Popped into Waitrose yesterday and came away with some wine from their 25% off six promotion, which has a couple of days still to run. One of the wines I bought was this lovely South African Syrah, from TMV who I visited last November. It’s a wine that’s drinking beautifully now.
TMV Swartland Syrah 2006 Swartland, South Africa
14% alcohol. A wine in a beautiful place. Lovely aromatic, floral, meaty, blackberry and spice nose. The palate is ripe but fresh with lovely dark cherry, plum and blackberry fruit, as well as notes of meat, spice, olives and minerals. Quite old world in style and lovely. 92/100 (£12.99 Waitrose)
I find it interesting that such a wine, esp if “old-world” in style, should be drinking well now (and presumably therefore not one for long keeping?) Surely few people would think of drinking a good N Rhône wine at 4 years?
when my mixed case turned up i found a 2007 inside. should i wait?
Yes, a really good wine. Had it alongside the 2005 a few months ago (and Chris Mullineux was with us) and it was the better wine.
Mark, I think you could keep it longer, but it’s an approachable old world style, I suppose.
Steve, if you have just one bottle, wait, but it’s drinking OK now
Alex, Chris made this, didn’t he? It’s developing very nicely.
Thanks, Jamie. Think I have some of this, tho I have to admit I’m not quite sure exactly which TMV Syrahs I have!
TMV had a new winemaker from 2007, so it was probably the last one that Chris made. Should keep for a few more years, I guess.
I think Chris wasn’t involved with the 2006. My memory is that his last vintage was 2005. Maybe Keith can confirm?