# Liberty Shiraz (2023)

- **Producer:** Meerendal Wine Estate
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Shiraz
- **Region:** Western Cape, South Africa
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €24
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackberry, plum, black pepper, violet, raspberry, smoke, cedar, vanilla

## About this wine

Meerendal Wine Estate is one of South Africa's oldest wine farms, located on the slopes of the Tygerberg Hills in Durbanville. Originally granted in 1702 to Jan van Meerendal, the estate pioneered Shiraz plantings in the region starting in 1929. The Liberty bottling pays homage to the historical heritage of the property and celebrates the cool-climate, maritime-influenced terroir of the Atlantic coast near Cape Town.

## Interesting facts

- Meerendal was originally granted in 1702 by Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel.
- The estate planted Durbanville's first Shiraz vineyard block in 1929.
- Cellarmaster Wade Roger-Lund focuses on a cool-climate style keeping alcohol around 13%.

## Food pairing

The firm tannins and dark fruit richness of this cool-climate Shiraz stand up wonderfully to savory protein-rich dishes like lamb and game, while the natural pepperiness complements rich sauces and aged cheeses.

## Wine making process

Grapes are handpicked in the cool early morning and sorted as whole berries. Fermentation takes place in concrete fermenters and stainless steel tanks with gentle punch-downs up to four times daily to achieve gentle extraction. The wine matures for 9 months in small 500-liter French oak barrels, incorporating 33% new oak to impart structural elegance and refined wood influence.