Le Grand Domaine might not be a name you recognise. Its 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon gives you a good reason to change that.

At the 2025 International Wine Challenge, it picked up the International Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy, the competition’s top award for the variety, alongside a score of 95 points. For a small estate in Stellenbosch’s Devon Valley, that’s quite a result. For anyone who enjoys a proper Cabernet, it makes this a particularly interesting bottle at the price.

A small estate in Devon Valley

Le Grand Domaine sits at the top of Devon Valley, looking out towards the Stellenbosch mountains. Grapes have been grown in the valley since the eighteenth century, although it remains less familiar to many wine drinkers than some of its neighbouring areas.

The estate has just over ten hectares under vine. Cabernet Sauvignon grows alongside Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, with winemaker Debbie Thompson overseeing the cellar. These classic Bordeaux varieties are central to the estate’s ambitions, and the 2022 Cabernet is a good indication of what the vineyards can produce.

It’s made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the property, where iron-rich soils and decomposed shale support the vines. Several different Cabernet clones contribute to the finished wine.

In the cellar, it spent thirteen months in French oak. Most of the barrels had been used before, allowing the fruit to remain at the centre of the wine while adding a gentle layer of spice.

What’s in the glass?

Blackcurrant is the first thing you notice, followed by black cherry, violet and a little cranberry freshness. As it opens, there’s more of Cabernet’s familiar savoury character: pencil shaving, cedar and subtle oak spice.

It’s full-bodied and concentrated, with firm tannins that give the wine shape and a long, dry finish. There’s plenty of dark fruit, but enough freshness to keep it lively at the table.

Roast beef would be an obvious match, as would a leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic. If you’re opening a bottle now, give it some time in a decanter and serve it slightly cool rather than at the temperature of a warm kitchen.

There’s also good reason to put a few bottles away. The estate suggests ageing potential through to around 2032, so this is a case you can enjoy over several years, opening a bottle now and then as it develops.

The award

The International Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy puts this wine at the top of its variety in the 2025 IWC results. It’s a substantial achievement for an estate that many customers will be discovering for the first time.

The judges awarded it 95 points, highlighting its dark fruit, herbal and graphite notes, and restrained, savoury finish. Those are exactly the qualities that make Stellenbosch Cabernet such a rewarding choice with food.

Our allocation

Only 60 cases were available across the UK, and we’ve secured 20 cases of six for Love Wine customers.

The single-bottle price is £22.95. Order a full case for £117.05, saving 15% and bringing the price to the equivalent of £19.51 a bottle.

If you’d like a case, you can order directly below.