The Luddite estate is situated on the eastern slopes of the Houw Hoek mountains, 1.5km from the village of Bot River in the Stellenbosch region of the Western Cape and has been run by Niels and Penny Verburg since 1999, although the first vintage was not released until 2004. There are 17 hectares in total with approximately 5.5 hectares under vine. The cool south-east facing slopes catch the morning sun and are ideal for lengthy ripening and for producing particularly spicy Shiraz grapes. The Luddite Shiraz is given a long maceration before being aged in a combination of new and used French, American and Hungarian oak barrels. Made in tiny quantities, this blockbusting red is necessarily limited in availability.
A bright ruby-red in the glass. On the nose, scents of mocha, cocoa, white pepper and blackberries. On the palate, rich but smooth with beautifully integrated tannins and a balanced acidity. Look for flavours of cassis, chocolate and bacon fat leading to a lingering finish. A wonderfully silky wine. Try with Cazuela de Vaca (beef and pumpkin stew), lamb tagine or ratatouille stuffed peppers.