La Motte Pierneef Syrah Viognier a collector’s wine in more ways than one

FOLLOWING good reviews for the 2012 vintage, The Pierneef Collection Syrah Viognier from La Motte joined a very select group of beauties in the Top Wine SA Hall of Fame with eight or more vintages to receive very good ratings from top tasting panels locally and/or overseas during the past 10 years. And with a gold medal won at the 2015 Trophy Wine Show, the tenth vintage (2013) has picked up where the 2012 left off – the blend having now achieved gold or better for nine vintages in succession. This is an interesting wine for a number of reasons…

Whereas the winery and the Viognier vines are in Franschhoek, 90% of this ‘cool climate’ Rhône style blend is Shiraz that comes from Walker Bay outside Hermanus (65%) and from Elim in the Cape Agulhas district (35%). So, it’s a multi-terroir wine with a great track record, but it’s also a celebration of the artist Pierneef (1886 – 1957). Each new release sees the introduction of six new labels with each portraying a different Pierneef artwork, i.e. such that every six-bottle case includes a set of six works…

The artworks used for La Motte’s Pierneef wine labels make up a set of 128 linocut prints belonging to La Motte owner Hanneli Rupert-Koegelenberg and exhibited in the visitors’ areas on the estate. The principle themes: Cape wineland and other South African landscapes, Cape Dutch architecture and tree studies.

TOP RATINGS OF PIERNEEF SYRAH VIOGNIER

2013 Vintage – Gold Medal at 2015 Trophy Wine Show

2012 Vintage – Highly Recommended in 2015 Platter’s guide, Gold Medal at 2014 Michelangelo Awards

2011 Vintage – Trophy at 2014 Classic Wine Trophy competition, Gold Medal at 2014 International Wine Challenge

2010 Vintage – 5 Stars in 2013 Platter’s guide, Trophy at 2013 Classic Wine Trophy competition Gold Medal at 2013 International Wine & Spirit Competition

2009 Vintage – 5 Stars in 2012 Platter’s guide

2008 Vintage – Gold Medal at 2011 Classic Wine Trophy competition

2007 Vintage – Gold Medal at 2009 Decanter World Wine Awards, Gold Medal at 2009 Classic Wine Trophy competition

2006 Vintage – Double Gold Medal at 2008 Veritas Awards

2005 Vintage – Trophy at 2007 International Wine Challenge, Highly Recommended in 2008 Platter’s guide, Gold Medal at 2007 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

For all the reviews of recent Pierneef Collection Syrah Viognier vintages, click here.

The cellar-door price of the current-release 2013 is R230 per bottle. Cellarmaster Edmund Terblanche’s tasting notes include: “Concentrated… Spicy… This vintage reflects rose geranium perfume on the nose, with mulberry fruit…”

 

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