2020 Olifantsberg Syrah

Less than an hour's drive from Cape Town, in the heart of South Africa's Breedekloof wine region, lies Olifantsberg Family Vineyards. This small, five-hectare estate has been owned by the Dutch Leeuwerik family since 2003. The Olifantsberg vineyards are situated on the slopes of the Brandwacht Mountains. Thanks to the high altitude and the almost constant wind, there is a cool microclimate. Ideal conditions for the production of top-quality grapes! The vineyard is managed with respect for nature. The vines are organically fertilized, and the yield in the vineyard is deliberately kept low. All this with the aim of harvesting optimally ripe, healthy, and concentrated, high-quality grapes. After being harvested by hand, these grapes are taken to the newly built vinification cellar. Here too, winemaker Jacques de Plessis lets nature take its course. After crushing the grapes, a traditional maceration process follows, and then the grapes are fermented. They are then aged in oak barrels, approximately a third of which are replaced annually. This ensures that Olifantsberg wines are perfectly balanced, with a beautifully balanced oak aroma and flavor.

The Syrah is grown as echalas vines (three sites) and as trellised vines (two sites) on clay-shale soils with a high quartz content. The Syrah plantings capture all the diverse aspects of the Olifantsberg, situated at altitudes between 300 and 470 meters above sea level. The cooler microclimate of the traditional echalas has higher acidity and a different aromatic complexity than the trellised vines. By selecting from the various Syrah clones, they have further enhanced the natural complexity of our wines. Clone 9; 470; 21; 22

The Olifantsberg estate grows almost exclusively grape varieties found in the northern and southern Rhône, so a pure Syrah is essential. The Olifantsberg Syrah has a hermitage-like character, but with a Priorat influence, as the wines have more minerality due to the unique slate terroir and are spicier. It's no secret that South Africa lends itself very well to Syrah, but the price-quality ratio of this Syrah is very good and, in our humble opinion, it can outperform many much more expensive Australian Syrahs. The wine is a beautiful dark red in the glass. This wine has all the characteristics of a classy Syrah: lovely spice and lovely fresh acidity. Plenty of ripe fruit. Beautiful balance. The wine has fine-grained but ripe tannins. This wine is excellent to drink now but can also easily age for several years.

Perswijn ****(*) very good/excellent

Tim Atkin Report: 94 points (2018)
Platter 4.5 * (2018)