Mont Rochelle Syrah 2008

ageing : With bottle ageing in our Bottle Maturation Cellar, the wine is now ready for drinking but will most definitely reward careful cellaring for at least 10 years from vintage.

Our Syrah, named such due to the ‘old-world’ style of winemaking utilised, is far more traditional than our “New World” location would suggested with spice, herbs, pepper and black fruit dominating in the wines profile. The Shiraz vineyards on Mont Rochelle range from 200m above sea level to 450m above sea level with an incredibly steep gradient ensuring that we have a diverse flavour profile from the fruit produced. This translates into a Syrah wine with abundant layers of fruit flavours and complexity.

With the cooler climatic conditions experienced in the 2008 vintage, elegant and lower alcohol wines were produced. Excellent phenolic ripeness was obtained thanks to the longer, slower ripening conditions with lovely flavour development in most cultivars. Wines produced from the 2008 vintage show good potential for ageing and cellaring.

Region Franschhoek
Vine age 5 years
Vines per Ha 3,980
Altitude 200-450 m

Harvesting of the grapes occurred at optimal ripeness ensuring that the maximum fruit potential for the wine was achieved.
Harvested: 03 March 2008
Harvest Method: Hand

Fermentation at 28 degrees Celsius with gradual tannin extraction resulted in an elegant tannin profile. Maturation in 100% French oak barrels for 24 months, 30% of which was new, added fine structure and smoothness to the wines’ profile.

Malolactic: 100%
Fermentation: Stainless Steel
Bottled: 10th February 2011
Barrels: 24 months in 225 litre French oak 30% New Oak
Production: 6,300 bottles