Fairview Solitude Shiraz 2004

Posted in Previous Vintages

In 1699, a certain Mr Dippenauw was granted an enormous farm by his employer, the Dutch East India Company. It’s not certain whether this was a reward for his industry or whether the bosses cast him into the wilderness because he’d married dangerously – a sister of Adam Tas, diarist of the early colonial Cape and political rebel (Tas was imprisoned by Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel). What is known is that the newly-wed couple were so overwhelmed by the farm’s isolation from Cape Town that they named it “Eenzaamheid” (Solitude). Today Eenzaamheid is owned by Christo Briers-Louw, whose family has owned this land since 1775. Christo is a dedicated farmer, who has an intimate knowledge of the soils of Paarl. The gravely, decomposed shale soils of Paarl allow Shiraz to ripen without irrigation, producing wines of great expression and concentration.

Harvest Date: Mid February 2004 In the vineyard:

Planted in 1996, two clones of SH1 and SH21, were grafted on R99 rootstock. The soil type, Swartland, is deep uniform decomposed shale with excellent water retention and allows these unirrigated vines to easily ripen the crop without stressing, during our usually hot, dry summers. The extended Perold trellis system, planted in a South West – North East row direction on a westerly facing slope is well positioned to ensure maximal cooling from prevailing summer winds. Sufficient aeration also drastically reduces possible vineyard diseases. Straw is packed in every second row, to form a deep mulch. This helps to retain moisture and keep weeds at bay. The mulch also improves soil microbe activity and root development. Strict winter pruning (8 – 10 two-eye bearer per running meter), and summer canopy management (2 shoots per bearer and 3 tip actions) ensure a well balanced crop, that reaches good phenolic ripeness. A final crop thinning at 80% vêraison also ensure an even ripeness. The vineyard is regularly visited during the ripening period and tested by taste, visual and analytical examination to determine exact picking date.

Oenological Treatment:

2004 was again a hot and dry vintage. The grapes were harvested full ripe at 26.4ºB. Grapes were brought to the cellar in 12kg mini lug-boxes, pre-cooled and then destalked and hand selected over a sorting table. The whole berries were transferred to 600 litre open-ended new French oak barrels. Approximately 400kg of grapes per barrel is allowed to naturally ferment. During fermentation we perform four manual punch downs per day. Post fermentation maceration for approximately ten days, then basket pressed and returned to 225 litre French oak barriques for malolactic fermentation and ageing for a further 16 months.

Wine maker’s tasting notes:

Since the 2003 vintage, we have reduced the quantity of Solitude Shiraz produced, and increased our focus on premium quality. The handcrafted approach to the wine is yielding excellent results, with rich focus and complexity showing on the wine. Anthony de Jager

Awards: