Damascene
Swartland Syrah
Syrah/Shiraz from Swartland, South Africa
Bottle size:
750 ml
Shipping: R99 nationwide
Damascene
DAMASCENE is a partnership between Jean Smit and David Curl, former owner of Château Gaby in Canon-Fronsac, Bordeaux. What began as a conversation around making wine from the Pinot Noir planted on Curl’s Elgin estate swiftly revealed the pair’s shared passion for celebrating unsung pockets of South African terroir. Following the maxim of ‘Less cult, more cultivation’, the founding philosophy of DAMASCENE is simple, yet unyielding: that the journey to great wine can only begin in the vineyard. “DAMASCENE is about seeking out memorable vineyards and sites that truly showcase the incredible diversity of terroir we have here in the Western Cape,” says Smit. “I spend countless days on the road, covering thousands of kilometres, visiting vineyards and farmers in search of special parcels of land.”
Description
The purity, perfume and spice of granite-grown fruit is complemented by the more earthy tones of grapes harvested from shale and schist outcrops, imbuing the wine with structure and depth. Incense, allspice, turned earth, dark and loamy, black tea, and meat spice simmer against a juicy backdrop of blackberries. The palate is nuanced and persistent. Expressive, generous, savoury hits of black olive tapenade spread across the supple, fruity palate. Excellent concentration of flavour from the extremely low-yielding sites, with firm, ripe tannins lead to a subtly smoky finish.
Food Pairing
Lamb loin confit belly, served with harissa, babaganoush, chick peas, baby marrow, pistacchio and lamb jus.
