Thelema Shiraz 2021

Aromatic and expressive, the 2021 vintage opens with notes of black pepper, ripe plum, and dark berries. Layers of mulberry and subtle oak spice follow on the nose. The palate is supple and refined, with well-integrated tannins and a savoury edge that lingers on the finish. A well-balanced and versatile wine with great depth and drinkability.

FOOD PAIRING Grilled meats, meaty casseroles and mature cheeses.

VITICULTURAL PRACTICES Varietal Shiraz, clone SH99/SH9C/SH1A/SH22 Root stock 101 – 14, R110

SOIL TYPE Hutton – decomposed granite

AGE OF VINES Planted 2000 & 2001 Plant density 2300 – 3200 vines per hectare

Trellising VSP & Guyot Pruning 2-bud spurs every 12cm & Cane pruning. Yield 9.0 t/ha Irrigation Supplementary drip Vintage A warm, dry vintage with a late start, resulted in smaller tonnage but yielding balanced, well-structured wines with lovely intensity.

Picking dates 09 March - 30 March 2021

Grape sugar 23.2 - 25°B Acidity 5.0 - 5.2 g/l pH at harvest 3.3 - 3.7

WINEMAKING PRACTICES Yeasts Enoferm Syrah / Alchemy 4 Fermentation temp 26 - 27 °C Method: The grapes were gently de-stemmed, retaining as many whole berries as possible, before passing over an additional vibrating table to remove all MOG (matter other than grapes), after which a displacement pump takes the fruit to its fermentation tank. The tanks are then inoculated with a specific commercial yeast strain, this way insuring the development of the perfect flavour profile. Fermentation is done in stainless steel fermenters, and a combination of aerative pump overs and punch down techniques are used to ensure optimal colour, tannin and flavour extraction. 10% Whole bunches added to the ferment. Once fermentation is complete the wine is drained off the skins and moved to a holding tank to be barrelled down. Malolactic fermentation takes place in the barrels.

Wood Maturation 18 months in barrel, 15% new French and the balance in older barrels.

WINE DETAILS Residual sugar 1.7 g/l pH 3.53 Total acid 5.4 g/l Alcohol 14% by volume