Craven Wines Syrah The Firs Vineyard Stellenbosch
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ABOUT Syrah is a grape that Mick and Jeanine have a soft spot for. They believe there are some really special and unique sites and plantings of Syrah. In the past they made a second Syrah from the Faure region but found the wine to lack the verve that the Firs Vineyard has, and made the switch in 2019. The Firs Vineyard is owned and farmed by Deon Joubert, located in the warmest enclave of Stellenbosch that Mick pulls fruit from, Devon Valley. The soils are very rich, deep, red soil with high clay content that gives a richness to the wine but keep in mind that Mick picks quite early and there is plenty of that lovely peppery, meaty, high tones that cool-climate Syrah fans adore. The bunches were hand-harvested and fermented entirely whole-cluster in open-top stainless-steel fermenters. The bunches were lightly foot-stomped to extract a bit of juice and then over the course of a week, gentle pumpovers were performed once or twice daily, as they want to minimize extraction and maintain as many whole bunches as possible. After about 10 days, the wine was gently pressed into concrete squares for 10 months (a deviation from old puncheons in prior vintages). The wine was then bottled with just a light sheet filtration and small dosage of sulfur. No fining. DATA Grapes: 100% Syrah Vineyard: Firs Vineyard Vine Age: 24-years-old Soil Type: Deep, rich, shale soil with red clay deposits Viticulture: Practicing Organic - sustainable Fermentation: Native – open-top stainless-steel (100% whole-cluster) Skin Contact: 10 days Aging: 10 months in concrete Alcohol: 13% pH: 3.65 Total Acidity: 5.9 g/L Total SO2: 50 ppm Total Production: 250 cases UPC: 6009803564416 TASTING NOTE The bouquet reveals its charm with a touch of air, showcasing the varietal purity of the 100% whole clusters. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied and vibrant, with lively notes of mulberry and blueberry intertwined with a hint of pastille candy. The acidity is expertly balanced, showing a crisp, clean edge. As it evolves, subtle hints of green olive emerge, leading to a long finish. Exceptional. PRESS The WineMag | 92