Hartenberg Shiraz 2017 (Older Vintage)

Hartenberg Estate, situated in the Bottelary Hills of Stellenbosch, has been producing Shiraz since 1968. The variety is central to the estate's identity, and decades of experience have helped establish Hartenberg as one of South Africa's recognised Shiraz producers. The estate's gravelly soils, locally known as koffieklip, are particularly well suited to Shiraz, encouraging concentrated fruit and wines with structure and savoury complexity. The 2017 vintage benefited from a strong growing season, producing grapes with depth and intensity. Hartenberg Shiraz 2017 was matured for 19 months in French oak barrels, using 40% new oak and 60% second-fill barrels. This combination contributes spice and texture while allowing the wine's dark fruit and savoury character to remain at the forefront. Now an older vintage, this Stellenbosch Shiraz offers an opportunity to explore how ripe fruit, oak and firm tannins develop with time in bottle, gaining more savoury and earthy nuances as the wine evolves.

Colour: Deep ruby red, potentially showing garnet hues at the rim as the wine develops with age.
Nose: Dark berries and blackcurrant lead, with notes of violet, smoke and forest floor. As the wine opens, savoury hints of herbs, spice and earth may emerge.
Palate: Medium to full-bodied, with concentrated dark fruit and a distinctly savoury character. Firm, fine-grained tannins provide structure, while notes of blackberry, cassis and gentle spice are complemented by hints of smoke and earth. With bottle age, the fruit may become more integrated and tertiary flavours more pronounced, depending on storage and bottle condition.
Finish: Long and savoury, with lingering dark fruit, subtle spice and earthy complexity.