Syrah

Perfect with rich veggie and robust beef dishes, garlic, olive oil, and crusty breads.

Syrah from an18 and 10-year-old vineyard in Firgrove, Stellenbosch planted on decomposed granite soils. Located between Somerset West and Stellenbosch, Firgrove’s terroir is defined by its proximity to the Atlantic and its ancient geological history. Just 6km from False Bay, the vineyards benefit from cooling ocean breezes and winds that naturally limit vine vigour, leading to small, concentrated berries with deep flavour. The unique soil structure consists of a well-drained granite gravel top layer over a porous "coffeestone" (laterite) middle. Beneath this lies saprolite (decomposed granite), which acts as a "water bank," allowing roots to dig deep for moisture and nutrients during the dry season. This combination ensures slow ripening and produces wines with excellent structure. The 2019 harvest for Syrah in the Firgrove Stellenbosch was characterized by high-quality, concentrated fruit, despite a significantly smaller crop due to the lingering after-effects of the Western Cape's three-year drought. The 2019 vintage for Firgrove Syrah produced wines that are aromatic and elegant, showing great varietal expression despite the smaller, challenging harvest.

Matured in 1st (35%), 2nd (35 %) and 3rd fill (30 %) 300 li and 500 li French oak barrels for 18 months.

Fermented in open top oak fermenters with 2 - 3 pump overs or punch downs per day.

Growing up on my family’s sheep farm near Sutherland in the arid Karoo I spent hours exploring the veld with my canine companion. We enjoyed the simple pleasures of farm life and Nature has always been in my blood. With my passion for the outdoors combined with an affinity for Maths and Science I had my sights set on studying medicine and enrolled for a Bachelor of Science degree at Stellenbosch University. It was here that the wine bug bit. After graduating from Stellenbosch University with a BSc and BSc Honours in Wine Biotechnology in 1998 I was appointed as Assistant Winemaker at Kleine Zalze in Stellenbosch in 1999. Completing harvest tenures in Sancerre St Emilion and Beziers France I gained an appreciation for the balance and elegance of the wines of these regions. Following my time at Kleine Zalze I accepted a winemaker position at Graham Beck Wines in 2005. After a brief stint under the mentorship of Charles Hopkins then-Cellar Master at Franschhoek I found myself the sole winemaker in a world class cellar and living my dream. Drawing on my extensive training and rewarding career as a winemaker and marketer with invaluable experience locally and abroad I took a leap of faith and started my own label in 2016.