Tamboerskloof Syrah 2008
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Parker
Robert
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2008 Tamboerskloof Syrah is blended with a touch of Mourvedre and Viognier. It undergoes handpicking and triple sorting before maturation in 500-liter French oak barrels. It has a very natural, refined bouquet with strawberry, Morello, dark plum and a touch of seaweed. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine, sensual tannins. There is a core of very pure, spicy red fruit laced with white pepper and a beautifully composed finish this is very natural, caressing and poised. This is a Syrah from the top drawer. Drink now-2020.
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2011-
Parker
Robert
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Enthusiast
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Suckling
James
They renamed the farm to Kleinood. Kleinood is an Afrikaans word from Dutch and German origin meaning something small and precious. This is exactly what Kleinood means to them and precisely what it is – a small farm, very dear to their hearts, specializing in the production of only a Syrah based red wine, a single vineyard Syrah and small production of Viognier and Syrah Rosé as well as de Boerin extra virgin olive oil. Kleinood lies nes tled in the Blaauwklippen Valley on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain outside Stellenbosch – the premier red wine area in the Cape. They decided on which cultivars to plant after several years of careful analyses of soil types and climatic conditions on the farm. Thus, not only their passion, but also the terroir, the sun and the rain led them to plant Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Rousanne and Viognier on North and West facing slopes. From this delicate balance between science and passion the Tamboerskloof wines, now cultivated, nurtured, harvested, pressed, matured and bottled with equal care were born.
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.