Bright, lifted, and articulate, the 2024 Ceres Plateau Syrah is the most vibrant and light-stepping of the collection.
This vineyard is planted into the Bokkeveld shale soils of the Witzenberg mountain range, atop the Ceres Plateau. Situated in one of South Africa’s most elevated growing regions, the site sits at over 1000m above sea level and presents all the textbook extremes of high-altitude viticulture. In winter, the vineyard is often blanketed in snow, while a dramatic diurnal shift slows ripening. It is invariably the final Syrah block we harvest each year.
Tasting Notes: Bright, lifted, and articulate, the 2024 Ceres Plateau Syrah is the most vibrant and light-stepping of the collection. The nose reveals blood orange pith, white pepper, and a precise lift of lavender. On the palate, sour cherry, raspberry sherbet, and blood orange meet sweeter blackberry and a clear river-stone texture. High-toned acidity and finer tannins give the wine an elegantly tailored profile: dynamic, extroverted, and finely drawn.
‘The 2024 Syrah Ceres Plateau comes from Bokkeveld shale soils with 60% whole cluster and matured for 11 months in 2,000-litre Austrian oak. This has a lifted and expressive bouquet with white pepper and clove infusing the black fruit, a little Cornas-like in style. There is a "coolness" about these aromatics. The palate is very pure with a slightly grainy texture, black fruit again laced with graphite and white pepper notes. Reserved, linear and focused, this is a Syrah that is calling out to be matched with food on the dinner table. Very precise and persistent on the finish. Excellent. 2027-2044’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 94/100
ANALYSIS: ALC 12.86% | TA 5.7g/l | pH 3.46 | RS 1.8g/l
