2005 – WS 94, Platter 5 stars; 2006 – WS 93, Platter 5 stars; 2007 – WS 95; 2008 – WS 93, Platter 5 stars & Red Wine of the Year; 2009 - WS95;

2010 – WS 94, Decanter Gold & Regional Trophy

2011 – Wine Spectator 96; the best SA red wine score ever.

 

Vineyard Blocks

About ½ from one block 18 yr old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis with moveable foliage wires. Clones SH21A; SH1A & SH99 all on 101-14 rootstock. 5000 vines / hect. "Mont Fleur" vineyard - high altitude (393 metres) Helderberg mountain NW facing slope.

Steeply sloping terraced site with rocky, granitic based Hutton soil.

Yield 2,5 tons / hect. (20hℓ/ha)

About ½ from our new “Tip Top Mont Fleur” vineyard planted in 2003 immediately above the existing Shiraz vineyard.  Soil and aspect similar, though a little steeper and stonier. Clones SH470 (sourced from Cote Rotie); SH174 (sourced from Hermitage) and SH747 all on 101-14 (low vigour) rootstock. Trellis system and planting density as older vineyard above.

Yield 3 tons / hect. (22hℓ/ha)

 

Vintage Conditions

2013 vintage was characterized by extreme wind in late spring, which seriously reduced our crop and foliage for all our varieties, in particular this block of Syrah. The rest of the season was good with typical hot, dry weather during the harvest period. A slightly earlier harvest than average with all the hand harvested and sorted grapes coming into the cellar in perfect condition.

 

Harvest date:  20/2/13 – 6/3/13 @ 23.4°- 24.8° Balling.

 

Production

Handpicking into 20 kg crates. Destemming and gentle crushing directly into small 2 ton open top fermentation tanks. Spontaneous natural yeast fermentation @ max. 30°C with the cap of skins punched down manually 1 - 4 times a day for 14 days. Wine drained directly to barrels together with single pressing from traditional basket press. Malolactic fermentation in the barrel. 50% new fine grained, slow toasted small French oak was used. Time in barrel 21 months with only 2 gentle rackings. This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered by hand.

Bottling date: 2 / 12 / 14 

Production: 261 x 12 x 750ml; 45 x 1,5L; 15 x 1,5L

 

Tasting Notes

Medium deep purple red colour. Forthcoming spicy, blueberry fruit, herbal (fynbos) notes and white pepper on the nose. Great intensity and complexity, though in a lighter, more lifted style than usual and similar to the 2007. Palate also shows more elegant, firmer tannins with more mineral notes dominating. Needs time, drink 2018 to 2028.

Delicious with a venison and mushroom casserole.

 

Analysis

Alc. 15.31%         SG. 1.5g/l          TA 5.1g/l          pH 3.62           VA 0.63         SO2 17free 52total