2011 La Motte Shiraz
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Tasting notes
(includes 5% Grenache in this vintage, mostly from vines in Walker Bay and Franschhoek; picked early for lower alcohol and greater drinkability; aged in 30% new 300-liter barrels for 14 months): Bright medium red. Cherry, raspberry, strawberry, mulberry, licorice and aniseed on the nose, with only the faintest suggestion of pepper. A more fruity than peppery style of Syrah, offering a creamy texture from the sandy Franschhoek soil. Syrah in a light, polite style, finishing with a fine dusting of slightly dry tannins. This wine was labelled Shiraz prior to the 2011 vintage. Until 2000, this historic property worked entirely within Franchhoek, but they have recently expanded into Walker Bay and Elim--"in an ever more southerly direction," according to Terblanche. Except for the Chardonnay, these wines are blends of two or more regions.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2011 Shiraz is the first year under that name (it used to be “La Motte Shiraz," the grapes sourced from Franschhoek, Walker Bay and Elim, including 5% Grenache.) It sees 14 months in 300-liter French oak barrels of which 30% is new. It has a tightly controlled blackberry and blueberry-scented bouquet with touches of cracked black pepper and a hint of anise. The palate is medium-bodied with a sprinkle of white pepper on the entry, supple tannins and Provençal herbs (fennel and broom) toward the finish. This is a fine, mild-mannered Syrah.