The outstanding quality of these two vintages is confirmed by world-renowned wine critic Tim Atkin. Once again, the ethical and meticulous approach where no viticultural or oenological effort is spared in the delicate balance between science and passion underpinned by a dedication to producing a singular and intensely personal wine of the highest quality, has produced these two vintages of excellence.
The story behind these two highly acclaimed wines
In the year 2000 the de Villiers family found the piece of land that stole their hearts – complete with mountains, river and a pristine tract of indigenous forest. They named the farm Kleinood – the Afrikaans word from Dutch and German origin meaning something small and precious. This is exactly what Kleinood means to them – a small farm, very dear to their hearts, specialising in the production of only Syrah-based red wines, a small production of Viognier and Syrah rosé as well as de Boerin extra virgin olive oil.
The wines have been lauded by critics and wine lovers alike and awarded many prestigious awards both locally and internationally. As the name so aptly reflects, this is very much a personal and highly individual project where no viticultural or oenological effort is spared to produce wines of excellence. However, primarily, Kleinood is a home where, once again, a de Villiers family has come home to roost.
Great wines are made in the vineyard
Based on the results from exhaustive tests and keeping meticulous records of weather patterns, the farm was divided into 23 half-hectare blocks. Terroir dictated that Shiraz be the variety of choice with a hectare each of Viognier, Roussanne and Mourvèdre for blending purposes.
Each half-hectare block is managed as a separate unit. Thus, the grapes from each unit are cared for, irrigated, harvested, crushed, fermented and matured in wood separately. Only at the time of blending will the winemaker decide which wine will become a building block to make up the Tamboerskloof wines.
The secret of the Kleinood wines lies in extensive monitoring throughout the year to guarantee absolute attention to detail and a fully sustainable ecosystem in the vineyards.
The humidity in the barrel maturation room is controlled by a computer to ensure optimum humidity for the maturation process and has four different temperature zones controlled to facilitate malolactic fermentation and cold maturation. The wine is blended and then left in the blending tanks for at least three months for the various components to ‘marry’, integrate and develop the desired complexity, roundness and elegance.
Tamboerskloof Syrah is matured in bottle at a temperature of 14-15 ̊C for a minimum of two years prior to market release. The Tamboerskloof John Spicer spends four years in bottle prior to release.
Tamboerskloof John Spicer Syrah 2017
“A powerfully elegant expression of what our terroir has to offer.”
The reason for making the John Spicer Syrah is based purely on the outstanding and unique character of the wine produced by this vineyard year after year – wishing to keep it apart as the ultimate expression of our terroir, supporting the philosophy that great wines are made in the vineyard.
A bright ruby colour. Complex 2016 fruit develops into cranberry and blackberry, exquisitely opening to notes of violets and jasmine. The entry is elegant with well rounded tannins and the followthrough of fruit from nose to palate is excellent. The lingering finish is powerful with great oak integration and new leather and tobacco notes.
This superbly elegant wine makes for extremely versatile pairing with most dishes, especially red meats, duck, pork belly and slow cooked venison.
Ageing potential: 10 years and more.
Tamboerskloof Syrah 2019
“A truly handcrafted wine in every sense of the word.”
The first Rhône-style Tamboerskloof Syrah was bottled and released in 2002. The wine has been lauded by critics and wine lovers alike and awarded many prestigious awards both locally and internationally. The Tamboerskloof Syrah 2019 was the inaugural vintage for Kleinood winemaker, Reynie Oosthuizen: “Fermentations proceeded flawlessly, devoid of any issues until the wine was barreled. The waiting game commenced. I must admit that my nerves got the better of me from time to time when tasting the maturing wine, but the quality always reassured me and calmed the butterflies.
“Upon bottling, the wine presented exceptionally well, remaining true to the consistent Tamboerskloof Syrah style. The waiting game continued for two additional years of bottle maturation required before the wine’s release. Now, after ageing in the bottle, the tannins have transformed the wine into an elegant and honest handcrafted expression of the Kleinood terroir, in line with past vintages. I am proud and delighted with the outcome.”
A bright clear medium ruby colour. The nose, starting with violets, evolves into blackberry and bramble. The wine is vibrant with a touch of spice from freshly crushed black pepper and liquorice. The palate is refreshing with a fine grained tannin adding weight to the mid-pallet. A juicy, yet elegant wine with good concentration and a spicy finish.
The Tamboerskloof Syrah 2019 is easily paired with most dishes. Spicy meat dishes, oxtail, slow cooked Moroccan lamb, chicken casseroles and flame grilled fillet, are all splendid pairing dishes.
Ageing potential: 10 years and more.
The distinctive, yet characteristically understated, Tamboerskloof wine labels are hand-printed with an antique wooden press on handmade paper, hand-torn to size and pasted onto each individual bottle. The front label bears the wine’s name and vintage. The back label states its provenance. The sole insignia depicts a sheep bearing a flag, derived from the official de Villiers family crest.
