Lismore Chardonnay Estate Reserve 2021

Lismore Chardonnay made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

This very special Chardonnay was made in the style of a traditional Burgundian Chablis. It shows intense citrus and soft fruit layered with brioche, honey and walnut carried by a distinct minerality and crisp acidity with a lingering citrus finish.

Wine Made in the Soil

The vineyards are planted in decomposed shale over clay at 300 meters in the foothills of the Sonderend Mountain Range. A low mean February temperature lends to an extended ripening period that can put harvest 3-4 weeks later than traditional wine growing regions in South Africa. The intense citrus notes and the lingering finish are consistent trademarks of Lismore's specific terroir. The restrained minerality of the Chardonnay is a clear indication of the cool climate in which it is grown.

Wine of Origin "Greyton" has been designated by SAWIS recognizing the special terrior of this region.

Delightful with warm curries which lift the aromatics or a traditional pairing of smoked salmon highlighting the fresh acidity.

Review:

-James Suckling 93 Points

Lismore Estate Syrah is made from 100 percent Syrah.

A careful selection of the best of the vintage that exemplifies the extraordinary terroir of Lismore.

An exotic experience which shifts your mind to another place. Cassis, brambles and succulent cherry. White pepper, classic garrigue and the strong floral perfume of crushed violets. Light and elegant, but structured with a fresh acidity. To experience the best this wine has to offer, decanting is suggested.

The grapes were fermented 40% whole bunch in a 5000 litre wooden fermenter with gentle pigeage throughout. The process allowed for a long extraction period which lends to the fruit expression of this wine. The wine was left for a 30 day extended maceration on the skins and then pressed in a traditional baskets press. Matured in 500 litre barrels for 10 months (35% new). Time in the bottle will allow integration, the deepening of layers and full expression of the fruit.

 

 

Review:

-Robert Parker 96 Points

-Antonio Galloni 94 Points

-James Suckling 92 Points

-Tim Atkin 95 Points

Lismore Estate Syrah is made from 100 percent Syrah.

A careful selection of the best of the vintage that exemplifies the extraordinary terroir of Lismore.

An exotic experience which shifts your mind to another place. Cassis, brambles and succulent cherry. White pepper, classic garrigue and the strong floral perfume of crushed violets. Light and elegant, but structured with a fresh acidity. To experience the best this wine has to offer, decanting is suggested.

The grapes were fermented 40% whole bunch in a 5000 litre wooden fermenter with gentle pigeage throughout. The process allowed for a long extraction period which lends to the fruit expression of this wine. The wine was left for a 30 day extended maceration on the skins and then pressed in a traditional baskets press. Matured in 500 litre barrels for 10 months (35% new). Time in the bottle will allow integration, the deepening of layers and full expression of the fruit.

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Review:

Bursting with purple flowers and savory, spicy notes, the 2022 Estate Reserve Syrah was made with 50% whole-cluster fruit, offering a crunchy, red-fruited nose that pops with delightful tertiary expressions of turned earth and pencil lead. Light to medium-bodied and with 12% alcohol, the wine compresses slightly to show an earthy, graphite edge on the palate while slightly stemmy notes sway with fine-grained tannins across the mid-palate. Flavors of potpourri with spiced cherry skin somersault with red and purple flower essences before finishing with hints of pink peppercorn over the elegant and elongated finish. Just under 5,000 bottles were produced after the wine spent 11 months in 25% new oak barrels.

-Wine Advocate 96 Points

"The 2022 Syrah Estate Reserve was dry-farmed on steep shale slopes with long hang-time on the vine. This vintage includes 50% whole bunch and aged in 500- and 700-liter barrels. It has an intense nose with black cherry, raspberry, Provençal herbs and wild thyme. The harmonious palate has a slightly powdery texture and wonderful backbone, reminiscent of a Côte-Rôtie, with white pepper and subtle fennel notes toward the nish. It feels quite linear at the moment, perhaps holding something back for later? Fabulous. - Neal Martin" - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (August 2024), 95 pts "Dominated by grapes from Elgin, with a smaller Stanford component, this is the sort of Syrah that you want to drink by the bottle. Fifty per cent whole bunches add some perfume and texture to a palate of subtle vanilla spice from 15% new oak and layers of white pepper, bramble, liquorice and red cherry. 2025-30" - Tim Atkin (SA Special Report 2024), 93 pts "In a tricky stage when I tasted it twice in the Cape, this needs more time in bottle to show at its best. Aromas of earth, beetroot, fynbos and blood usher you into a palate that's dense, compact and firm, with muscular tannins, redcurrant and damson fruit, plenty of acidity and minerality and well-integrated oak. 2025-30"

-Tim Atkin 94 Points

"The 2022 Syrah comes from a selection of vineyards, mostly from Elgin but with some fruit from Stanford. It includes 50% whole cluster and was aged in large oak barrels. This has an open, complex bouquet with red cherries, bergamot and light ferrous scents, gaining mineralité in the glass. Hints of violet emerge with time. Fresh and saline, the palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, revealing a dash of white pepper and clove toward the precise finish. Superb. - Neal Martin" - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (August 2024), 94 pts

Lismore Estate Reserve Viognier is made from 100 percent Viognier. 

This a Greyton WO.

Balance is the key to this wine. Viognier is an aromatic and generous varietal, it benefits from barrel maturation and lees contact with a fuller mouth feel and increased texture. This combined with the firm acid backbone and intense fruit will allow this wine to integrate beautifully and gain further complexity over the next 3-5 years.

Rich, lush and decadent. Viognier is a gorgeous variety. Honeysuckle, peaches and dried apricot with a lingering citrus finish. A clean fresh acidity supports the extravagance of the nose and the palate.

Viognier, a traditional Rhone variety is perfectly suited to Lismore’s cool-climate terrior. The vineyard block is on decomposed shale and one of the healthiest and well balanced on the farm. The entire team looks forward to the Viognier harvest and the beautiful amber tinged berries.

The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness and whole bunch pressed, slowly extracting the juice at a rate of 500ltrs per ton. The juice was settled for 48 hours and was racked into burgundian barriques (1st fill) for fermentation and maturation. The wine was left on the lees with regular “batonnage” for 11 months.

 Lighter styles are often paired with curries and the like. This Viognier is different. We recommend medium bodied meals that are intense and complex. For example:

- Sesame encrusted tuna marinated in a blend of orange, lemon and lime juice spiced with sesame oil and balsamic vinegar – seared on a wood fired grill and served with griddled vegetables, or
- Free range duck breast smoked with Darjeeling tea and coriander leaves. Set on a cinnamon poached pear glazed with a gooseberry jus.
In both of these dishes, the fruit and floral aspects of the wine are complimented by the exotic and aromatic elements in the dish which are also highlighted by the spiciness from the oak fermentation; the fresh acidity freshens the palate, and yet the Lismore Viognier has the body to hold up against the weight of the duck or the tuna. It is also gorgeous with a well laid cheese platter.

 

 

Review:

-Robert Parker 97 Points

Lismore Estate Reserve Viognier is made from 100 percent Viognier. 

This a Greyton WO.

Balance is the key to this wine. Viognier is an aromatic and generous varietal, it benefits from barrel maturation and lees contact with a fuller mouth feel and increased texture. This combined with the firm acid backbone and intense fruit will allow this wine to integrate beautifully and gain further complexity over the next 3-5 years.

Rich, lush and decadent. Viognier is a gorgeous variety. Honeysuckle, peaches and dried apricot with a lingering citrus finish. A clean fresh acidity supports the extravagance of the nose and the palate.

Viognier, a traditional Rhone variety is perfectly suited to Lismore’s cool-climate terrior. The vineyard block is on decomposed shale and one of the healthiest and well balanced on the farm. The entire team looks forward to the Viognier harvest and the beautiful amber tinged berries.

The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness and whole bunch pressed, slowly extracting the juice at a rate of 500ltrs per ton. The juice was settled for 48 hours and was racked into burgundian barriques (1st fill) for fermentation and maturation. The wine was left on the lees with regular “batonnage” for 11 months.

 Lighter styles are often paired with curries and the like. This Viognier is different. We recommend medium bodied meals that are intense and complex. For example:

- Sesame encrusted tuna marinated in a blend of orange, lemon and lime juice spiced with sesame oil and balsamic vinegar – seared on a wood fired grill and served with griddled vegetables, or
- Free range duck breast smoked with Darjeeling tea and coriander leaves. Set on a cinnamon poached pear glazed with a gooseberry jus.
In both of these dishes, the fruit and floral aspects of the wine are complimented by the exotic and aromatic elements in the dish which are also highlighted by the spiciness from the oak fermentation; the fresh acidity freshens the palate, and yet the Lismore Viognier has the body to hold up against the weight of the duck or the tuna. It is also gorgeous with a well laid cheese platter.

Review:

-Tim Atkin 95 Points

-Tim Atkin 96 Points

Reynvaan Foothills Reserve Estate Syrah 2021 is made from 100% Syrah.

Reynvaan Family Vineyards was founded in 2004 by Mike and Gale Reynvaan in Washington’s Walla Walla Valley, with son Matt Reynvaan as winemaker, and has become one of the most sought-after names in the state for its Rhône-inspired, estate-grown reds. The Foothills Reserve is a barrel selection from the family’s high-elevation Foothills in the Sun Vineyard, planted in 2008 on loess soils over deep basalt in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.

Walla Walla Valley Syrah is prized for two very different terroirs: the basalt-cobblestone Rocks District, known for savory, meaty, olive-and-mineral character, and the wind-swept loess hillsides that lend structure, freshness and lift. The Foothills site sits among the latter, giving a Syrah of both power and energy.

Review:
A total masterclass, the 2021 ‘Foothills Reserve’ is a barrel selection wine that comes from the Reynvaan’s high elevation estate Foothills In The Sun Vineyard. The site is set on Loess soils with deep basalt deposits and I have been writing about the potential of this site for more than a decade. Today, wines from this high-elevation location are every bit as good as those from their Rocks District vineyard. Hoisin sauce, beef drippings, menthol, and shades of wild blackberry all combine on the nose. The palate is utterly seamless with serious tension, weight and mouth-watering acidity. It offers La Landonne levels of flavor complexity, yielding blood orange zest notes alongside red cherry candy, cigar ash, wet stone and pipe tobacco that all brilliantly meld together on the palate. Showing seriously good flavor and aromatic range, enjoy this simply stunning Syrah now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2023-2037.
Owen Bargreen, 99 points

Review:

-Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points

-Wine Enthusiast 97 Points

-Eric Guido (Vinous) 96 Points

-James Suckling 95 Points