Steenberg Shiraz 15% (2008)

Steenberg shiraz, Premium Shiraz, has a deep purplish red color, the taste is strong with ripe softness and soft tannins, the final bouquet is fruity, spiced with the distinguished touch of oak.

The wine is a good companion for red meat, barbecue dishes, veal, lamb, pig and mature cheese.

Serving temperature 16-18°C.

The Steenberg Shiraz vinification is traditional, but a little special. The grapes are de-stemmed and gently pressed. A smaller quantity of the must with skins is placed in a 225 liter oak cask with the lid removed. The cap, the skins are rotated by hand until the must has achieved its beautiful red color. Before the malolactic fermentation, the two batches of wine are mixed. The wine is then aged for 12 months, 60% in new French and 40% new American 225 liter oak barrels. When the aging is over, the wine is bottled.

In 1990, the house Steenberg was taken over by Johannesburg Consolidated Investments, who immediately began the restoration of vineyards and houses, so that the farm today appears as a model farm.

Steenberg is the oldest winery in the picturesque Constantia Valley, considered to be South Africa's best wine region. The company was founded in 1682 and started viticulture in 1695. The lands were originally given to the eponymous widow, Catharina Ras, who had immigrated from Lübeck.

The vineyards are located on south-east facing slopes towards the cool Atlantic Ocean. The mild climate with cool winds from the sea, the sure winter rain and the sun provide the best growing conditions for the vines. The rain that falls during the winter means that irrigation in the Constantia Valley is only used sparingly during particularly dry periods.

The Shiraz grapes for Steenbergs Premium come from an area on the property where the soils are cool. The area was classified as Premium land several hundred years ago. At harvest, the Shiraz grapes are fully ripe, healthy and of high quality.