handtomouth

I have often talked about the monster wines – those with extreme ripeness and huge extract. The necessary end result (unless further intervention in the form of reverse osmosis and other funnies is practised) is a wine with a huge alcohol. So pointing fingers is not much use unless there is a wine at the end of the finger: Stellenzicht Syrah 2001. At 16% (which may, under SA law be 16.4%) it is a fierce attack on sobriety cloaked under good tannins and mocha notes. The wolf in sheep’s clothing. Is it ok because it is “in balance”? In this case, as with all wines at this alcohol, balance is hard to find.