Bellingham Bernard Series Basket Press Syrah 2018, Coastal Region, South Africa

Made from fruit grown in low-yielding Stellenbosch and Paarl vineyards. Grapes are crushed in a small-batch basket press to preserve the natural dark berry fruit tinged with subtle fynbos and black and white pepper spice.

The grapes were hand-picked from vineyard blocks yielding 4-8 tons per hectare. The trellised vines grow on deep well-drained soils of decomposed granite. Harvested by hand in mid-season at perfect ripeness. These high-lying vineyards yield grapes with spicy, red fruit flavours.

In the Cellar: Bunch and berry selection took place on arrival at the cellar before being crushed and fermented. Natural fermentation took place in open 500 L French oak barrels before a gentle pressing in a basket press. The young wine was returned to the French oak barriques where malolactic fermentation was completed and a further 12 months maturation followed before bottling.

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: A powerful aromatic wine that is assertive yet delicate and refined, with ample cracked black and white pepper spice, hints of rich dark chocolate against a substantial red berry fruit foundation tinged with subtle floral suggestions of violets and dried indigenous fynbos. A generously structured wine with ripe tannins that promises further integration and complexity on cellar maturation for up to 10 years. This wine is particularly recommended with full-flavoured dishes like roast venison, aged fillet and rump steaks, spicy sausages or confit of duck.

Grape Variety: Syrah
ABV:14%
VOL:750ml