Vilafonte Seriously Old Dirt

seriously old dirt by vilafonté

it’s all about the dirt

Seriously Old Dirt is a rich reflection of the ancient soils from which it emerges, a Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend created to honour the land. This wine draws from Vilafonté’s estate vineyards and various ancient Western Cape sites under the direct control of long-term consulting Vilafonté winegrower Marko Roux. Crafted with precision by winemaker Arlene Mains, Seriously Old Dirt offers bold flavours and a refined structure, blending power with approachability. Representing a proud Pan-African heritage, Seriously Old Dirt is a testament to the potential of the ancient soils of Africa.

Vilafonté is the realisation of a dream shaped by collaboration, passion, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Born decades ago from the partnership between Michael Ratcliffe, Dr. Zelma Long (formerly of Mondavi & Simi), and Dr. Phil Freese (formerly of Opus One), it merges a long-standing friendship and shared vision, combining decades of expertise from South Africa and California. The original Vilafonté dream was to create a wine from Africa’s remarkable ancient terroir, one that could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the greatest wines in the world.

Before the creation of the Series wines, Vilafonté’s original vision was to craft a single wine that embodied the ideal growing conditions of the vineyard, a wine capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the finest in the world. However, as the vineyard matured, winemaking partner Dr. Zelma Long discovered something remarkable. The vineyard yielded two distinct, yet equally exceptional styles of wine, each capturing a unique expression of our land.

This revelation gave rise to series c and series m, wines born from the same soil, yet shaped by different interpretations of power and grace. Together, they reflect the dual nature of our vineyard’s potential, an evolution of our pursuit of excellence, rather than a departure from it.

Seriously Old Dirt was originally conceived in 2012, as a classic ‘second wine’ in the Bordeaux tradition. It is a rich reflection of the ancient soils from which it emerges, a Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend created to honour the land.

Vilafonte Seriously Old Dirt

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