ArtiSons Family Wines Blueberry Hill Shiraz 2019

ArtiSons Family Wines Blueberry Hill Shiraz 2019

Now here’s something new and different. Tertius Boshoff and Kobie van der Westhuizen, owners of their very successful Stellenrust Wines, decided to go back to their roots and fashion wines without borders. They gussied up the old Bottelary Winery and here they make wines from special sites and real old vineyards. Wines made in as naturally as possible and to be as true to nature as they can.

Shiraz ripening on the vine

The grapes were harvested from a 34-year-old vineyard planted in clay in Bottelary. Dry patches occur in the vineyard, and it has a very low yield. The grapes were abundant in their Blueberry aromas, hence the name from the Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong in his sing, ‘I found my thrill on Blueberry Hill.’

Oak Barrls for maturation

After harvest, 58% of the grapes were whole bunch pressed and the remainder crushed into an open fermentation tanks. There were regular manual punch down. Gently basket pressed after fermentation with 17% fresh stalks allowed for gentle extraction and colour. Sixteen months was spent in French, Hungarian, and American Oak Barrels before the wine was prepared for bottling.

Tertius Boshoff and Kobie van der Westhuizen

Pour
From a Burgundy shaped bottle and closed with natural cork. The label is simple and elegant and has an element of fun with a pair of harvesting shears. The colour is deep bloodplum, squashed blueberry at the heart and has a ruby halo around the edges. The aromas are of purple flowers and Parma Violets, my grandmother used to keep in her car. The blueberry is in profusion on the palate, quite essenced. The ending has well defined soft tannins and a bright and refreshing line of acidity. Excellent food wine.

Pair
The ArtiSons Family Wines Blueberry Hill Shiraz 2019 is a perfect food wine.

Perfect with Debora Robertson’s delicious Pork Chops with Capers and Crème Fraiche