2012 Richard Kershaw, Clonal Selection Syrah, Elgin, South Africa

2012 Richard Kershaw, Clonal Selection Syrah, Elgin, South Africa

Product: 20128000880
 
2012 Richard Kershaw, Clonal Selection Syrah, Elgin, South Africa

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Description

There is lots of spice on the nose: both the classic Syrah black pepper note and some sweet spice from the oak. Lots of black fruit and sweet spice are felt on the palate, with a richness of fruit underpinned with a cleansing acidity that keeps everything in check. The wine is reminiscent of wines from the Northern Rhône, but is undoubtedly from a warmer climate. A very good effort.
Fergus Stewart, Fine Wine Manager

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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate85/100
Whereas the Kershaw Chardonnay '12 is a delight, alas, I cannot say the same for the 2012 Clonal Selection Elgin Syrah. Deep garnet in color, the nose is heady and demonstrative, with kirsch and cassis scents, smudged with alcohol. The palate is full-bodied, dense and rich, however, without the finesse to balance it up. As such it feels rather labored and a little anachronistic. It does coalesce after 30 minutes aeration, yet it never catches up with its superior white counterpart. Let's see what future vintages will hold.
Neal Martin - 31/10/2014 Read more
Other4.5-5
Ethereal allspice and white pepper notes to finely etched, iodine-tinged dark berry fruit flavours in fantastic 2012 debut. Exceptional food partner - savouriness & tempered tannins perfectly complement richer dishes (duck, pork belly), amplify the ‘umami’ tone of both food & wine. 50% new casks for 15 months.
wineonaplatter.com, November 2014 Read more

About this WINE

Richard Kershaw Wines

Richard Kershaw Wines

Born and raised in the UK, Richard Kershaw enjoyed a successful career as a chef before discovering wine. After travelling extensively, he arrived in South Africa in 1999 and, by 2009, was Group Winemaker of Mulderbosch and Kanu. Richard became a Master of Wine in 2011 and established Richard Kershaw Wines in January 2012.

He is now pursuing his dream of making his own wine in the cool climate of Elgin, in the Overberg wine region of the Western Cape. His intention is to create site-specific, cool-climate wines from high-quality French clones of the Chardonnay and Syrah grapes. His site, in one of South Africa’s coolest wine districts, Elgin, benefits from higher altitude, proximity to the ocean, specific cloud cover sequencing and large differences in day and night temperatures, all of which allow his Chardonnay and Syrah to show a true sense of place. The climate leans toward Southern Burgundy and the Northern Rhône, affording Richard’s wines a surprisingly Old World feel.

They are extremely impressive, a fact recognised by John Platter, who awarded the first vintage of his Chardonnay (2012) a straight 5/5 stars, a feat that was repeated with the ‘13 Chardonnay. This is a small operation, however, and volumes are limited.

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Elgin

Elgin

This cool lush corner of the Western Cape is east of Stellenbosch. Historically Elgin has been better known for its apple orchards, but is fast proving its potential for wine, with elegant examples of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and even Syrah.

Circled by mountains, the cool-climate ward sits within the Overberg region. Aromatic grape varieties thrive in Elgin’s slow-ripening conditions, with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir and even Syrah showing promise.

Recommended producers: Richard Kershaw MW

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Syrah/Shiraz

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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