekaya in 2004. She launched Aslina as her own project in 2016, naming it for her grandmother, who had been a central influence in her life. Biyela’s experience also includes harvests in Tuscany and Bordeaux, and her wines tend to combine polished structure with a distinctly South African sense of fruit and place.

Umsasane 2022 is a Bordeaux-style blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon, 18% cabernet franc and 12% petit verdot, with much of the cabernet sauvignon coming from the Simonsberg area of Stellenbosch. “Umsasane” means umbrella tree in Zulu and was also her grandmother’s nickname, reflecting the idea of shelter and protection. The wine is fermented in stainless steel, completes malolactic fermentation in barrel, and is then aged for about 16 months in French oak, with only a modest proportion of new wood so the oak supports rather than dominates the fruit.

The wine is full bodied and layered, with black cherry, cassis and blackberry alongside lavender, dried herbs, green pepper and vanilla. The tannins are firm but polished, with enough freshness to keep the dark fruit from feeling heavy. The finish is long, savory and gently earthy, with good aging potential.