Syrah

Lamb, Potjie/Casserole, Roast Vegetables, Cured Meats

Lomond is situated on The Agulhas Plain near the southernmost tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas – the meeting place of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans – 8km from the fishing village of Gansbaai and within sight of the sea. The vineyards were planted only on previously cultivated land within sight of the ocean. This maritime climate with the resulting cooling sea breezes ensures that the vineyards are kept cool which results in late ripening intense fruit. On the slopes of the Ben Lomond mountain in the Uilenkraal Valley, our vineyards are planted on as many as 18 different soil types, which appear naturally in small pockets along the slopes and produce intriguingly complex wines with flavour profiles that differ markedly from one block to the next. This unique combination of geography, geology, and climate results in terroir that is perfect for producing world-class wine. The Cape Agulhas appellation has its place among the world’s top winegrowing regions, and one about which we are incredibly passionate.

The vineyards are planted in north-west facing blocks on the lower reaches of the farm in sandy, gravelly and highly weathered soils with a clay substructure. Obsessive attention to detail and adherance to the best viticulture practices is observed. Respect for the vineyard drives our winemaking process.

The wine matured for a period of 14 months in French barrels. The barrels were then tasted and screened to ensure that only the best barrels were selected for fining and filtration and blending. This results in a wine which is greater than the sum of the individual parts.

The hand-picked and hand-sorted grapes were destemmed, crushed and inoculated with a selected yeast culture. The different vineyard blocks were vinified separately during fermentation. On completion of fermentation, the wine spent a further three weeks on the skins for optimal extraction of colour and flavour. The free-run juice was then drained off and the skins pressed gently into first, second and third-fill barrels. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally after which the wine was racked.