Syrah

The fruit for the Boekenhoutskloof Syrah comes 90% from the Porseleinberg farm and 10% from Goldmine. This is a spicy, nuanced Syrah with around two thirds whole bunch that was vinified in concrete before ageing in large foudres and 500 litre barrels. There are aromas of cracked pepper, roast beef, with a fleshy and rounded feel to the bramble fruit. The tannins are ripe but well defined adding tension to the finish. An excellent effort and another great Syrah from Gottfried.

The second vintage of this new Syrah made by Chris Alheit, as part of a partnership between the Fogwell and Alheit families. The grapes come from two sites, one in the Swartland on shist soils and one in the Polkadraai from granite. This is a peppery, red berry fruited Syrah that is beautifully perfumed. Fine, detailed and supple, it is a beautiful red that will age effortlessly.

With fruit sourced from the Karibib farm in the Polkadraai hills of Stellenbosch Jean Smit uses around 75% whole bunch on this wine. It is an extremely expressive and pure style of Syrah with notes of wild berries, warm rocks and fresh hedgerow fruit. With air, notes of iris, pepper, rhubarb and wild thyme lift from the glass. There is a brightness and focus through the wine with fine-grained and detailed tannin with a fine violet and liquorice note on the finish. Extremely fine.

Fermented with 50% whole bunch, the Syrah on Sandstone has enticing aromatics of dried violets, dark cherry, and black olive tapenade. There is fleshiness to the mid-palate with a supple, fine-grained feel to the tannins. A great effort this year.

From Stellenboschberg, this is from a West facing site that is a little more rocky in terms of soil. There are flavours of wild herbs, warm rocks, earth and black tea that lift from the dark hedgerow fruit. Sappy and tense through the palate, there are notes of violets and graphite through the finish.

From slightly warmer Helderberg soils of clay rich in iron, there is a ferrous quality to the wine with notes of dark cherry, beef stock, sundried tomato and violets. The tannin is fine and sinewy with an accent of black olive tapenade on the finish.

There are a total of 6 hectares of Syrah planted on the farm and this Syrah is a blend of different plots. There is ripe dark cherry fruit but then the wine shows real elegance and restraint through the palate. Silky, fluid and poised there are notes of iris, black pepper and liquorice that mingle with the dark cherry fruit.

No Place Like Home comes from a beautiful 3 hectare site in one of South Africa's coolest areas, Elgin. From a mix of sandstone and shale this is a wine that has a real aromatic lift with aromas of pepper, black tea and iris. The palate is finely texture with dark cherry fruit and freshness pulsing through the wine. The finish is so long and balanced with a little hint of seaweed and kelp.

Coming from Elim, this is a vibrant and extremely elegant style of Syrah which has been aged 60% in concrete vats. The wine opens with notes of wild herbs, white pepper, and fresh cherry with a saline core with excellent focus and tension. There is a subtle savoury note with pepper finish that is so delicious. An excellent set of 2024s from Sam.

A blend of fruit from three sources: Elgin, Polkadraai Hills, and Cape Agulhas. This is a medium bodied, highly perfumed Syrah with notes of violets, pepper, and wild cherry fruit. So approachable yet showing lots of complexity, there are flavours of liquorice root and wild herbs on the finish. Another great success from the young Sam Lambson.

This Syrah from Reyneke is around a third whole bunch fermented, a third submerged cap fermented, and a third crushed and destemmed fruit. It is refined and spicy, with delicious and classic Syrah aromatics of wild herbs, lavender, black pepper and black olive. The palate is fleshy but still so elegant with juicy dark berry fruit and a peppery spice on the finish. Very classic and certainly reminds you of a young Cornas.

A bright and vertical style of cool climate Syrah that offers floral complexity of white pepper, violets and fresh earth. There is a Pinot like energy to the wine, while the supple tannins and peppery spice make this a distinctive cool climate Syrah. Extremely fine and detailed.

A superb example of cool-climate Syrah showing notes of tomato leaf, red cherry, wild thyme and white pepper. There is some flesh to the hedgerow fruit to the mid-palate while remaining bright and lifted. The finish is long and vibrant with a peppery twist.

Lots of pepper spice here, which supports the core of dark berries and floral, violet-tinged character to the wine. This is nicely judged, and easily approachable, from a future star of the South African wine industry. Tiny production.