Recommended by the New York Times, Wine Spectator, Food & Wines, and Many More. Check out our recent Press.

Award-winning NYC wine shop – free local delivery & fast nationwide shipping. Learn more

Damascene, Cabernet Franc Stellenbosch, 2022

Red Wine from South Africa, South Africa
by Damascene
$61.99
Taxes and shipping calculated at checkout.
Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles

If you think of South African reds as big and sunny, this one will reset your expectations. Damascene is the project of winemaker Jean Smit (formerly of Boekenhoutskloof), and his single-varietal Cabernet Franc from Stellenbosch is a study in restraint. The fruit comes from cool, high, east-facing slopes on decomposed-granite soils, and Smit ferments with native yeasts and ages in large-format French oak vats rather than new barriques, keeping the wine transparent and fresh. The result reads more like a cool-vintage Loire Cabernet Franc or a graceful right-bank Bordeaux than a New World red: leafy, savory, and elegant, with structure that rewards a decant now or a few more years in the cellar.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

  • Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
  • Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
  • Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
  • Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

  • Corked wine? Full refund or exchange within 60 days
  • Damaged shipment? Contact us within 48 hours
  • Storage or quality concerns? We're here to help


View our complete return policy →

Have Questions?

Our team is here to help.

Hours

Sunday - Thursday: 12 pm - 8 pm

Friday: 11am - 9pm

Saturday: 10am - 9pm

Email: help@flatiron-wines.com
Phone: (212) 477-1315

Antonio Galloni

88 points

"The 2022 Cabernet Franc comes from granite soils and matured in 2,000-liter Austrian oak. Black fruit commingles with autumn bonfire and sous-bois, with just a touch of Montecristo cigars. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy tannins and more red than black fruit, laced with cracked black pepper and tobacco towards the finish. Moderate length. Fine, if a few paces off Damascene's Rhône blends." —Neal Martin

Jancis Robinson

16 points

"As with the Syrah, this has great poise – elegant but pure-fruited. Red plums and redcurrants, cherries. Green peppers and dried mint. Good expression of the variety. Juicy finesse on the palate – the fruit coiled around bright acidity and framed by chalky tannins. As with the Swartland Syrah, there’s a touch of austerity on the end, but it will relax with time."

More about

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Cabernet Franc

  • Vintage

    2022

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Sustainable

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

What Skurnik Wines has to say about this wine:

100% Cabernet FrancSourced from the cooler east-facing slopes of the Bottelary, planted in 2004Decomposed graniteHand harvestedBunches were de-stemmed and gravity-fed into tulip-shaped concrete fermenters, where whole berries were cold-soaked for 3 days before primary fermentation commencedFermented with indigenous yeast, with temperatures peaking at 28CAged for 11 months in 1000-Liter French oak vatsThe wine was racked once prior, two weeks before bottlingBottled unfined

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Roast lamb, herb-crusted pork, mushroom dishes, grilled vegetables, duck, or aged cheddar and Gruyere.

Tasting Profile

Red currant, graphite, tobacco leaf, and a savory herbal note. Medium to full-bodied and structured, with firm but fine tannins, fresh acidity, and a long, savory finish.