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Minimalist Wines 'Stars in the Dark' Syrah, Cape Agulhas, South Africa 2025
Minimalist Wines 'Stars in the Dark' Syrah, Cape Agulhas, South Africa 2025
Fresh-faced winemaker, Sam Lambson, is one of an exciting band of young guns carrying South Africa’s ‘New Wave’ flag into a bright and beautiful future. It’s a revolution that started in the Swartland, but has now spread to all areas, in this case, the rugged coastal region of Elim, only a few miles from the most southerly tip of Africa (which isn’t the romantically-named ‘Cape of Good Hope’, but the more clunky-sounding ‘Cape Agulhas’).
This is the eighth vintage of this cult Syrah. Sam’s debut vintage was picked out by Jancis Robinson as one of her highlights at the most recent ‘SA New Wave’ tasting in London, describing it as “a dead ringer for a Côte Rôtie”, and it sold out within hours. It’s certainly modelled on the Northern Rhone with its 30% whole-bunch fermentation, giving classic aromas of blueberry and pepper, but there’s a local accent too, with smoked biltong and rooibos tea infusing the rich blackcurrant and damson fruit. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2038.

