Description
Aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, 50% new, this Syrah has a light, bright red color. The nose is wonderfully perfumed with lavender and white pepper spice, complemented by dark, sultry berries and swirls of strawberry cream that add richness. The palate offers a chalky texture with a dense, juicy core of pure fruit—blueberries, raspberries, and a hint of cherry. Fresh and vibrant, it also has herbal notes of oregano and bay, with beautifully silky, balanced tannins.
Food Pairing: Pairs well with bolder, strongly flavored foods such as slow-roasted pork, steak with blue cheese sauce, hard cheese, beef, charcuterie, and pork.
Reviews
Greg Sherwood 94
Colour: Light Bright Red. Nose: Lovely and perfumed with lavender and white pepper spice sprinkled over lusciously dark, sultry berries. Swirls of strawberry cream add delectable richness. Palate: Chalky on the palate with dense, juicy core of pure fruit – blueberries, raspberries and a hint of cherry. Fresh and alive with herbal notes of oregano and bay and beautifully silky, balanced tannins. [Greg Sherwood, 01/01/2023]
Tim Atkin 93
[Tim Atkin, 01/01/2023]
Producer Profile
Given owner Toby Venter’s assumed need for speed, as CEO of LSM Distributors, responsible for Porsche and Lamborghini in South Africa, as well as the owners of Kyalami race track, his purchase of Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards in 2013, up against the slopes of the Helderberg seems in direct contrast to this high octane lifestyle.
Everything in wine is time. Uva Mira is named for a famous star in the constellation of Cetus (a Greek sea monster who was offered the princess Andromeda to appease Poseidon but was slain by Perseus either by sword or using Medusa’s head which turned him to stone – the details are complicated and murky). The giant red star named ‘the wonderful’ or ‘Mira’ in Latin undergoes a 332-day cycle of fading into obscurity, becoming bright, and then fading again (over almost a year), drawing parallels between winemaking and stargazing. The patience inherent to growing grapes, understanding the terroir, blending, and maturation, the once-a-year opportunity to harvest, and the celebration once you can taste the literal fruits of your labour – explains the name Uva Mira, Latin meaning The Wonderful Grape.
