Allée Bleue Black Series SV Syrah 2022

Allée Bleue Wine Estate lies in the Franschhoek Valley, where the surrounding mountains create a distinctive growing environment for red varieties such as Syrah. The estate combines its historic Cape heritage with a modern, vineyard-focused approach, and the Black Series represents its more limited, site-driven wines. The Black Series Single Vineyard Syrah 2022 comes from a single vineyard and reflects Allée Bleue's focus on letting the vineyard provide the foundation for the wine. In the cellar, the fruit undergoes a five-day cold soak followed by fermentation and extended skin contact. After malolactic fermentation in barrel, the winemaker selects the six best barrels, with 80% new French oak, before 16 months' maturation. The wine is bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Colour: Deep, opaque ruby with a youthful purple hue.
Nose: Brooding and expressive, with ripe plum and dark berry fruit leading into characteristic white pepper and violet aromas. Cinnamon, subtle liquorice and gentle spice add depth and complexity.
Palate: Full-bodied and richly textured, with ripe plum and dark fruit carried by a soft, velvety palate. The wine has a generous concentration but retains an elegant feel, with fine tannins providing shape. White pepper and warm spice follow through from the nose, while the French oak contributes depth and subtle savoury complexity rather than dominating the fruit. Independent tasting notes also describe the wine as intense and powerful, with notably smooth tannins and restrained oak.
Finish: Long and gently warming, with ripe plum, pepper, spice and liquorice lingering alongside soft, polished tannins.