Terroir-istes Local - Syrah Blends 1

A short look at Rhone Style blends that are Syrah-led. Part 1 of 2.

• 2018 Rall Red 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

  (Tasted Blind): A deep garnet to brick red colour. Distinct aromas of white pepper, ripe black fruits, brambles, spice, tar, and aniseed, with a classic stem inclusion note, suggesting a Swartland-esque style. The palate offers sweet fruit flavours, with a core of black cherry compote and blackberry jelly powder, complemented by firm, tar-like tannins. While the tannins are not very forgiving, they are balanced by the underlying sweet almost succulent fruit. The palate is a bit foursquare and young, with a sappy, chalky texture that suggest the wine needs more time to integrate fully. Despite a baked sweet note that slightly irritates, the overall balance and extract build nicely although it did feel a little chewy. Finishes tighter with a medium to long length.
  Blend of 70 Syrah, 12 Grenache, 10 Carignan, and 8 Cinsaut. 100% whole bunch fermentation.

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• 2018 Savage Wines Thief in the Night 87 Points

  South Africa, Olifants River, Citrusdal, Piekenierskloof

  (Tasted Blind): A mid-ruby colour. Subtle, charming nose revealing ripe cherry, plum with ground cardamon, and maraschino cherries, with a hint of cherry stem and a perfumed quality.
  The palate is rich with cherry, cranberry, and Orange pekoe tea, supported by a sinewy texture, juicy acidity, and a raspberry coulis undertone. The mix of sweet and savoury notes has a generous glycerol content, and there is a hint of paprika on the finish. The chalky tannins are slightly bitter and extracted and, at first, seem to work, but they slowly build and curtail the finish. All in all, there is some appeal. The mid-palate is a little flat before more activity arrives at the finish.
  A blend of 54 Grenache, 24 Syrah, 22 Cinsaut. Spends 10 days on skins and is 20% whole bunch fermentation before maturation in foudres for ten months.

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• 2018 Erika Obermeyer Syrah/ Grenache Noir/ Cinsault 84 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region

  (Tasted Blind): A light+ ruby to cherry red colour. A little reduced at first with some lantana leaf the nose improves with pretty aromas of oranges, red berries, and some baked fruit with white pepper. A softly textured, elegant wine with lively acid on entry moves to a slightly fizzy stemmy character on the mid-palate that at times feels rather green and is joined by smoke, charcoal, and cola tonic. Whilst there is a fleshy underbelly of fruit compote, blackberry and white pepper, the greener components start rising leading to bitter-edged tannins.
  Blend of 68 Syrah, 20 Grenache, 12 Cinsaut

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• 2016 Erika Obermeyer Syrah/ Grenache Noir/ Cinsault 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region

  (Tasted Blind): The wine is light+ ruby-orange colour. Attractive aromas of spiced raspberry, red bramble, and cranberry. The palate enters with a soft pastille fruit feel, a linear shape with a chalky, sappy texture.
  The core is strawberry and raspberry, with pepper sprinkled on top, a twist of liquorice, spice, and damson plum. Intense, the wine sits upright with fresh acidity but segues to a cola and charcoal note and a rubber glove component. It improves further in glass to reveal more berry fruits and some cigar box. Long finish.
  Blend of 53 Syrah, 28 Grenache, 19 Cinsaut
  Matured in 300-500 L used French oak with 10% new for 12 months.

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• 2017 David & Nadia Elpidios 86 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

  (Tasted Blind): It is a light ruby-orange colour with a cool menthol and violet aroma showing raspberry, black cherry, and medicinal cough syrup. As it opens, a faecal farmyard pong component grows onto the palate, introducing savoury elements supported by chalky, sappy tannins and a fresh acidity. The finish is blunted by a bitter and drying component that grows and distracted. It was mentioned the cork was a little wet, some scalping perhaps?
  31% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 19% Carignan, 10% Cinsaut, 10% Pinotage

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• 2017 Saronsberg Full Circle 93 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region

  (Tasted Blind): A mid to deep ruby colour towards a purple rim. Pronounced aromas of ripe black fruits, sweet, spicy oak, smoke, and black pepper with a touch of minerals. The palate is more old-school with that sweet entry, bags of ripe fleshy blackberry fruits with a very approachable succulence in the mid-palate underpinned by lively acid and sweet yet powdery tannins. The wine has a creaminess and depth, and that mineral added a little frame to what was an extended farewell—a fabulous, well-made example.
  Blend of 82% Syrah, 9% Grenache, 6% Mourvedre, 3% Viognier

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