Glass Collection Syrah

Game, ribs, beef and spicy sausage.

Winemaker Dirk and assistant Lehandri endeavour to make Glenelly wines as naturally as possible with wild yeast fermentation and no acidification. The team follows a minimal intervention approach to winemaking yet intensive sorting and care is taken when receiving the grapes. We use France’s most recognised coopers (mostly from Taransaud, Boutes and Sylvain) to ensure a gentle and precise elevage, preserving the identity of the terroir of Glenelly. Hygiene is of utmost importance in the cellar and a combination of both hot water and ozonated water is used for cleaning.

Post 2020 harvest was dry and hot, this led to early leaf fall. As a result, there was poor establishment of carbohydrate reserves. Rain started late around end of May, this delayed cover crop establishment. Winter was very wet, although not cold. But we still managed to achieve enough cold units for a successful break in dormancy. Bud break was 14 days late due to cool early Spring conditions and cold, wet soils. Moderate weather over flowering and fruit set was ideal for berry and bunch formation. Big, lush canopies developed because of the moist soils and careful canopy management was necessary to ensure sufficient aeration and light penetration. The sustained cooler conditions led to veraison being 14 days later than normal. Ripening was also delayed by 10 – 14 days. A much cooler vintage, with slow, even ripening and great natural acidity.

Matured in older (mostly 5th and 6th fill) 500L French oak barrels for 12 months.

Mixture of whole bunch, destemmed and submerged cap fermentations. The tanks were allowed to slowly start fermenting naturally with only two pump overs a day and then left on the skins for a couple of weeks post-ferment.