Warwick Estate Trilogy
£37.00
£49.33 per litre · incl. 20% VAT
Only 4 bottles left
94Tim Atkin
97Decanter
Cabernet Franc rarely gets to lead the way, but at Warwick it takes centre stage and the result is something special. This is Stellenbosch at its most polished: a Bordeaux-style blend with cedar, dark berries and a mocha richness that lingers. The kind of bottle that quietly outclasses wines at twice the price.
Not for sale to persons under 18. Adult signature required on delivery.
Our Verdict
We listed Trilogy because Cabernet Franc-led blends this confident are rare, and Warwick has been quietly perfecting theirs for decades. With 94 points from Tim Atkin behind it, it more than holds its own against far pricier Stellenbosch reds, but what we keep coming back to is the balance: power and polish in equal measure, with that savoury cedar edge that makes it so food-friendly. This is one for the drinker who wants a proper Cape classic to open now or cellar with confidence. Stock is limited at the moment, so if it is on your radar, do not wait too long.
Tasting Notes
A Cabernet Franc-led Bordeaux blend with real Stellenbosch swagger. The nose opens on ripe blackcurrant and dark plum, then layers in cedar and a savoury mocha note that hints at the oak and the years ahead. The palate is full-bodied but composed: cassis and plum fruit wrapped around sweet baking spice, with firm, fine-grained tannins giving it backbone. The finish lingers long and savoury, leaving cedar and dark fruit behind. This is a wine built for the table and for the cellar.
About This Wine
Here is a wine that rewards the curious. Warwick built its reputation on getting Cabernet Franc right, and Trilogy is where that obsession comes together. Most Bordeaux-style blends lean on Cabernet Sauvignon for backbone. This one flips the script, building around Cabernet Franc and letting Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot fill in the structure and flesh. The result is a red that feels both classic and distinctly Cape. Expect ripe blackcurrant and dark plum on the nose, wrapped in cedar, sweet spice and a savoury hint of mocha. It is full-bodied but never heavy, with firm, well-judged tannins that carry a long, polished finish. There is real precision here, the kind that comes from a family estate that has been chasing the best terroir in Stellenbosch since the 1960s. Decant it and pour it alongside a slow-roasted leg of lamb, a rare ribeye, or a board of mature Cape or West Country cheeses. It drinks beautifully now and has the structure to reward another five to ten years in the rack, so buy a few and watch it evolve. We ship it across the UK, usually within a couple of days. A serious bottle like this also makes a genuinely thoughtful gift for anyone who knows their Stellenbosch reds, or anyone missing a taste of the Cape.
Food Pairing
This wants serious roasted meat. A slow-roasted leg of lamb studded with garlic and rosemary is the natural match, the savoury cedar notes echoing the herbs while the tannins cut through the richness. A Sunday rib of beef works just as well. Off the carving board, pour it with a wedge of mature Cheddar or a hard, nutty Gruyère.
- —Slow-roasted leg of lamb with garlic and rosemary
- —Sunday roast rib of beef with all the trimmings
- —Venison casserole with juniper and red wine
- —Mature farmhouse Cheddar with quince paste
- —Grilled ribeye steak with peppercorn sauce
How to Serve
Decanting
Decant for at least an hour, longer if it's young. The firm tannins need air to soften and the cedar and dark fruit aromatics really unfurl with time in a wide-bottomed decanter.
Behind the Wine
Stellenbosch hands Bordeaux varieties an almost ideal home: warm, sun-soaked days that ripen Cabernet fully, cooled by Atlantic breezes and mountain air that creep in as the sun drops. That daily swing slows ripening just enough to lock in freshness, fine tannin and aromatic lift. Warwick's environmentally minded viticulture, including stepping back from pre-emergent herbicides, keeps the vines balanced and the fruit expressive. The result in the glass is what you taste here: ripe cassis and plum carried by structure rather than weight.
Ageing Potential
Drinking well now with decanting, but this has the structure to reward patience. Cellar it for another five to ten years and the firm tannins will soften while the dark fruit gives way to deeper cedar, leather and savoury complexity.
The Winemaking
This is a Bordeaux blend done the classic way, built around Cabernet Franc with Cabernet Sauvignon and a softening seam of Merlot. The art is in the assembly: Cabernet Franc bringing perfume and a savoury, leafy lift, Cabernet Sauvignon laying down the backbone of blackcurrant and firm tannin, Merlot rounding the mid-palate so nothing feels angular. It is handcrafted in the family cellar with the patience to let each parcel speak, then knit together into something layered, structured and built to reward a few years in the rack.