Wine of the Week – Protea Shiraz 2021

Seven Days of Shiraz starts this week, so we couldn’t think of a better time to feature Anthonij Rupert Wine’s Protea Shiraz as Wine of the Week!

Founded on the farm L’Ormarins in the Franschhoek Valley, Anthonij Rupert Wines today encapsulates six distinctive wine brands, made from some of the finest sites in the Western Cape, South Africa.

The L’Ormarins estate, situated against the majestic backdrop of the Groot Drakenstein Mountains, is a WWF Conservation Champion. Over 300 ha of the farmland is managed as a pristine nature reserve, with various diverse local plant species such as riparian forests and mountain and lowland fynbos. One of Anthonij Rupert Wines’ brands is Protea. The range consists of everyday drinking wines, bearing the name of South Africa’s national flower, illustrating the diversity of the range and the winery’s commitment to the viticultural area where this floral species flourishes.

This sustainable wine range comprises eight wines, each with its own unique pattern inspired by the Cape’s unique flora. There are four white wines, a dry rosé, and three red wines. The Protea Shiraz 2021 is a rich and robust red wine that is ideal for red wine lovers looking for an easy-drinking wine to share with friends and family.

The Shiraz grapes for this wine were sourced from Cape vineyards with mainly decomposed granite soils. Alcoholic fermentation for this wine was completed in stainless steel tanks, preserving the complexity of the bright red fruit. After fermenting dry on the skins, the wine was pressed and malolactic fermentation was completed in tanks. The wine was racked off the lees and aged for about a year on a variety of French oak staves.

Protea Shiraz 2021 has waxy plum and blueberry aromatics with tendrils of fynbos and violet. The palate is a confident, rounded and appealing mouthful of ripe plum, pepper, and dried herbs. Lively and fresh with good succulence. The wine is well structured with a good frame of integrated oak that lends a subtle nutty nuance. The lingering finish displays a suggestion of salinity and liquorice.

Pairing recipe: Beetroot carpaccio with labneh

Unveil our Shiraz’s rich and robust flavours with this delicious recipe: Beetroot carpaccio with labneh with Protea Shiraz (Serves 4). 

Ingredients

• 4 Vacuumed Red beets
• 1/3 cup Mixed nuts
• 1 tbsp Fresh thyme
• 250g Cottage cheese or kabneh
• 2 tbsp Pomegranate juice
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Take some nuts and grind them roughly so some crumbles remain. 
2. Heat a pan on medium heat and add the nuts (pay close attention so they do not burn. 
3. Meanwhile, drain the beet and start cutting really thin slices with a good knife. 
4. The slices should almost be transparent –  the effort is worth it. 
5. Add the pomegranate juice to a small bowl and mix it with the salt, oil, and honey with a fork until combined. 
6. Place the beets on a plate so they are halfway overlapping each other. With a spoon, softly brush on the pomegranate mixture. Finish by adding four scoops of cottage cheese or Labneh, the nuts, and the thyme.

Wine estate name: Anthonij Rupert Wines
Location: Franschhoek, Western Cape
In Collaboration with: wine.co.za