Survivor South Africa Syrah 2017

This wine has intense flavours of spice, violets and blackberries. The wine finishes off with soft, round tannins and oak.

The vineyards generally showed good and balanced growth without being excessive or too vigorous. In most cases the water supply was sufficient for ripening while the ripening period was cooler and dryer than usual. The grapes reached good acidity and lower pH levels and in most cases managed to accumulate sufficient sugar levels. The season was characterised by healthy, full-flavoured grapes. The vineyards are planted in yellow to reddish-brown soils. Grapes were hand harvested early in the morning. Grapes were hand harvested early in the morning. 30% of the Syrah grapes were placed as whole bunches in 500L French oak barrels. The barrels were then filled with 70% crushed Syrah grapes. Fermentation commenced naturally, and a strict punch-down schedule was followed for 10 days. After fermentation barrels were closed and extended skin contact occurred for 60 days during which malolactic fermentation took place. After 60 days the wine is removed from the skins and placed in third-fill French oak barrels for 12 months.

2019 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show - Silver