Tom Syrah 2021

Description

Bottling date  3 Feb 2022
Production  1470 bottles

Technical Details at Bottling
Alcohol 13.5%
Residual sugar 2.81 g/L
Total acidity  4.95
pH 3.69

Winemaking
Grapes were hand picked on the 24th^th February 2021, 2 weeks later than 2020. These arrived in Johannesburg 48 hours later in via a cold truck (5 degrees celsius). Grapes were hand sorted, lightly crushed and de-stemmed into 1,000L plastic tanks. Spontaneous fermentation started within a day. Only natural/wild yeasts were employed and manual punch-downs two or three times daily throughout as required. 25% to 45% whole bunches were used, MLF mostly occurred simultaneously.

The wines were pressed by basket press at the end of fermentation and laid down in mainly older French oak barrels. The wine was racked mid-winter and again just prior to bottling nearly 12 months later. 

2021 harvest – Generally considered a very good quality vintage. Following on from 4 or 5 years of very hot weather, rainfall and temperatures were back to ‘normal’ levels.

Tasting Notes
A classic Swartland Syrah full of rosemary, white pepper and cherries layered on firm but elegant tannins.

Vineyard

This Syrah is from two different blocks on one Swartland farm.  The primary block used in Tom was planted in 1994 and is north-easterly facing.  Soils are mainly “Koiingklip’ shale and decomposed granite with low to medium potential and poor water holding capacity.

The second has a gentle slope with a slight south facing aspect. These bush vines were planted in 2009 on “Koffieklip” soil which is predominantly clay meaning that it holds more water and ripens fruit earlier. Dry land farming is employed in both blocks. Yield is approximately 7 tons/Ha.