Bellingham The Bernard Series Basket Press Syrah 2015

Drink it now or cellar for up to 20 years. It is recommended to decant it for an hour.

Bernard Podlashuk and his wife Fredagh bought the Bellingham estate at the end of the Second World War. At the time the estate was in a state of neglect and so the Podlashuks restored the manor house and the old cellar with a team of Italian prisoners of war. Although Bernard had no experience in winemaking, his bold and maverick ideas helped shape the history of South African wine, resulting in him being the first to produce a single varietal Shiraz in South Africa. His Almeida Rosé and Premier Grand Cru are legendary wines.

Bellingham The Bernard Series Basket Press Syrah is a tribute to the founder of Bellingham, Bernard Podlashuk. The grapes were selected and harvested by hand from two vineyards located on deep, well-drained shale soils covered with decomposed granite. The wine, which also contains a very small percentage of Viognier, is aged in French oak barrels for 12 months.

Its color is dense and with a plum tone and ruby reflections on the edges. On the nose, the wine smells of berries such as blackberries and mulberries, with notes of black cherries and dark chocolate and delicate spicy notes. On the palate, the wine is juicy and rich with intense fruit flavors and velvety tannins. The finish is persistent and recalls notes of chocolate. It goes very well with Tandoori chicken, steak, and rich vegetarian preparations.