Neil Ellis The Left Bank Cabernet Sauv / Merlot 2021

The Producer

The name Neil Ellis carries serious weight in South African wine. A Stellenbosch icon since the 1980s, Neil was one of the first to champion site-specific winemaking in the Cape. Today, his son Warren runs the cellar (Cape Winemakers Guild member since 2017) with the same philosophy: find the best vineyards, treat the fruit with respect, and let the wine tell its own story. With 5 Platter’s stars four times for the flagship Jonkershoek Cabernet, plus consistent 90+ ratings from Tim Atkin MW, James Suckling and Wine Spectator, this is a cellar with nothing left to prove — but plenty still to give.

Vintage & Terroir

The Left Bank is Neil Ellis’s nod to Bordeaux — a classic Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend sourced from multiple prime sites around Stellenbosch. The name references Bordeaux’s famous Left Bank, where Cabernet-dominant blends reign supreme. Stellenbosch’s combination of mountain slopes, deep granitic soils and warm days produces Cabernet with real structure, while Merlot contributes plummy roundness and a softer mid-palate. The 2021 vintage delivered excellent balance — enough warmth for full ripeness, enough cool nights to keep the freshness that makes this wine so moreish. Described by the estate as “the favourite amongst many of our loyal followers,” this is the wine that brings people back to Neil Ellis time and again.

In the Cellar

Each variety is vinified separately before the final assemblage is made through extensive tasting trials. The wine is matured in French oak to integrate tannins and add subtle spice and cedar complexity — enough to frame the fruit without masking it. The approach is classical and restrained: a Bordeaux-inspired blend made with Cape confidence. Previous vintages have consistently earned 4 to 4.5 Platter’s stars (every year from 2008 to 2022), confirming that this is not a one-hit wonder — it’s a wine that delivers vintage after vintage.

Tasting Notes

Garnet-red with a ruby rim. The nose opens with ripe cassis and dark plum, layered with subtle forest floor, dried herbs, a hint of mint, dark chocolate and gentle cedar from the oak maturation. On the palate, Cabernet provides the structural backbone — fine-grained tannins, blackcurrant intensity and a savoury edge — while the Merlot fills in the mid-palate with plummy generosity and smooth texture. The finish is long and satisfying, with lingering notes of black pepper, tobacco leaf and a dusting of cocoa. Tim Atkin MW awarded the 2018 vintage 90 points, and the 2019 earned both 4.5 Platter’s stars and a Sakura Gold Medal — a wine that consistently punches well above its weight.

Food Pairing

A brilliant all-rounder at the dinner table. Try it with braai’d lamb chops, a slow-cooked potjiekos, beef fillet with peppercorn sauce, or a rich mushroom and truffle risotto. This is also the kind of wine that makes a Tuesday-night pasta with bolognese feel like a celebration. For cheese lovers, pair with a mature Gruyere or Gouda. Serve at 16-18 C. Drinking beautifully now, with enough structure to develop over the next 5-8 years.

Technical Details

Our Guarantee

Every wine at Vinty is stored in ideal conditions and shipped in protective packaging. If your bottle arrives anything less than perfect, we’ll sort it out — no fuss, no snobbery, just great wine delivered to your door.