There is an old sign as you head into Riebeek Kasteel from Hermon that reads “Welcome to Shiraz country”. It was true many moons ago and is still just as true today. This wine is from a selection of vineyards around the Swartland, combining barrels from the granite sands in the Paardeberg with those from wines that came from the koffieklip soils west of Malmesbury. The vision is to make a wine that will focus on freshness, and show lively fruit, ranging from red cherry to the black savories of licorice.
Tasting notes
This Shiraz is a blend of three vineyards on different soil types, matured 80% in used oak and the rest in stainless steel. It has a punchy but well-defined bouquet of blackberry, bilberry and light star anise and clove aromas. The nicely structured palate is medium-bodied, with supple, fine-grained tannin and a hint of black pepper toward the finish. This is certainly a well-crafted Shiraz that should age well in bottle.