Zandvliet soars on the wings of showstopper Shiraz

Zandvliet Wine Estate takes centre stage again this winter thanks to its reputation as the historic home of great South African Shiraz.

Every year, red wine soars as daily temperatures cool. But an undeniable star for fireside enjoyment remains Shiraz from the award-winning vineyards of Zandvliet. When South Africans celebrate National Shiraz Day on August 21, it will be Zandvliet on everyone’s lips.

“The magical key to Zandvliet wines lies locked within its soils,” says winemaker Jacques Cilliers, who took the reins at the iconic estate in 2011. “Known as calcareous Karoo, with a red clay underlay dotted with pockets of chalky limestone, this is what we call kalkveld. It’s the driving force behind our classical wines. Firm acidity, concentrated flavours and mineral traces are delicately managed from vineyard to cellar.”

Zandvliet’s excellence underscores its entire range of wines, but it is the Shiraz variety that is known as the farm’s brightest star. As such, it is presented to wine-lovers in three expressions – the Estate, Kalkveld and Hill of Enon.

Zandvliet Estate – the forerunner
Zandvliet Estate is the direct descendant of the farm’s first vintage of Shiraz, made in 1975. The first release however only came the following year.

Back then, the variety was relatively unheard of for individual bottling. Most Shiraz was used in blends. The owners of the time knew their soils and that Shiraz would thrive.

Vines for this range are planted in a red weathered shale soil. It is rich in minerals, allowing the plants to grow and produce healthy bunches. Wines from these vineyards typically spend 20 to 24 months maturing in a 4000-litre foudre of French oak, with the quality of fruit providing a complex wine with a soft supple palate.

Zandlviet Estate Shiraz may be matured up to 20 years from vintage.

Kalkveld – the beacon

The Robertson Wine Valley has some of the very few concentrations of natural limestone (kalk in Afrikaans) in South Africa’s winelands. Even that concentration is limited to a few farms, and Zandvliet is one of them.

The Kalkveld range (literally translated as “limestone field”) hails from vineyards that grow on a hill that dominates the centre of the Zandvliet farm. The soils comprise a complex conglomerate of limestone, pebbles, and clay.

Further enhancing the character of its wines are the daily south-easterly breezes that serve to temper heat and ensure optimal, slow ripening of the fruit.

Its wines are refined and elegant with classic Shiraz characteristics. Like the Estate range, these wines continue to develop in bottle for up to two decades after vintage.

The Hill of Enon – the pinnacle

The Hill of Enon Shiraz gets its name from the geological formation created by the break-up of the Gondwana supercontinent of which Africa was once part. It is in these ancient soils that the vineyards for the Hill of Enon and Kalkveld wines grow.

The location is so defined on this part of the farm that it is preferred by colonies of termites. Where the Hill of Enon vineyards diverge from its companion range, are their location within the area. Hill of Enon grapes are harvested from vines whose roots are planted at the epicentre of termite mounds.

The 9.6 pH here is at its highest and nutrients are limited. The vines work hard and grow conservatively.

“We had noticed that this stress resulted in smaller berries, but they were much more intensely flavoured. We decided to harvest them separately and Hill of Enon was born,” says Jacques.

“The unique terroir produces extraordinarily small berries which ripen days before the main crop, so every year, about two weeks before the main harvest, we go out and do a small berry, hand-pick.”

Traditionally, the wines are made with 40% whole bunch natural fermentation with a daily punch down. After fermentation, a basket press is employed to gently drain the skins. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 18 months prior to release.

These excellent Shiraz wines may be tasted on the farm, located near the village of Ashton, off the R60. Zandvliet’s Kalkveld Lounge integrates contemporary décor with the farm’s proud heritage. It is open Monday to Saturday, from 10:00 to 15:00.

The Zandvliet Estate Shiraz retails for R150/bottle, the Kalkveld Shiraz for R280/bottle and the Hill of Enon for R525/bottle. Zandvliet wines may be ordered online, for door-to-door delivery.

For more information, contact zandvliet@vanloveren.co.za or visit www.zandvliet.co.za. Find and share your memories of the estate with ZandvlietWine on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and, as ZandvlietWines, on Pinterest.