PEPPER WIND SYRAH (CASE OF 6)

SINGLE VINEYARD

The Old Road Wine Co. tells the story of special vines grown in the rugged corners of the Franschhoek wine country. These lofty vineyards are guarded by a local Verreaux’s eagle, nesting on the rugged eastern slopes of the Franschhoek mountains. Local legend has it that the South Easter wind, that cools these slopes in the summer months, carries the peppery spices that add unique flavour to this wine.

TASTING NOTES

An intense wine with layered 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. This makes for excellent structure, with a finish that is moreish and refreshing.

Pepper Wind Syrah 2017 Tasting Notes
Pepper Wind Syrah 2018 Tasting Notes

IN THE VINEYARD

The source vineyard for this wine is located on a cool site exposed to regular cool afternoon breezes giving the wine freshness and purity. This vineyard is trellised, using a vertical shoot positioning. It is pruned with short spurs and in summer all the unnecessary shoots are removed to get better light penetration and quality. At veraison all the uneven bunches are thinned to ensure that grapes are harvested at optimal ripeness and quality.

IN THE CELLAR

The grapes used to make the wine were hand-harvested in small bins at optimal ripeness. Grapes received extended skin contact for optimal colour and flavour extraction before being racked to the barrels for fermentation. After primary fermentation the wine underwent malolactic fermentation in the barrels before 18 months’ maturation in the same second and third fill French oak barrels.