If you’ve followed Uva Mira’s journey, you’ll know that every wine here begins with altitude and ends in elegance. Under winemaker Christiaan Coetzee’s deft touch, now in his 13th vintage, these mountain-grown wines channel both power and precision — the porcelain edge of the Helderberg.
It was here, on a misty morning among the fynbos islands preserved for conservation, that Christiaan first spotted a Cape Fox, inspiring the name for Fox’s Lair, a Cabernet Franc (52%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (48%) blend that’s become one of the estate’s most exciting new wines. The 2022 vintage, drawn from a one-hectare block planted in 2017, earned 96 points from Greg Sherwood MW, who called it “a baby OTV… vibrant, velvety, and immediately generous.”
And yet, Fox’s Lair is just part of a wider constellation.
Uva Mira — Latin for “the wonderful grape” — draws its name from a red giant star whose light waxes and wanes across the seasons, a celestial metaphor for the patience and rhythm of great winemaking. It’s a fitting emblem for a producer that marries technical precision with timeless restraint, producing wines that consistently capture the attention of international critics from Greg Sherwood MW to Jancis Robinson MW.
From the lifted purity of The Mira Chardonnay 2023 and the bright, mineral Sauvignon Blanc 2024, to the sculpted depths of the Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, these are wines that whisper their story rather than shout it, a masterclass in cool-climate balance and Helderberg poise.
Elegant. Elevated. Endlessly rewarding.
Discover the new Uva Mira arrivals, and experience the quiet brilliance of the Helderberg’s high slopes.
New Arrivals
Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards
96 Points – Greg Sherwood MW
“This beautifully styled Bordeaux blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 20% Malbec, 20% Merlot was matured for 12 months in used French oak barrels. The aromatics are elegantly perfumed, brimming with fragrant violets, sandalwood, dried thyme and a vibrant melange of red and black berries with a sappy, cedar spice complexity. This Cabernet Franc lead blend is incredibly sleek and lithe, silky textured with fine grained powdery tannins underpinned by deliciously bright vivacious acids and a real persistence of black berry, red currant and pithy brambly fruits with a granitic liquid minerality that punctuates the seamless finish. This is true class personified. Drink now to 2040+.” – Greg Sherwood MW.
Rich and creamy on the nose, with whipped citrus cream and notes of delicate orange blossom. Succulent white peach and nutty nougat biscotti entice amid an alluring savoury salinity. The beautifully concentrated palate shows fresh blood orange, nutty almond with a twist of naartjie zest. While the flavours lean toward indulgence, an undeniable sense of purity weaves gracefully, expressed in a seashell minerality accentuated by the tight, chalky structure. Soaring acidity brightens the fruit through to the dry finish with lingering whispers of white peach.
Vibrant, energetic and floral bouquet with unfurling layers of dragon fruit, kiwi, guava and tropical passion fruit, all framed by elderflower and wild jasmine blossoms. Fresh and elegant with flintiness and slight salinity. Remarkable precision and purity of fruit with tropical notes of kiwi and green guava together with quince which run parallel to a structured fine, chalky texture and energetic limy acidity. The finish possesses flavours of white flowers.
The nose shows perfumed depth with ample refinement through savoury herbs and deep salinity. Wild jasmine florals with savoury black olive, and a rich, sweet earth lift. Subtle Eucalyptus-infused bright red berries open the door to a perfumed and juicy mouthful of precisely wrought red and blackcurrant and maraschino cherry with graphite edge. Wonderful lip-smacking palatability with creamy texture and dense well balanced and powdery tannins complete the package.
