Ridgeback Shiraz 2016 Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa 75cl

Ridgeback makes its Shiraz in a cool, savoury register that owes as much to the northern Rhone as to the warmth of Paarl. It is a wine of restraint rather than power, from an estate that keeps fynbos among its vines and a light hand in the cellar.

Made entirely from Shiraz grown on the estate in Paarl, it is picked to hold freshness and given measured time in oak so the fruit and spice lead rather than the barrel. This is Shiraz for people who find the grape too often heavy, a more elegant, food friendly take on a Cape staple.

2016 was one of the Cape’s wildest seasons, a year of real heat and the first of a run of drought vintages. Yields fell and berries were small, which brought concentration but demanded careful picking to keep balance. In the right hands it produced characterful, intense reds, and this Shiraz carries that stamp.

Dark cherry and cracked black pepper open the nose, giving way to liquorice and a hint of tobacco leaf. Oak spice frames the fruit, and the tannins are fine and suede like, carrying a long, savoury finish. Now well into maturity, it is drinking beautifully. Serve it with rump or ribeye, especially with blue cheese and a little truffle, or a slow winter braise.

Elegantly bold rather than a blockbuster, this is Shiraz with the spice and structure to sit alongside rich food without overwhelming it. If you enjoy a peppery Northern Rhone Syrah or a cooler style Cape red, it will feel like home. A wine for a considered dinner on a cold evening, poured with confidence in its poise.