ERNIE ELS WINES

Wines from the 2012 British Open Champion.

Since its launch more than a decade ago Ernie Els Wines has grown and matured into a successful and multi-award winning enterprise with a magnificent portfolio of six South African red wines. In 2011 we have added two new wines to our portfolio - the Big Easy White and the Cabernet Sauvignon. Ernie himself is passionate about wine and is very much involved in the tasting process. In partnership with experienced winemaker Louis Strydom their shared passion for wine is reflected in the quality of the product right across the price ranges.

The flagship Ernie Els is a signature Bordeaux style blend of all five varieties. Engelbrecht Els Vineyards is a Proprietor's Blend combining Ernie's Bordeaux style pallet and former business partner Jean Engelbrecht's love for Shiraz. Cirrus is a joint venture Jean pioneered with the Duncan family of Napa, California.

Winery Website                  Extended Portfolio

SCORE LEGEND
DC - Decanter, INT                            WE - Wine Enthusiast, INT
RP - Robert Parker, INT                     WS - Wine Spectator, INT
JP - John Platter, RSA                       TA - Tim Atkin, INT
WM - Wine Mag, RSA

2023 BIG EASY WHITE
+748655 · 12x750ml

100% Chenin Blanc.
Lifted aromatics of pineapple crush, white flowers in a sea-salted breeze, the sense of summer rain dissolving into lemony straw. Generously fruited the palate radiates with sun kissed mango, pineapple glacé, ripe green pears, and licks of lime. This tropical exuberance is woven effortlessly into a rounded texture; a cool lime-soaked acidity washes through, refreshing and shaping.
Serve with appetizers, Camembert, Cheddar or Gruyere Cheese, Indian Cuisine, Pasta Alfredo, Seafood.

STATUS: OPEN
JP:3*

Current Vintage      Past Vintages

2021 BIG EASY RED
+755116 · 12x750ml

60% Shiraz, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Mourvèdre, 6% Viognier, 5% Grenache, 4% Cinsault.
Ruby with a plum core. Lifted, joyful floral aromas; hibiscus and potpourri, then an undercurrent of Crème de Cassis; red berries and blueberries sprinkled with white pepper spice. There are fresh herbs too, bay leaf and sage taper into the scent of fresh rain. Shiraz-led the spice and silk of the cultivar unwinds into opulent tones on the palate of clove-studded plum pudding, lashings of wild purple berries along a structured backbone of cabernet. Super juicy and charged. Paper-fine tannins brush alongside a lemony, springy acidity to the finish, which is equal parts bright and appetisingly dry. Superb drinkability without sacrificing concentration.
Great with pasta & tomato sauce; or pizza. Grilled beef medallions in a peppercorn sauce.

STATUS: OPEN
DC: 90 || JP: 4*

Current Vintage      Past Vintages

2021 ERNIE ELS CABERNET SAUVIGNON · MAJOR SERIES
+755117 · 12x750ml

100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Each clonal batch of Cabernet was micro-vinified in oak barrels. Aged for 18 months in 300 litre French oak barrels (30% new). A small batch of Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) spend 11 months in terracotta. Deep radiant plum. Sandalwood and cedar greet, unfurling like the pages of an old book to ink, plum, tea-leaf with a burst of fresh violets. On the palate, energetic focus and purity of cassis fruit show off this cooler than average vintage. A spine of cool, mineral acidity affirms this, acting as refreshing ballast for the sapidity of blackcurrants, dark cherries, and rush of tangy pomegranate. The juicy, clean fruit is folded in by satiny tannins, that layer and dissolve into a sophisticated dry finish.
Port wine braised beef short ribs. Cabernet-braised venison cheeks. Smoked Beef fillet with Salsa Verde.

STATUS: OPEN
WM: 93 || JP: 92
Double Gold Medal - Veritas 2022
Top 10 - Prescient Cabernet Sauvignon Report, September 2023

Current Vintage      Past Vintages

2018 ERNIE ELS PROPRIETOR'S BLEND
+721146 · 6x750ml

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Shiraz, 5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot.
Crimson with a plum core. Intense graphite, edged in dark chocolate and black pepper spice; these brooding aromatics unspool, coating black cherries, plums, and cassis. On the palate ribbons of juicy black and red cherries abound across a fine-boned structure, the tannins, crushed and soft, wrap around this density like silk. From this savoury, plums and redcurrants are drawn into the deep-fruited and peppery finish.
Great when served with a big steak.

STATUS: OPEN
WM: 94 || TA: 92 || JP: 91
Best Overall / 94 points - Winemag Prescient Signature Red Blend Report
Top 10 - Winemag Prescient Signature Red Blend Report
Silver Medal / 92 points - Decanter World Wine Awards 2023
Bronze Medal - International Wine Challenge 2023

Current Vintage      Past Vintages

2016 ERNIE ELS SIGNATURE
+721147 · 6x750ml

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc.
Notes of menthol and a touch of eucalyptus add a fresh counter point to the dark, brooding fruit, typical of this vintage. Warm oak notes add gravitas and a luxurious attraction to the nose. It leads to a palate that teems with rich fruit and notes of cherry tobacco, with a further herbal edge and grippy lead pencil on the finish. A touch leaner than other vintages, this wine is nonetheless sumptuous, with dry, defined tannins and a silky, yet serious end. It will require a year or so for the lick of oak to amalgamate.
Serve with Beef Tenderloin, sumac studded, duck sauce, turnip gratin. Also great with game meats, lamb.

STATUS: OPEN
JP: 93 (4.5*) || TA: 93
Silver Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards

Current Vintage      Past Vintages

2018 SAUVIGNON BLANC
+779605 · 12x750ml

100% Sauvignon Blanc.
The 2018 is very light in colour and body but shows fine concentration from the dry 2018 vintage. Spellbinding notes of passion fruit and fig excite the nose, while hints of orange blossom and minerals give complexity. It is richly textured and dry, with a nicely balanced tropical fruit core and citrus edge. Gentle notes of creme de cassis give extra depth to a serious, yet generous palate. It is linear in style, with a spine of fresh acidity that carries layers of long-lasting fruit.
Serve with seafood, shellfish, grilled freshwater fish.

STATUS: SOLD OUT - NOT MADE ANYMORE
JP: 3.5*

Current Vintage      Past Vintages