2016 Cederberg Shiraz South Africa 750 ml

A Taste of the “Other” Land Down Under

Neal Martin of Vinous recently wrote “no country, no wine region has been as dynamic, progressive or indeed, as exciting as South Africa.” Tim Atkin quickly agreed, praising today’s 2016 Cederburg Shiraz for its “dark plum and boysenberry fruit,” and “spicy oak,” adding another 93-point score to Cederberg’s trophy room.

Our own Head of Wine Vanessa Conlin dragged this Wine Access exclusive release back from South Africa herself, calling it the “best value for the money” that she tasted in the entire country.

The 2016 Cederberg Shiraz—a complex red with gobs of blue fruit lifted by violets and anchored by crushed-rock minerality—is a gem from one of South Africa’s longest-standing wineries, and its Wine Access debut is today. From one of the highest vineyards in the country—perched at 3200 feet above sea level—it’s the kind of Shiraz that typically costs twice as much as today’s $22 price.

With sweeping vistas not unlike those afforded by the top of the hill of Hermitage, the 2016 Cederberg Shiraz accomplishes that rarest of vinous feats: It offers a magnificent view of a unique terroir at a price that makes it easy to buy by the case.

Cederberg, like South Africa itself, has been producing wine for a long time. In fact, this family owned-and-operated winery has been crafting noteworthy bottles since 1893. There have been significant changes since then, of course—their vineyards are now sustainably farmed, the vines are irrigated using water from mountain springs, and Cederberg Private Cellar is a WWF Conservation Champion, a leader in South Africa’s wine industry in ensuring that the land remains healthy for generations to come—but the honesty and quality of the wines are as high as ever.

South Africa is a land of dizzying extremes. Luckily, tucked between savannahs dotted with lions, rocky vistas that overlook the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and the world’s most diverse ecosystem, there lie 350 years of wine cultivation, and the best values of the new world.

Today, we invite you to taste why.