Nestled in the beautiful Bovlei valley, just outside Wellington and a little over an hour from Cape Town, sits the boutique Andreas estate, famous for its award-winning Syrah and luxury accommodation.

Shaun Meyeridricks, who joined Andreas from Boekenhoutskloof in 2017, supported by his small team of dedicated colleagues, invests all his energy and talent into producing Syrah of the highest quality. Every vintage has sold out every year. The whole process - from harvesting to bottling - is handled exclusively on the estate, thus ensuring that the quality of the wine is never compromised.

Only the best quality grapes are handpicked in the early mornings and carried to the cellar. On arrival, the grapes are hand sorted and then stored in 2500 and 5000 litre tanks. Yeast is added and, once fermentation has started, the juice is pumped over the skins three or four times daily to extract colour, quality and flavour. Upon completion of malo-latic fermentation, the wine is racked off the lees and carefully transferred to medium French oak barrels (20% new oak). It then matures in barrel for over eighteen months, before being bottled ahead of a further maturation period of over one year.

FARM FACTS: The estate extends to 13 hectares, with 4.5 under vine. Soil types are sandy and loam and natural farming principles are employed.

ON THE EYE: Deep, purple red.

ON THE NOSE: Rich black fruit - most obviously blackberry, black cherries and plum notes. Voluptuous, full, big and luscious, with hints of pepper, Oriental spice and a touch of smokiness.

ON THE PALATE: Aromatic, medium to full bodied and powerful, with good extraction of the sweet flavours of black ripe fruits. Elegant with good texture and firm tannins, giving wine great ageing potential. A touch of mint, with lavender notes. Firm, well balanced oak and long finish with fresh, spicy, integrated mouthfeel.