Family Reserve Shiraz

Beef, Lamb, Game (deer, venison), Poultry

The majority of the grapes for this wine were sourced from our own property at Kleine Zalze, in combination with a touch of fruit from our Faure farm. 2018 was challenging as a growing season, due to a prolonged drought which some believe to be the worst in 100 years. The drier than usual conditions did have its advantages as it resulted in healthy, smaller berries than usual with intense flavour and colour. Cooler weather in the later stages of ripening led to good balance of acid concentration and elegance with very little intervention required in the winery.

Maturation took place for 22 months in 65% new French oak barrels.

Grapes were hand harvested early in the morning, de-stemmed and sorted before being transferred to stainless steel tank for fermentation. In some batches, up to 15% ripe stems were added back into the fermentation vessel to intensify the peppery aromas Shiraz is well-known for. The superb structure in the wine was achieved through a combination of open and closed pump overs and careful monitoring to ensure the best balance possible.

Kleine Zalze wines are marked by a classical structure and complexity matched by a vibrant flavour intensity. Discernibly South African in style, they are refreshing, beautifully balanced and well-suited to food. Our wines are made according to traditional methods with minimal cellar intervention, but supported by modern equipment.