2021 Olifantsberg Syrah

Less than an hour's drive from Cape Town, in the heart of the South African Breedekloof wine region, lies Olifantsberg Family Vineyards. This small, five-hectare winery 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! Work in the vineyard is carried out with respect for nature. The vines are organically fertilized, and yields in the vineyard are deliberately kept low. All this with the aim of harvesting optimally ripe, healthy, and concentrated grapes of high quality. After the manual harvest, these grapes are taken to the newly built vinification cellar. Here too, winemaker Jacques de Plessis lets nature do its work. After crushing the grapes, a traditional skin maceration follows, and the grapes are fermented. Subsequently, they are aged in oak barrels, of which approximately one-third are renewed annually. As a result, the wines from Olifantsberg are perfectly balanced, with beautifully dosed oak in aroma and taste.

The Syrah is grown as echalas vines (three locations) and as trellised vines (two locations) on clay-slate-rich soil with a high quartz content. The Syrah plantings capture all the different aspects of the Olifantsberg, situated at 300 m to 470 m above sea level. The cooler microclimate of the traditional echalas results in higher acidity and a different aromatic complexity than the climbing 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 features almost exclusively grape varieties found in the northern and southern Rhône, so a pure Syrah could not be missing here. Consequently, 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. That South Africa lends itself very well to Syrah is nothing new, but the price-quality ratio of this Syrah is excellent and, in our humble opinion, surpasses many much more expensive Australian Syrahs. The wine is a beautiful dark red in the glass. This wine has all the hallmarks of a class Syrah: lovely spiciness and fine, fresh acidity. Plenty of ripe fruit. Beautiful balance. The wine has fine-grained but ripe tannins. The wine is excellent to drink now but can also easily age for several more years.

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

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