Our 12 Mile Syrah 2017 Wins Top 10 Shiraz

We are delighted to announce that our 12 Mile Single Vineyard Syrah 2017 has just been included in the inaugural Top 10 Shiraz Report, being awarded an impressive 93 / 100 points! In addition to this, our Anvil Shiraz 2017 was rated 92 Points.

The inaugural Shiraz Report is conveyed by well-respected online publication Wine Mag. This year saw 83 entries received from 67 producers. All the wines were tasted blind (labels out of sight) by the three-person panel consisting of Christian Eedes of Wine Mag and Roland Peens and James Pietersen, both of Wine Cellar, with scoring done according to the 100-point quality scale.

This Syrah vineyard is located on a cool site exposed to regular cool afternoon breezes giving the wine freshness and purity. It is an intense, characterful wine with layers of succulent ripe berries, natural spice and exceptional structure. It is characterised by an excellent balance between bright, juicy fruit and integrated, spicy oak, with a coated acidity and earthy minerality.

The 12 Mile Syrah reflects the loyal perseverance of the postman of old. Never deterred by rain or shine, a 12-mile distance or fatigue, this messenger never faltered. Our 12 Mile Syrah is crafted to honour his feat of perseverance much like this vineyards endurance through time and the elements. In 2019 the area surrounding the vineyard experienced serious wildfires which caused a total loss of crop and making us even more grateful for the wine we already have in bottle.

Wine Mag Editor Christian Eedes poses the question of whether Shiraz/Syrah is South Africa’s best red wine category overall? Based on this tasting, he responds with an emphatic “yes”. Out of the 83 entries from 67 producers, more than half – 45 to be precise – rated 90-plus on the 100-point quality scale and all of the top 10 rated 93 or above. He attributes the success of Shiraz vineyards in South Africa to the fact that at the time of political transformation in the 1990s, Shiraz plantings were not extensive but there was a general sense that the variety might do well here. It went from 4% of the national vineyard in 1999 to just over 10% in 2014 where it has just about stabilised. This means the quality of the fruit and vine have been maintained as production has increased.

The total area under vineyard at the end of 2018 was 9 497ha (10.2% of the national vineyard), making it the second most widely planted red variety after Cabernet Sauvignon. Evidently, Shiraz/Syrah has become a significant variety within the industry in a relatively short time.

Furthermore, considering this year’s top 10,  it appears that part of the spicy red varietal’s success is that is well suited to a variety of growing conditions with two each from Stellenbosch, Swartland and Walker Bay and one each from Bot River, Cederberg, Elim and our very own 12 Mile Syrah coming from Franschhoek. Another reason for the rise of Shiraz is that it seems to respond well to a variety of winemaking approaches. In the most basic terms, two broad stylistic groupings can be discerned, the first consisting of wines that are overtly aromatic, lighter-bodied yet grippy and the second (like our 12 Mile) more darkly coloured, full-fruited and smooth textured. Each of these styles are both equal of merit. Eedes applauds the fact that the Top 10 wines are wines of distinction and references the value of using older vines and growing viticultural and winemaking sophistication.

With only 2000 bottles in production, and with a price tag of R345, we recommend heading to our online store to secure your winning bottle now.