Radford Dale

Syrah

Name: Vinum Gamay Noir
Brand: Radford Dale
Price: 199 ZAR
Availability: InStock
Rating: Jancis Robinson 17 (4 reviews)

Syrah/Shiraz from Stellenbosch, South Africa

R372

Bottle size:

750 ml

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Radford Dale

This vintage shows off the exuberance and generosity of the variety, while combining an intriguing savoury character that we have come to expect from Syrah grown in Koffie Klip. A fine balance between the red and black fruit aromas and an earthy spiciness, makes for an intriguing nose. The palate delights with sour cherry and plums, but a fresh spice note brings focus and lift to the medium weight palate. A particular feature of the wine is the texture which it so effortlessly carries to long savoury finish. Syrah from these Helderberg slopes hold many in fascination and with each passing vintage, our understanding of this beguiling terroir continues to grow.

Sour Cherry

Plum

Earthiness

Spice

Grapes were picked by hand in the cool of the morning and then hand sorted with particular focus on excluding any raisins or berries which had seen too much sun so that the natural purity of the fruit could be highlighted. From there the grapes were destemmed and lightly crushed and left to “cold soak” for three days at low temperatures. A small portion (30%) of the fruit was fermented as whole bunches in an open top fermenter. This process highlights the spiciness of the variety and brings delicate floral aromas to the final blend. Natural fermentation with no addition of yeast and a submerged cap method was employed so that the wine expresses the site and the vintage instead of having predetermined set aromas and flavours. The wine was pressed soon after the fermentation was completed and transferred to barrel where malolactic fermentation took place.

Both vineyards that produce this exceptional Syrah are planted on soils derived from granite. The older of the two vineyards (now 29 years old) is rooted in a particularly rocky variety of decomposed granite known locally as “Koffie Klip”. The second is on a chunky less decomposed granite. This imparts an elegant and refined character to the wine while the temperate Summers of Stellenbosch allow the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. After the drought of the preceding few years, the 2020 growing season was marked by strong vigor and a return to the lush canopies we have come to know from these Syrah vines. Careful leaf removal around the bunches resulted in intensity and depth of fruit as well as beautifully coloured skins.

Radford Dale

Founded in 1998 by Alex Dale, Radford Dale set about the Cape in search of exciting vineyard parcels for their chosen specialist varietals. Today, they have two producing wineries. The first is located in Stellenbosch, predominantly focused on sourcing maritime influenced parcels around the Helderberg and Polkadraai. Here, they produce the cult, single vineyard wines of Renaissance Chenin Blanc and Frankenstein Pinotage, and the Radford Dale Vinum range; a set of six wines that consistently overdeliver on style to price. The 2022 vintage marked the maiden release from their own vineyards purchased in Elgin under Radford Dale Organic, with the release of four single varietal Estate wines, the only organic certified vineyards in the region. More recently, they have co-founded South Africa’s first Organic Wine Association. They continue to reintroduce Gamay Noir to the Cape, establishing the first new plantings for some 20 years. It’s a varietal geared up to thrive in warm conditions, and on granite soils. Stylistically, Gamay also embodies Radford Dale’s championing of elegant, refreshing red wines.