Fairview - The Beacon Shiraz 2005

One of last winemakers we visited in South Africa was Fairview and I must say they have a fantastic selection of wines. We visited the more fancy tasting room for the upper range of the wines and ended up being deeply impressed.

So the other day (nice summer evening in Paris) we tried one of their bottles, namely a single vineyard wine called the Beacon Shiraz 2005.

The grapes comes from bushvines on grey shale stone and are pruned to carry a small crop to enhance concentration. Fermentation took place in open 500 litre french oak barrels with manual punch downs (just like Lynx). It spent 16 months in french oak (40% new) before bottling.

So to the wine itself : Beautiful dark red colour with a wonderful aroma of pepper, roastbeef and dark berries. It just makes you wonder how good its gonna taste! and it goes on as the taste is wonderful complex , silky and perfectly balanced with some soft tannins. Yummy yummy! ca 18 points

It's just wonderful stuff, sort of a mixture between a Crozes Hermitage and a Hermitage. Again the same comment as for the Lynx Shiraz; this is NOT Shiraz, this is Syrah!

Wonderful Syrah matching the quality from the Rhone valley and beating them on price!

Less than 12€ a bottle (20€ incl transport + tax)! P++

but be careful; nearly 15% alcohol which is well hidden!

Fairview - Fairview Wines, Goats do Roam Wines, Agostinelli Wines, Fairview Cheese

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