Bellingham Wines Bernard Series Basket Press Syrah2020

The Bernard Series is a tribute to thedetermination and maverick spirit of Bellinghams co-founder Bernard Podlashuk. Celebrates as a trail-blazing visionary, thelegend of Bernards tenacity and innovative flair lives on through The Bernard Series range of hand-crafted wines, each with a stamp of unmistakable site-specificity and individuality.

Grape Varietals & Region: 100% Syrah. The grapes come from high-lyingvineyardblocks yielding 4-8 tons per hectare. The trellised vines grow on deep well-drained soils of decomposed granite.

Taste Profile:Bellingham Bernard SeriesBasket Press Syrah is a powerful aromatic wine that is assertive yet delicate and refined. The nose has tinges of subtle violet and dried indigenous fynbos floral aromas that lead into the palate. Ample cracked black and white pepper spice, hints of rich dark chocolate over a raspberry and blackberry foundation. A generously structured wine with ripe tannins that promises further integration and complexity.

Winemaking Process: Harvesting the fruit by hand in mid-season at perfect ripeness.Bunch and berry selection on arrival at the cellar, beforecrushing and fermentation. Natural fermentation in open 500 L French oak barrels before a gentle pressing in a basket press. The young winereturns to the French oakbarriques to completemalolactic fermentation. Following this is 12 months maturation in French oak barriques before bottling.

Ageing potential: Drink now orwill age beautiful with cellaring up to10 years.