Provenance

Wine Cellar Private Client

Critics Ratings

2019
‘This is the third official release of the Ava Syrah - Donovan Rall also made a 2016, but it has yet to see the light of a retail shop - and it has all the perfume and intensity of its predecessors. Very much a schist-derived style, it has violet and black pepper aromas, savoury tannins and youthful vigour and freshness. A world-class red. 2023-29’ – Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2020, 96/100

‘Insanely impressive on the nose, the 2019 AVA Syrah explodes from the glass with a heady, red floral push that sashays with notes of potpourri, red peppercorn and wild raspberries before hints of charred sausage with plum compote sway from the glass. Medium-bodied, the whole-bunch Syrah is evident in the palate with crunchy red fruit flavors that burst with purity and finesse in the mouth. Beautifully balanced and framed, energetic acidity and succulent tannins cascade over the mid-palate before concluding with a long, lingering and ever-evolving finish. Run, don’t walk to put some of this in your wine cellar! 2022-2032’ – Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate, 94+/100 (Jun 022)

‘The 2019 Ava Syrah comes from schist soils and is whole bunch fermented before aging in used oak. It has a gorgeous, seductive nose of pure blackberry, mulberry and light pine needle and garrigue scents, a bit of fennel emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins on the entry, and plenty of graphite-tinged black fruit merging with savory dried blood notes toward the beautifully balanced finish. You could broach this now, but personally I would tuck away a few bottles. 2022-2040’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 93/100 (Oct 2020)

2020
‘First released as recently as 2017, Ava swiftly established itself among the best Syrahs in the Cape. The sources have shifted since then, but the focus on schist soils remains consistent. Engagingly, hauntingly perfumed, this has pepper, clove, black olive and violet aromas, juicy blackberry and blueberry fruit, textured tannins and vivid acidity. 2023-29’ – Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2021, 96/100

‘Deep crimson. Very glamorous Syrah with a hint of ripe Cornas, even Hermitage, about it on the nose. Even if the palate is a little less concentrated and precise. You could drink this a lot younger than the average Cornas, let alone Hermitage! Revealed a bit of leatheriness after time in the glass. Attractive saline quality on the finish. Appetising but perhaps not the best value in this selection of Justerinis’ imports from South Africa. I wonder whether this, like the 2020 white blend, suffered from a less-than-perfect cork? 2022-2028’ – Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 16.5++/20 (Oct 2021)

2021
'Inky and profound, Ava combines fruit from two middle-aged parcels on schist. Succulent and intense, especially for a wine with only 12.5% alcohol, it has notes of rooibos tea, blueberry and black olive, subtle aromatic spices, good underlying structure and a mineral core. 2024-32’ – Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2022, 96/100

‘The 2021 Syrah Ava comes from two schist vineyards, the main component from the parcel that forms the Rall Syrah, in a corner where the clusters are very small. It has a compelling bouquet with dark berry fruit, slate-like scents, hints of broom and Provençal herbs. The palate is medium-bodied with a dense yet paradoxically elegant frame of tannins, precise peppery black fruit with a persistent, beautifully proportioned finish. All this at just 11.9% alcohol. Brilliant. 2024-2048’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 97/100 (Aug 2022)

‘An instant success, the 2021 AVA Syrah opens to seductive aromas of freshly opened red flowers and just-ripe, crunchy red fruit, with fantastic focus and precision. Medium-bodied, the mouth-filling tannins make this Syrah incredibly food-friendly before showcasing its brilliant balance with succulent acidity. The Syrah continues to uncoil and expresses elements of dusty red flowers, potpourri and wild cherry before ending with a clean, fresh and spicy finish. Bravo! 2023-2035’ - Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate, 93/100 (Dec 2022)