Luddite Shiraz 2014

No holds barred.

Niels Verburg, winemaker at Bot River property Luddite, relates that though his Shiraz has been nominated for 5 Stars in Platter’s every vintage since the maiden 2000, it has taken until the current 2014 for him to earn the guide’s ultimate accolade.

The house style is now well-established – these wines are all about power and the 2014 is very much in that vein. Matured for 24 months in 95% French and 5% Hungarian oak, of which 20% was new, the wine has an alcohol by volume of 14.8%. For the first time, Verburg opted to incorporate 10% whole-bunch fermentation which seems to have worked well. The nose shows red and black fruit, fynbos plus white pepper and spice while the palate is very rich with big, bouncy fruit, moderate acidity and fine tannins. It’s a very likeable, if potent, drop. Wine Cellar price: R560 a bottle.

Editor’s rating: 93/100.

Find our South African wine ratings database here.