Abbotsdale Swartland Syrah

Description

Ruby red in colour, full of bright fruit aromas on the nose and palate of violets, red fruit and black fruit. Red cherries, plum, blackcurrant and blackberries. Medium bodied palate with soft tannins and an elegant finish.nPerfect for braised, smoked or BBQ-ed foods as well as rustic stews, roast lamb and duck.nBryan MacRobert is a born and bred Swartlander, with his family farm based just outside of Malmesbury. Never heard of the Swartland? Well, it may be less famous than Constantia or Stellenbosch, but trust us, this is a magical wine producing area, more rugged than the prior two – warm and dry, home to big skies, mountains, wheatfields, and hectares of rugged old bushvines. Nowadays, Bryan splits his time between life in Rioja, and his home country of South Africa. He aims to make wines that are unique to the soil, climate, vintage and culture of this very special region. As well as working with his family’s vineyards, he also selects special parcels from neighbouring farmers that he has close relationships with. All the vineyards are worked organically without the use of pesticides, fertilizers or fungicides. The same high standards are maintained in the cellar – minimal intervention, and a sparing use of oak. The smallest barrels he uses are 500l, preferring 2nd and 3rd fill. As he pains to point out 500l barrels have a quarter of the oak contact as a 225l barrel. Maths! And wine!