Kleine Zalze has solidified its reputation as one of the Cape’s most multifaceted and esteemed wineries by recently securing the prestigious Shiraz Top 12 accolade. The Klein Zalze Family Reserve Shiraz 2019, hailing from the Stellenbosch estate, has proudly joined the ranks of the top twelve Shiraz wines in the country. This accomplishment comes on the heels of Klein Zalze’s recent triumphs in various competitions, where its diverse range of varietal wines and wine styles, encompassing Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cap Classique, have been lauded.
RJ Botha, the winemaker at Kleine Zalze, attributes the winery’s remarkable success in amassing accolades to their cellar team’s access to vineyards that authentically express the unique terroir suitable for each grape variety. Additionally, they grant individual attention and vision to each variety and wine style.
Botha elucidates, “The Family Reserve Shiraz 2019, which has earned this year’s Top 12 distinction, is crafted to encapsulate optimal varietal character and exceptional quality while maintaining an immediate appeal for consumers. We are a winery that produces exquisite wines on a significant scale, and while awards are valued, our primary focus is on consumer satisfaction and loyalty.”
The grapes for the Family Reserve Shiraz 2019 were meticulously sourced from vineyards located in central Stellenbosch, the Helderberg region, and the nearby Faure region, in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean at False Bay.
“The 2019 vintage yielded a smaller crop due to the recovery process from the previous year’s drought, and the soil remained dry,” notes Botha. “Fluctuating temperatures during late winter and spring led to uneven bud-break and ripening. We faced the challenge of removing underripe berries and selecting only the fully ripe ones. Shiraz demands consistent ripeness across the entire batch.”
The grapes were hand-harvested in the early morning, destemmed, and sorted before being gently transferred to stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Botha explains, “In the cellar, we pursued a flexible winemaking approach that aimed to strike a delicate balance between showcasing fruit expression and achieving the refined elegance that distinguishes exceptional Shiraz from mediocre ones.” This approach involved incorporating certain elements of whole-bunch pressing and introducing ripe stems in specific batches to enhance the sought-after peppery aromas while enhancing the wine’s finer fruit and floral notes.
“The resulting Shiraz boasts an impressive structural profile, which was achieved through a combination of open and closed pump-overs, meticulously managed to achieve the utmost precision in balance,” states Botha.
The maturation process extended for an average of 20 months in 65% new French oak barrels, contributing to the wine’s complexity and depth.
