2020 Boekenhoutskloof, Syrah, Swartland, South Africa
Critics reviews
So completely different from the Franschhoek Syrah. Much more red-fruited. This is beautiful, pure dark-red fruit, so fresh, with layers of paper-fine tannins. More of a northern Rhône style with elegance and length and yet shows the richness and fruit sweetness of a warmer region and the structure that characterises wines from these vines.
Drink 2024-2035
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com (February 2023)
About this WINE
Boekenhoutskloof Winery
Boekenhoutskloof is one of the most celebrated of all South African wineries and was indeed voted Winery of the Year 2012 by the influential South African journalist John Platter. Created in 1776 and situated in a remote corner of the beautiful Franschhoek Valley, the estate‘s recent fame dates only from 1993 when new owners completely restored the vineyard and established new plantings of varietals such as Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Viognier.
The driving force here is winemaker Marc Kent, a maverick genius with an unswerving commitment to the highest quality in all that he does. The winery is better known for its reds, especially Syrah and Cabernet, but also makes a stunning white from the Semillon grape amongst a small range of whites.
One of the most iconic wines of Boekenhoutskloof is the famed Chocolate Block, a red blend which changes every year according to the vagaries of the vintage, but is largely based on Syrah. The source of the wine’s name remains a mystery, as the estate’s owners refuse to divulge its origin, but the key point is that the wine is sublime.
Franschhoek
Franschhoek wine region lies to the west of Stellenbosch in a fertile valley surrounded by the Drakenstein Mountains. The town of Frankschoek was founded by fleeing French Huguenots in 1688, who brought along their winemaking traditions and vines. Franschhoek's warm, temperate climate is perfectly suited to the production of powerful, saturated red wines and concentrated, fruit-driven white wines. The most prominent grapes in the region are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir.
Today it remains very much a boutique wine region with smallholding producers.
Syrah/Shiraz
A noble black grape variety grown particularly in the Northern Rhône where it produces the great red wines of Hermitage, Cote Rôtie and Cornas, and in Australia where it produces wines of startling depth and intensity. Reasonably low yields are a crucial factor for quality as is picking at optimum ripeness. Its heartland, Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, consists of 270 hectares of steeply terraced vineyards producing wines that brim with pepper, spices, tar and black treacle when young. After 5-10 years they become smooth and velvety with pronounced fruit characteristics of damsons, raspberries, blackcurrants and loganberries.
It is now grown extensively in the Southern Rhône where it is blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre to produce the great red wines of Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas amongst others. Its spiritual home in Australia is the Barossa Valley, where there are plantings dating as far back as 1860. Australian Shiraz tends to be sweeter than its Northern Rhône counterpart and the best examples are redolent of new leather, dark chocolate, liquorice, and prunes and display a blackcurrant lusciousness.
South African producers such as Eben Sadie are now producing world- class Shiraz wines that represent astonishing value for money.
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Description
The lesser known (almost) twin of Porseleinberg – 80%+ of the grapes here are grown by Callie Loux on the famed farm, with the balance coming from next door at Goldmine (another fine source itself). If you were to classify Syrah vineyards in the Cape, these two would be at the very top of the list. Winemaker Gottfried Mocke applies a gentle hand in the cellar, with 60% whole cluster retained adding a delicious smoky bacon note to the soft, black fruit. Silky tannins with just a little bite at the end and lots of soft, spicy fruit. If you’re not lucky enough to be on the allocation list for Porseleinberg, dive in here! This is a Syrah of the highest order.
Drink 2024 to 2040
Fergus Stewart, Private Client Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd
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