It is great to be reminded that it is still possible to be surprised by a new wine and even, for that matter, a region...
This morning we tasted the 2012 vintage of a South African Syrah from an estate called Leeuwenkuil in Swartland , 50 kilometres to the north of Cape Town. This young vintage showed just how much the South African wine scene has changed in the last ten years and it appears to be Syrah that is stealing the headlines.
Tim Atkin MW recently wrote a piece for Decanter on Swartland, highlighting the region’s rise to prominence. He commented that Syrah has only recently ‘emerged as the Cape’s most exciting red grape, with 10% of plantings and increasing’.
The style of South African Syrah can certainly vary, although the best sites – normally at altitude or benefitting from the coolness imparted by their proximity to either the Atlantic or Indian oceans – capture a more European character than anything that might be stereotyped as being ‘New World’. The Leeuwenkuil, which incidentally sees no new oak during its élevage, shows a Rhône-like profile with lifted, peppery, spicy notes to its gently gamey, brambly fruit. I have to say that the clarity of the style surprised me dramatically… there is a purity to the fruit in a growing number of these new wave South African styles that, for my palate, had been absent in earlier years. The 2012 vintage has been heralded as a remarkably fine vintage in Swartland; as a cooler year, it has delivered a real sense of precision in many of the wines.
Leeuwenkuil (‘Lion’s Lair’ if you were curious about its meaning) is owned by the Dreyer family and can trace its roots back to 1693. It is an extensive estate, the family having recent acquired and absorbed two neighbouring farms. The soils for their Syrah are predominantly sandy-loam over weathered rock with a proportion of clay which assists the vines by releasing moisture through the hot summers. There is a distinctive mineral note to the Leeuwenkuil Syrah which I find intriguing. The bottle we opened continued to improve with air over a two hour period…I must confess that my interest has been piqued. The same can be said, it seems, of Tim Atkin, who placed it in his top five from the region and whose note I include below.
2012 Syrah ‘Heritage’, Leeuwenkuil
18.5/ 20 points, Tim Atkin MW , decanter.com
£150 per 6 bottle case in bond
Leeuwenkuil is a comparatively recent label (though the fruit from these vineyards was much coveted by other producer), but its Syrahs are brilliant. Red fruit, spice, bacon fat and white pepper combine enticingly on the palate, here underpinned by taut minerality. Drink 2015-2022