Richard Kershaw GPS Klein River Syrah 2017

Richard Kershaw is a British Master of Wine based in Elgin, one of South Africa's coolest wine regions, and this GPS Syrah is a single-ward bottling from Klein River. Elgin sits at altitude near the south coast, where ocean influence and elevation give a long, cool growing season that ripens Syrah slowly and preserves acidity and aromatic detail. Kershaw works with clonal precision and parcel selection, an approach that shows in the wine's freshness and definition. After fermentation it is aged 16 months in French oak barrels, where measured oxygen exchange firms the tannins and adds a light smoky spice that frames the fruit. The colour is a medium ruby. The nose is complex, leading with red cherry and raspberry, black and white pepper, dried herbs and a savoury, smoky note. The palate is medium bodied and precise, with fine grained tannins, fresh acidity and a long peppery, herbal finish that marks the cool-climate origin. This is a Syrah built on detail rather than weight, closer to the northern Rhône than the warm New World. Serve at 16 degrees, decant briefly, and pair with grilled lamb, beef or game.