Celebrating 50 Years Of The Fairview Label

Celebrating 50 Years Of The Fairview Label and a passion for Shiraz

Left to Right: Fairview 1974 Shiraz, the first wine bottled at Fairview and sold at the Cape’s first public auction held at Fairview in 1974; Cyril Back watching the auction proceedings and Beryl Back pouring the Fairview Shiraz for the auction buyers to taste.

And Introducing the New Cool Climate Fairview Single Vineyard Lanner Hill Syrah from the Darling Hills

It has been 50 years since Cyril Back bottled the first Shiraz under the Fairview label in 1974, together with Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage from grapes grown exclusively on the Fairview property. These fledgling Fairview wines were sold at the Cape’s first public wine auction, initiated by Cyril Back and hosted at Fairview in 1974. Since that time Fairview has experienced an extraordinary development from a family farm to a brand internationally known for its wine, cheese and tourism. Throughout all the exciting changes at Fairview over 50 years, one unwavering constant has been Fairview’s commitment to and passion for Shiraz, the backbone of the Fairview range of wines.

Shiraz has always been a flagship variety for Fairview, carrying with it a special heritage and significance. It is Fairview’s most planted varietal in terms of vineyard hectares. Fairview’s Shiraz wines and Shiraz-led red blends, featuring in almost all of their ranges, have led the way in racking up numerous prestigious wine awards, confirming Fairview’s position as a Shiraz-producing jewel in the Cape Winelands. Most recent awards include a Platter’s 2024 Five Stars and Wine of the Year award (in the Red Blends Shiraz/Syrah-based category) for the flagship Fairview Cyril Back 2020, and a Five Star accolade for the Fairview Caldera 2021 (a Shiraz-led Southern Rhône-style blend). At the other end of the price scale, the Fairview team were delighted when their Goats Do Roam Red 2021 (also a Shiraz-led Southern Rhône-style blend), retailing at only R73, received the joint highest score (94 points) in Winemag.co.za’s Prescient Signature Red Blends Report 2023.

Shiraz also happens to be cellarmaster Anthony De Jager’s favourite grape. “It is the diversity and versatility of Shiraz that excites me the most. Shiraz resonates a sense of place few varieties can match. Proudly owning vineyards in Paarl, Darling, Swartland and Stellenbosch, we also venture out further into the Western Cape’s wine regions, choosing to ‘go where the terroir is’, in a quest to discover more extraordinary vineyards to expand our wine offering. This exploration has given us access to an exciting range of climates, topography, soils and extraordinary Shiraz vineyards from which to forge our prized range of Single Vineyard Shirazes. Using only selected hand-picked and pressed grapes from older vineyards, the wines in the Single Vineyard range are terroir driven, each with their own unique story to tell, each expressing the uniqueness of their respective terroirs in terms of taste and flavour.”

Fairview cellarmaster Anthony de Jager

Always innovative and adventurous, Fairview was one of the first wine farms to pursue the single vineyard concept. The Fairview Single Vineyard Eenzaamheid Shiraz (from Paarl) and the Fairview Single Vineyard The Beacon Shiraz (from Swartland) both saw their debut in 2000. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first Fairview Shiraz and to further showcase the versatility of Shiraz, a third Single Vineyard Shiraz has been added to the Fairview Single Vineyard range, the new cool climate Lanner Hill Syrah from the Darling Hills.

Fairview’s Single Vineyard Shiraz range: The Beacon Shiraz from the Swartland, Eenzaamheid Shiraz from Paarl and the new Lanner Hill Syrah from the cool climate Darling Hills

Anthony continues, “Shiraz vineyards from ‘warmer’ areas like Paarl and Swartland, often tend to display riper dark berry fruit with a lush profile, however topography, soils, the vines themselves and vintage all play a significant role in determining flavour profiles. Shiraz vineyards from cool climate terroir like the Darling Hills however produce wines with elegance and gorgeous spice, bright red fruit notes and a leaner profile, reminiscent of the Northern Rhône style — thus the name Lanner Hill Syrah as opposed to Shiraz.”

“Fairview’s three Single Vineyard Shirazes, The Beacon, Eenzaamheid and the new Lanner Hill are all vintage 2021, but each offers its own genuine sense of place and identity, each sharing the most honest expression of the fruit of the vine. While The Beacon and the Eenzaamheid vineyards are dry-farmed vines of a similar age (planted in 1995 and 1996 respectively) only 5km apart, they are vastly different wines. The Beacon vineyard is all bush vines growing on an extreme site, an elevated north-west facing rocky outcrop of ancient metamorphic shale, confronting howling winds. The unirrigated bush vines have to battle through large, flat, grey shale stone, the roots clawing their way deep beneath the rock in search of moisture and nutrients. The bunches and berries are very small with intense concentration and depth, and the vines are pruned to bear a small crop, producing a brooding wine with gravitas, a wine of distinction. The Eenzaamheid vineyard however is immaculately trellised, and the rich red soils are deep and fertile with excellent water retention, allowing the unirrigated vines to easily ripen the crop without stressing during the hot, dry summers. The berries are bigger and offer sublime rich fruit concentration. The cool climate Lanner Hill vineyard is dryland trellised vines, growing in nutrient-rich oakleaf soils. The sea breeze off the nearby icy Atlantic Ocean cools down the fruit in the afternoon, allowing the grapes to ripen gradually and develop the distinct spicy character typical of the Darling Hills terroir.”

FAIRVIEW LANNER HILL SYRAH 2021

“We are very proud that Christian Eedes of Winemag.co.za has scored the Fairview Lanner Hill 2021 Shiraz 95 points, stating, ‘The Fairview cellar has long championed Syrah and the Lanner Hill 2021 is a cracker… The nose shows red and black berries, blood orange, violets, lavender and fynbos while the palate is succulent and fresh with fine tannins – plush and juicy on entry but ends wonderfully dry.’"

Fairview Lanner Hill 2021 Shiraz scored 95 points by Christian Eedes of Winemag.co.za

The name and the vineyard: Lanner falcons gracefully soar over Fairview’s parcel of land, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, located on the hilltops outside of the quaint town of Darling. The Back family has been farming here since the early 2000’s.

Winemaking: The grapes were picked between 22,5 and 23,5 degrees Balling to capture the cool climate and fresh style of the wine. Whole bunch clusters (20 %) — for increased freshness, mouthfeel, complexity and elegance — were placed at the bottom of a 50hl foudre (large open French oak fermenter), with the balance of the destemmed grapes added on top. Fermentation was allowed to start naturally with the indigenous yeast from the vineyard. Punch downs and pump overs took place three times daily for 10 days before pressing. Malolactic fermentation occurred in older French oak barrels. The wine spent a total of 18 months in oak before final barrel selection was made. The wine was bottled with minimal stabilisation and filtration.

Tasting notes: This wine is dark red in colour with a bright red rim in the glass, with a wonderfully aromatic nose displaying generous red berries, herbal notes of rosemary, lavender and typical hints of cracked black pepper. The palate is fresh with refined red fruit purity complemented by signature peppery spice and fine tannins. The wine is still firm and will age well.

Food recommendation: Enjoy with cheese, pâté, charcuterie and freshly baked bread, grilled lamb with herb sauce or spicy and earthy flavoured vegetable dishes.

FAIRVIEW THE BEACON SHIRAZ 2021

The name and the vineyard: The wine is named after the surveyor general’s trigonometric beacon 194 (at 33°44’ latitude 18°48’ longitude) which rises above the rocky outcrop, the highest in the area, where the vines grow. The Dreyer family, having owned this land since 1705, has intimate knowledge of dryland bush vine farming on extreme sites.

Winemaking: Grapes were harvested at 24,5 degrees Balling. The hand-harvested fruit was brought to the cellar early morning in small lug boxes. The berries were destalked and meticulously hand-sorted and sent straight to open French oak fermenters (foudres) where fermentation was allowed to start naturally. Manual punch downs and pump overs were performed up to three times daily. Post fermentation maceration lasted for two days. The wine was basket pressed, and malolactic fermentation was completed in French oak (35% new oak and the rest 2nd and 3rd fill barrels). This vintage spent a total of 18 months in oak before the final barrel selection was made. The wine was racked, allowed to settle naturally and then lightly filtered before bottling.

Tasting notes: This wine is an intense burgundy colour in the glass, with an elegant nose of dark plum and berries, salty liquorice, baking spices and pepper. The streamlined palate has gravitas with rich layers of pure dark fruit, charcuterie and dried olives. The palate displays a full and well-rounded mouthfeel with firm, powdery tannins. The structure promises good ageing potential of five to eight years.

Food recommendation: Enjoy this wine with grilled lamb, grass-fed beef or venison.

FAIRVIEW EENZAAMHEID SHIRAZ 2021

The name and the vineyard: In 1699, a certain Mr. Dippenauw was granted an enormous farm by his employer, the Dutch East India Company. On arrival, the newly-wed couple were so overwhelmed by the farm’s isolation from Cape Town that they named it ‘Eenzaamheid’, a Dutch word meaning solitude. Today Eenzaamheid is owned by Christo Briers-Louw, whose family has owned the land since 1775. Christo is a dedicated farmer with an intimate knowledge of the soils of Paarl.

Winemaking: The grapes were hand-picked at 25 degrees Balling. The fruit was brought to the cellar in small lug boxes, destalked and rigorously hand-sorted before being sent to open French oak fermenters (foudres). A combination of manual punch downs and pump overs took place during fermentation. The skins were basket pressed, and malolactic fermentation was completed in 25% new French barrels, with the remainder maturing in 2nd and 3rd fill barrels to respect the purity of the fruit. The wine spent a total of 18 months in oak before final barrel selection, light filtering and bottling.

Tasting notes: This wine displays a dense burgundy colour with layered aromas of plums and berries, fynbos perfume and cracked black pepper. The opulent and concentrated palate reveals an abundance of ripe dark and red fruit, pepper and cloves with grippy firm tannins and a long savoury finish. A particularly vintage specific wine, the 2021 is showing more spice than usual due to the cooler vintage. This wine has an aging potential of five to eight years.

Food recommendation: Enjoy with grilled beef, lamb chops with fennel relish, or paprika-roasted leg of lamb with Mediterranean sides.

PURCHASE: Fairview Single Vineyards Shirazes are available online at https://fairviewmarketplace.co.za/category/shop-red-wine

PRICE: R500 per bottle

MORE ABOUT FAIRVIEW

A pioneer throughout his career, Charles Back, third-generation owner, has built Fairview from a family farm to a brand internationally known for its wine, cheese and tourism. Experimental, adventurous and an outside-the-box thinker, Charles has never been satisfied with the ordinary, always looking for newer and better ways of doing things, always pushing boundaries. For 45 years Charles has marched to his own creative tune, achieving a long history of firsts for Fairview, building a legacy and playing a profound role in the wine industry. His legendary entrepreneurship and pioneering innovation have seen him become one of the most awarded winemakers in South Africa.

Charles Back, third-generation owner of Fairview

Situated on the slopes of the Paarl Mountain offering ever-growing visitor experiences and eponymous vistas over fields and vines to Table Mountain in the distance, Fairview is one of the most popular destinations in the Cape Winelands. Fairview is a working farm, housing a collection of micro-businesses all sharing in a common goal — to create artisanal and sustainable produce, with a focus on fine wine, artisanal cheese, free range meat, baked goods and also plant-based products.

Fairview offers eponymous vistas over fields and vines to Table Mountain in the distance

Fairview Wines: Led by cellarmaster Anthony de Jager, Fairview wines cover an extensive range of styles and price points, from crowd pleasers to serious, age-worthy reds, consistently over-delivering on quality.

Fairview Cheese: Home to Africa’s first goat’s cheese company, the Fairview Cheese Company has become every bit as successful as the wine side of the business. Creating over 50 different cow and goat's milk artisanal cheeses, Fairview is the biggest speciality cheese in the country.

Tasting Room: Fairview’s world-renowned tasting room consists of four unique custom-designed ‘pods’, offering a variety of wine tasting options expertly paired with selections of Fairview cow and goat’s milk cheeses, with dedicated hosts to guide and assist guests. In addition, the Master Tasting Room offers seated, tutored tastings in an exclusive, educational setting with Fairview’s finest wines carefully paired with Fairview cheese, freshly baked artisanal bread and farm-made olive oil.

Deli: The continually growing offering at the ever-popular Fairview Deli, located alongside the tasting room, brims with a diverse selection of homemade local products and sustainably farmed foods. The Fairview cheese is undoubtably the biggest drawcard, but there are layers of deliciousness to browse through including condiments, preserves and old-fashioned jams, free-range farm eggs, charcuterie, olive oils, yoghurt, freshly baked artisanal breads, buttery croissants and more. Latest additions include the Biltong Bar and the Farm Butchery housing Fairview’s fantastic farm-reared free-range Red Angus dry-aged steaks, boerewors and legendary burger patties. In addition, Fairview’s Plant-Based Range harnesses the power of plants in a selection of products loved by any foodie.

Goatshed Restaurant: The popular Goatshed, a country-style eatery where fresh and homemade is always better, aims to bring the paddock and the farm close to the table. As far as possible, the food served in the restaurant is grown, collected or made on the farm — from the artisanal baked bread, cheeses, eggs, jams and preserves to the lamb, beef and pork reared on Fairview’s pastures. The Goatshed reflects the holistic Fairview experience, bringing together everything on the farm.

Goat Tower: Rising above the Goatshed Restaurant stands the Fairview Goat Tower, a Cape Winelands icon. Adored by children and adults alike, it has been home, to Fairview’s beloved furry mascots since 1981.

Fairvalley Wines: Charles Back is not only a trailblazer in the wine and cheese industries and an agri-tourism pioneer; he is also a highly respected philanthropist. Always an advocate for social development in the Cape, he founded one of the most successful black empowerment labels, Fairvalley Wines.