An Absolute Steal: Incredible South African Bordeaux Blend 

2020 Warwick "Professor Black Pitch Black" Bordeaux Blend Stellenbosch (Elsewhere $40) ($19.99)

93 points Wine Advocate: "Composed of 39% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cinsault, 10% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 6% Malbec, the 2020 Professor Black Pitch Black is layered with juicy red fruits without being overdone on the nose, offering layers of dusty florals and spiced plum. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers a fantastic balance with vibrant acidity and fine-grained tannins, showing plenty of life left in the wine before gliding to a long, complex finish. The wine matured for 18 months in French oak barrels, just under 20% new. 17,610 bottles were produced. Well done. It's a delicious wine that will continue to drink well for the next 10+ years. (AM)" (07/2023)

93 points Wine Advocate: "Composed of 39% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cinsault, 10% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 6% Malbec, the 2020 Professor Black Pitch Black is layered with juicy red fruits without being overdone on the nose, offering layers of dusty florals and spiced plum. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers a fantastic balance with vibrant acidity and fine-grained tannins, showing plenty of life left in the wine before gliding to a long, complex finish. The wine matured for 18 months in French oak barrels, just under 20% new. 17,610 bottles were produced. Well done. It's a delicious wine that will continue to drink well for the next 10+ years. (AM)" (07/2023)

Thomas Smith | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 18, 2025

The 2020 Warwick Estate Professor Black-Pitch Black Bordeaux Blend is the best deal we’ve ever seen from South Africa. We were able to secure rock-bottom pricing on a top wine from one of South Africa’s most acclaimed producers. Stellenbosch has a long history of crafting exceptional Bordeaux Blends, and they are the signature wine style from the region. Warwick Estate has been a cornerstone of Stellenbosch winemaking since the Ratcliffe family took the reins in 1964. The Professor Black series pays homage to the estate's first owner – Professor William Black, who pioneered farming in the region back in 1902.

In short, this wine is simply stunning. Beautifully aromatic, there’s blackcurrant, red plum, and a spicy edge here with subtle undertones of baking spice, cedar, and cinnamon. And while there’s a touch of Cinsault added to the blend (as is traditional in Stellenbosch), you’d never know it. Instead, this reads like a top-notch, generously fruited Bordeaux from a warm vintage. Full-bodied on the palate, this wine hits every note perfectly: gorgeous fruit expression, a slow build of acidity that cracks just before the finish, and a tightly constructed tannin structure that punctuates each sip.

Most of the customers I interact with view South Africa as inexpensive, ordinary table wine. They never reach for top-level wines that showcase the incredible quality coming out of places like Stellenbosch. But at $19.99, Professor Black gives you both: a chance to try some of the best that South Africa has to offer, but at a price that won’t make you think twice. Make sure you pick up a bottle of this before it’s gone–I don’t think we’re going to see a deal this good for a long time coming.