De Toren DDS Shiraz 2003

Succulent, pitch black colour, smokey oak and blackberry aromas combined with spicy berry fruits create an extremely lifted and captivating nose. The spicy fruit flavours combine well with the strong yet well disguised tannins to assimilate major complexity, structure and a long lingering after taste.

The DDS Shiraz has been produced in an equal partnership between Emil den Dulk, owner of De Toren Private Cellar (Fusion V), Stellenbosch, South Africa, and Mark Siddle, owner of Domain Bertagna a Grand Cru and Premier Cru Estate in Vougeot, Burgundy.

This is a sharing of expertise, resources, enthusiasm and input to produce a consummate Cape Wine for international distribution under the DDS partnership. The partnership is concerted effort to cement collaboration between classic ‘old’ wine country and innovative Cape winemaking in the most positive manner. It is an investment beyond the financial (which is substantial, but not an issue in final reward), towards developing specific Cape identity,

Sourcing of grapes, vinification, style, quality, and distribution comprise a combined effort by owners and winemakers from both De Toren (DT) and Domain Bertagna (DB). Developing a range under the DDS brand will directly relate to progress in profile and quality of the actual wine(s) produced in the Cape.

DB’s winemaker Claire Forrestier visited the Cape on numerous occasions to collaborate with Albie Koch, De Toren’s winemaker to identify suitable vineyard plots for sourcing, making and nurturing the first barrels of Shiraz from purchased grapes. They combined skills, talent and expertise in every aspect of wines production. Forrestier had previous worked at prestigious Vergelegen Estate in the Cape and Koch has three vintages in France to his name.

Fine grain French oak barrels from DB’s own stock of Bertange’s & Fontainebleau oak, as well as second fill supply from Hospice de Beaune were specially imported.