Syrah grapes were sourced from three distinct vineyards; a cloud-covered Polkadraai hill, a granitic outcrop in Bottelary, and a sheltered nook in Devon Valley.
Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
| Winemaker: | Jean Smit |
| Cultivar: | 100% Syrah |
| Origin: | Stellenbosch |
Tasting notes:
Perhaps the most aromatically complex of the Damascene Syrahs, this Stellenbosch stalwart positively brims with five spice, citrus rind, red plum, cherries, musk candy, and white pepper. The palate delivers a gentle melange of red plums, cherry skins, and whispers of smoked game. This opening salvo spreads right across the palate, run through with seams of star anise, white pepper and cloves. Tannins are moderate in weight, and superbly tidy in the way they present on the finish.
Notes on the 2023 Vintage:
The second half of winter was fairly dry, but it made up for this by delivering more than enough cold units to achieve healthy vine dormancy. Budding occurred without a hiccup, and one might have thought we were in for a smooth ride! December, however, had other plans. Thunderstorms, and the ensuing downpours, caused the vines to go into a frenzy of leaf and shoot growth. This had the double whammy effect of causing disease pressure to skyrocket, and vine nutrients to plummet. It’s at times like these that vineyard site selection is so crucial. Both our Stellenbosch Syrah vineyards sit atop quite exposed hills, placing them directly in the path of consistent breezes. These breezes drastically reduce the disease pressure mentioned above.
Later in the season, we endured some “hurry up and wait scenarios” where veraison came early, hinting at an early harvest, only to be followed by a rather lengthy cool spell, which allowed for a longer gentle ripening period. For those who avoided the rains in February and March, it would turn out to be a great vintage. Perhaps the starkest contrast in final wine quality was between growers who were in the vineyards regularly, nimbly responding to growing conditions, and those who were less involved, and had to do damage control after the time.
We are very fortunate to work with such a dedicated and experienced team, who make traversing this viticultural tightrope look easy.
Vineyards:
Two vineyards contribute to the making of this wine. The higher of the two blocks was planted in 1996 on a southeast-facing granitic slope at Karibib, in the Polkadraai Hills. It’s situated at 290m ASL; 13km from False Bay. Our second granitic block is a northwest-facing block in the Bottelary Hills, planted at 275m ASL.
Winemaking:
The fruit for this wine was harvested by hand between 2nd and 13th March, 2023, at a ripeness of between 23.4 and 24˚B. The fruit was chilled down to 8˚C overnight prior to fermentation. To showcase the impact of site in the formation of a Stellenbosch Syrah, the harvested fruit was separated into numerous smaller fermentation batches, with a whole cluster fraction of 75 percent per vessel. Fermentation took place in tulip-shaped concrete fermenters, which received pump-overs twice daily. Primary fermentation and malolactic conversion both took place spontaneously. The wine was then matured in 2000-litre conical Austrian oak vats for 11 months. The wine was bottled without fining to ensure a more complex and authentic expression of Syrah.
Maturation:
This wine will be at its most expressive within three to five years.
Technical:
Total production: 5536 x 750ml and 110 x 1.5L
Bottling date: 15 January 2024
Alc: 13.08 % Vol
pH: 3.7
TA: 4.6 g/L
RS: 1.2 g/L