2012 Shiraz

Warren Ellis told me that his family is now focusing on Rhone varieties on their property in Groenekloof, "because Cabernet here is too green; it has too many pyrazines." But that's no hardship, as his father Neil Ellis long ago established his brand's reputation by finding the best terroirs for various varieties and signing long-term contracts to ensure a steady supply of high-quality fruit.

Warren told me that 2014 brought a bit of heat stress before harvest; there was some rain, he said, and the berries plumped up but kept good acidity. "The wines don't have a lot of flesh or phenolic material but they've turned out well." Ellis also likes the 2010s for their fine tannins and elegance, and he rates 2012 as "an amazing vintage for whites and reds, especially for the more aromatic varieties. The wines are silky and structured.") The Ellises vinified in their new winery this year for the first time.