Highlights: Savage Wines Thief in the Night 2017
Duncan Savage is well recognized as one of the unofficial/official leaders of the Zoo Cru, a collective of like-minded winemakers focusing on wines of place. He seeks and sources sustainably-farmed cool climate vineyards from across the Cape for his low-interventionist, namesake wines. From the isolated, steep Piekenierskloof, this blend of Grenache (from Soldaart vineyard), Cinsault, and Syrah was 70% whole cluster, and aged for 9 months in large old foudre. Pouring a slightly hazy garnet, alluring darker florals lead directly into wild raspberry, morello cherry, and bright juicy plum. Layers of mineral salts and pink pepper infiltrates the pure fruit, while fine, long tannins hold this linear, slight red in place to a lingering finish. This was the inaugural vintage of this alluring, characterful red blend; serious, yet smashable. 94/100
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See also: an in-depth write up of Savage Wines
