Winemaker Notes
The nose is complex, showing purple flowers, sour figs, dark chocolate and wet earth. Crushed fruits, including blueberry and black cherry, lead on the palate before black olives, cloves, salted liquorice and cured meats. Powdery tannins, fresh acidity and a density of fruit make this a more serious but no less juicy and smashable vintage.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Taking a totally different stance to Gabrielskloof's more sophisticated Landscape Series, this Whole Bunch Syrah is pure, juicy joy in the glass. Perfumed and pretty with notes of crushed raspberry, wild herbs and Parma Violets, it is vibrant and ever-so easy to drink. Lovely value too.
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James Suckling
Pretty aromas of cinnamon, wild strawberries, green olives and lavender waft from the glass. Fresh and vibrant, it has a medium body and crunchy tannins. Supremely drinkable, with structure too. Drink or hold.
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Vinous
The 2023 Syrah Whole Bunch comes mainly from the estate's shale block and saw no wood contact. This is a cuvée I adored last year, and the 2023 is the same. It has a divine bouquet that’s a little savory in style and well defined—the absence of wood renders this very expressive. Fresh and sapid, the palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and a grippy finish. I suspect some people with closed minds might not take this seriously as there is no wood. They should think again.
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.”
A relatively cool, maritime climate area, Walker Bay includes three important wards: Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. These sites benefit from the cooling ocean winds and are reputed for the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinotage.