Description
RED CELLAR TRIO WINE CLUB SELECTION
The de Villiers family has a long history in the South African wine industry. The French Huguenot, Jacob de Villiers, bought the Boschendal wine estate, between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, after immigrating to the Cape of Good Hope in 1688. Fast-forward to 2000, Gerard de Villiers, a direct descendant of Jacob, and his wife, Libby, renamed the estate to Kleinood—an Afrikaans word from Dutch and German origin meaning ‘something small and precious’. They decided which varietals to plant after several years of careful analysis of soil types and climatic conditions on the farm, deciding on Syrah, Mourvèdre and Viognier; and in addition to their estate wines, also make De Boerin virgin olive oil.
The Kleinood team has worked diligently to establish a fully sustainable ecosystem in their vineyards. All the prunings are mulched and composted together with crushed grape skins and stems as well as all compostable materials from the gardens. The resulting compost is transferred straight back into the vineyards, orchards and gardens. This practice reduces the need for fungicides and pesticides. Traffic in the vineyards is also reduced to an absolute minimum, thus keeping the soil loose and healthy.
Their flagship wine, the Tamboerskloof Syrah, was named after the Cape Town suburb where Gerard, Libby and their two children lived for 25 years; and translates to the valley (kloof) of the drums (tamboer). Comprised of 96% Syrah, 3% Mourvèdre and 1% Viognier. The grapes from each lot were managed, harvested, crushed, fermented and matured separately in 300L and 500L French oak barrels (15% first fill and the remainder in older barrels). After 18 months aging, the final blend was carefully constructed prior to bottling.
Intensely perfumed with scents of blackberry and bramble, with freshly crushed black pepper and licorice. The palate is fruit-forward and displays flavors of dark plum, blackberry compote and a touch of mocha. Pleasantly weighted, with fine-grained tannins supporting a lengthy, juicy and spicy finish.
