Ben says
★ Good Wine “This is a ruby hued and very perfumed red wine with a full-bodied and soft palate. The Syrah gives you ripe notes of blueberry fruit and there’s plenty of pepper and a warming note of nutmeg. The challenge comes in the very spirited finish, a reflection of the high alcohol that isn’t quite matched by the rich fruit and fresh acidity on the finish.“
KEY POINTS
92% Syrah and 8% Mourvedre with 15.0% abv. Matured for 9 months in oak and concrete vats.
Simonsberg, Western Cape, SOUTH AFRICA.
Food Pairing
A good plush Syrah that will match with grilled red meats well. The spirity note in the wine can be offset by a rich and sweet sauce, such as a well-reduced meat gravy, or a pasta dish with a concentrated ragu.
Disclosure & Price
Tasted during a Master of Wine study group. Find in the UK for circa £13.50 at Amathus.
Reviewed and tasted: 05/02/2024
About the Producer
Bloem is the Dutch word for flower and is the name of this wine to reflect the Cape Floral Kingdom in which it’s grown. Located in Simonsberg-Paarl, this is one of the world’s smallest and most biodiverse floral kingdoms. The wine is made by Noble Hill, a winery with vineyards on the granite slope of the Simonsberg Mountain foothills. The current generation in charge is Zimbabwean Kristopher Tillery, who has pursued ambitions for a fully organic certified winery and is experimenting with wild yeasts and low intervention winemaking.