Project Z Syrah 2017 3x75cl

• 75cl bottle

The adventurous approach to this Syrah was inspired by the untamed, rugged nature of the vineyard from which it is made. Cluttered with massive rocks of broken shale and very close to False Bay’s restless Atlantic Ocean, the focus was on maintaining fruit purity in one of the world’s great red wine varieties. The grapes were fermented in whole clusters to extract the complete spectrum of fruit characters whilst maintaining vibrancy and freshness A one year period of coaxing in old French oak barrels eased the tannins, allowing depth of flavour and a commanding presence, while preserving the brightness and life affirming vigour of an expressive red wine

Vineyards

Vineyard cluttered with massive rocks of broken shale.

Vintage

Much like the 2016 vintage, 2017 can also be characterized by the dry winter and a dry growing season. We had however planned for this and managed our vineyards carefully to ensure that they don’t experience any extreme water stress. We experienced fairly persistent wind during the latter flowering period and the yields, especially on our Cabernets, were lower than normal. The harvest started very early and we were up and running on the 11th of January. We expected 2017 to be a challenging vintage (similar to 2016), though very moderate midsummer temperatures and cooler than normal night temperatures provided excellent ripening conditions. The Sauvignon Blanc’s are far more expressive than we expected and the Chenin Blanc’s are particularly vibrant. With regard to the red varieties the long even ripening provided great colour and flavour development and overall physiological ripeness at lower than normal sugar levels. This in turn has meant that we were able to produce wines that we believe will have great balance and finesse without being short on density. While our Cabernet’s are always outstanding we believe that the 2017 Shiraz produced are displaying a new evolution for us at Kleine Zalze. Showcasing these wines in a year of two’s time should prove to be interesting and a lot of fun

Winemaking

Fermented in whole clusters, and aged for 1 year in old French oak barrels.

Enjoy with:

• Grilled and Roasted Red Meats
• Pizza/Pasta
• Casseroles/Stews
• Mature Strong Cheeses

Why not experiment with Springbok (or venison) curry!