Description
The 2022 Paserene Midnight from Stellenbosch is a rich, expressive wine showcasing cassis, blackberries, and liquorice on the nose, balanced by subtle mineral undertones. The palate delivers succulent berry flavors, complemented by vanilla, iodine, and smoky, earthy notes, culminating in a lingering, meaty finish. Crafted with precision, this wine undergoes 16 months in custom-seasoned barrels and remains unfiltered to preserve its authenticity and depth. Its bold character reflects the unique terroir of Paserene’s Tulbagh estate.
Producer Profile
Martin Smith is the winemaker and part-owner of Pasarene Wines, with its tasting room in Franschhoek and vineyards there, Tulbagh and Elgin. A collaboration between Martin and businessman Ndavhe Mareda it was first created in 2013 based on Martin’s vision to make his two favourite wines, a Chardonnay and Cab-like wine. (Which explains the selection today.)
Born in Worcester, also home to legendary South African winemakers like Abrie Beeslaar (previously of Kanonkop, now Beeslaar wines), Martin is a third-generation winemaker, his grandfather made wine in Paarl, and seemingly the juice was in his veins from an early age. Having done a stint at a cork factory in Portugal and completed his studies at Elsenburg, Martin became a flying winemaker for over ten years, making wine all over America, and finally at the LVMH-owned Newton Winery in Saint Helena, where he was there winemaker for 5 years. Having never intended to be away from South Africa for so long, he soon found a job at Vilafonté, where he worked with Dr. Phil Freese and Zelma Long for six years before starting Paserene officially in 2013 to make his own Bordeaux-style wines and Chardonnay.
The name Pasarene is derived from the Latin Passeriformes, in reference to the largest order of “travelling and free” birds, among them the swift and swallow, both birds that have come to represent Martin’s travels and his return home. Each label contains a story of the wine, place and man, and put together by leading South African artists, miniaturist Lorraine Loots, Carmen Ziervogel, and Lauren Ann McCarthy. The wines are a tribute to our portfolio and we invite you to get to know them now.
Tasting Notes
Greg Sherwood 93+
This is an impressive Cabernet Sauvignon from this fleshy, ripe vintage. With an invitingly deep ruby red colour in the glass, the aromatics are packed full of perfumed violets, black raspberry jam on warm brown toast, salty black currants, and red cherries over notes of black berry herbal tea, granite and graphite. Medium bodied, the palate shows a classical 2022 styling with fine grained silky tannins, a weightless red and black berry fruit concentration but also a lovely fleshy depth and purity in the mouth. This is a beautifully polished, soft, supple Cabernet Sauvignon that is perfect for drinking on release but will reward a further 5+ years of ageing. [Greg Sherwood MW, 01/05/2025]
Anticipated maturity: 2025-2030
