Nebukadnesar is the flagship red blend of Babylonstoren, one of South Africa's most celebrated wine estates. Named after the ancient king Nebuchadnezzar, the wine is inspired by the great Bordeaux blends while expressing the unique character of the Simonsberg mountain terroir. The blend typically includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.
Professional Ratings
| Critic |
Rating |
| Tim Atkin MW |
94–95 Points (recent vintages) |
| Platter's South African Wine Guide |
4.5–5 Stars (recent vintages) |
| WineMag South Africa |
93–95 Points (recent vintages) |
The 2023 vintage is still emerging in international reviews, but early assessments indicate another outstanding release.
Tasting Profile
Aromatics
- Blackcurrant and blackberry
- Dark plum
- Cedar and cigar box
- Graphite
- Violet
- Baking spice
Palate
- Full-bodied and structured
- Concentrated dark fruit
- Polished tannins
- Notes of cocoa and espresso
- Fresh acidity and mineral tension
- Bordeaux-inspired elegance
Finish
- Long and persistent
- Lingering cassis, cedar, and spice
- Excellent aging potential
Sommelier Presentation Note
2023 Babylonstoren Nebukadnesar, Simonsberg-Paarl
South Africa's answer to a grand Bordeaux blend, offering aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, cedar, graphite, and violets. Richly layered yet beautifully balanced, the palate delivers concentrated dark fruit, polished tannins, and remarkable elegance, finishing long and refined.
46% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 14% cabernet franc, 10% petit verdot, and 5% malbec
Deep, saturated dark ruby colour. Intriguing fragrance of violets and thyme, intense blackcurrant and underlying cigarbox. Superbly crafted with a good balance of vibrant multilayered dark red fruits supported by tight, wellhoned tannins. Handles the oak effortlessly. Opulent yet sophisticated with a long, compelling finish. Satisfying now, but with time will develop and unfold its many treasures.
Our flagship Bordeaux blend is set to be a classic. All the wines were made separately and matured in new French oak barrels for 23 months. Then the blend was made up and left in a tank for a month (to marry) before being bottled and matured for five months prior to release.
The Babylonstoren logo, which consists of the pipe, representing the farm, the flower, representing the garden and the bird, representing nature, combines the very essence of Babylonstoren and that is keeping things simple and as true to the earth as possible.
In 1692, Babylonstoren farm was granted to burgher Pieter van der Byl by the then Governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel. Prior to that, the Drakenstein Valley had been inhabited by the nomadic Khoisan communities for tens of centuries. And so it was Pieter van der Byl who planted the first vineyards on the farm and who altered the water courses to provide irrigation.
Some of the farm’s earliest structures from that time remain on the farm today, with Babylonstoren’s Cape Dutch werf (farmyard) typical of the architectural style popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. As such it is considered to be one of the best preserved farmyards in the Cape today.
The original buildings comprise a manor house that dates back to 1777, while the Koornhuis (for storing wheat), the old cellar, ornate fowl house, dovecote, the leaning bell tower and the historic gates, all date back closer to the 1750s. A disused cow shed was transformed into the current-day Babel restaurant. When new accommodation was added to create the Farm Hotel, every care was taken to ensure that the integrity of the original architecture and its sympathetic relationship with the landscape and climate, were reflected. And so the signature look at Babylonstoren remains whitewashed walls of thick stone or primitive brick, with ornate gables and thatched roofs but with contemporary glass boxes (to house a kitchen and dining area) seamlessly added onto the Cape Dutch cottages. The result is a modern yet authentic sensibility, that takes the farm firmly into the future.
