PROTEA SHIRAZ 2024

Appealing fruitcake aromas and flavours with traces of both spice and gentle floral notes. A warm, rounded, comforting texture marks the first impression of the wine in the mouth. Ripe, fruity and succulent with ample berry and black cherry flavours that are well supported by appropriate, rather than stern or overbearing, dominant oak. Spice and cedar nuances can also be found but it’s the mouthfeel and texture of the wine that really boosts its appeal. It’s approachable and affable but with good backbone and character. Length and poise too. Comfortably a wine that over delivers in many aspects.

Citrus and stonefruit with honeydew melon aromas. Gently ripe and rounded, the palate is broad and appealing with its melon, lemon and grapefruit zest countered by the vivd stone fruit flavours. Nimble and vivacious with crisp, tangy acid to balance the fruit vibrancy. Light-bodied and fun, it’s easy to enjoy but not without a serious side, as evidenced by the lees note and subtle flinty, almost mineral, tail.

A nettle and herbaceous element support the more typical grapefruit aromatics of this wine. Lively, tangy, bright and zingy, its vivacious nature is immediately obvious. After that first impression, the taut succulence and zip of lemon and grapefruit flavour come through. Agile with a lean, willowy structure, there is a wet pebble and flint nuance that adds to its outgoing character. An obvious crowd pleaser, it is nonetheless balanced and fresh with a taut, well-defined finish.

Appealing cherry and spice with light tendrils of smoke on the bouquet. The palate delivers more of the cherry typicity, dark and inviting, with inky depth offset by succulence. Composed and balanced with that lively acid freshness, generous fruit flavour and structure adding to its appeal. Pliable and supple, it has well integrated fine dry tannins in support. Long and rewarding.