Lynx Shiraz 2005
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Wine Enthusiast
Lynx never seems to miss the mark, producing exquisite wines with unique character. This Shiraz offers lovely soft fruit and spice on the nose, and on the palate, balanced, classic black pepper, cinnamon, berry and a clean, minerally backbone. Restrained but flavorful, it’s an excellent food pairing choice.
At Lynx all wines are grown, produced and bottled on the Estate. 2003 saw the maiden vintage, which immediately won acclaim when its Shiraz achieved 4½ stars in the John Platter's Guide, and its other two wines 4 stars each. Since then the range has grown and now stands at an impressive eleven wines. The wines have continued to perform well winning numerous gold awards, being placed in the top ten Shiraz's in South Africa, and scoring 90 points in Wine Enthusiast (USA).
Situated on the foothills of the Klein Drakenstein Mountains just outside Franschhoek, Lynx Wines is the smallest Wine Estate in the Valley producing less that 2500 cases per annum. The team is led by Owner/Winemaker Dieter Sellmeyer, ably assisted by Assistant Winemaker Inge Terblanche and Farm Manager Theunis Brandt.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.