Saxenburg Private Collection Shiraz

If you are lucky enough to travel to Cape Town (South Africa), beyond the typical excursions of Cape Winelands, Robben Island and the Cape of Good Hope, the southwesternmost point of Africa is home to a real gem. False bay is a wonderful natural inlet that lies between the Indian and Atlantic oceans. It is a gulf between mountains that was named by the sailors who, many years ago, confused this place with another neighbouring bay (Table Bay) that lies further north. Very close to this unique enclave we find Saxenburg, one of the oldest wineries in the region, which since the very beginning has benefitted from the meeting point of two oceans, creating a unique environment for grapes to ripen, especially the Syrahvariety.

It is thanks to Syrah that this winery, which is part of the Stellenbosch wine region, is one of the largest exporters in South Africa. Their Saxenburg Private Collection Shiraz wine is one of the project’s most special wines and showcases all the greatness of this variety from such a unique climate. Made from very exclusive vineyards at the top of a hillside called Bottelary Hills, when the grapes reach the winery, they are destemmed and macerate with skins for 3 weeks. Then the must ferments in open tanks at a constant temperature of 30ºC and with daily pumping over. The wine is then aged for 12 months in new and used oak barrels. Finally it is bottled unfiltered and unclarified and is not released for sale until 20 months later.

Saxenburg presents its flagship wine with the name Private Collection. Saxenburg Private Collection Shiraz is a complex and expressive wine, the result of the meeting point between two oceans.