Strydom Retro 2016
I’m rather fond of the quarterly favourites at one of my favourite wine haunts. So when I walked in I was rather pleased to see this Strydom wine right there on the first shelves.
Rianie and her husband have made wines for famous estates for years, and purchased their own land a decade ago. Her husband runs Ernie Els, and manages the viticulture on their own vines. And Rianie makes the wines.
74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cinsault and 12% Cabernet Franc. A lovely nose of blackberries, black cherries, ripe plums, chocolate, savoury and spice from the Cinsault . It could use a few years of ageing, but it’s a lovely well priced easy sipper right now with food. Now, if only I can get my hands on some of the other Strydom boutique wines too!
Rianie (I should probably refer to her as Mz Strydom because I have so much respect for her!) was head winemaker at Morgenhof for 10 years. And then was both General Manager and winemaker at Haskell and Dombeya! She is a member of the Cape Winemakers Guild...obviously! All incredibly impressive...and all leading to making her own glorious boutique wines.