The 2011 La Motte Hanneli R has been acknowledged as one of the Top 5 Luxury Red Wines in South Africa by Wine Cellar’s Luxury Red Taste-Offs, hosting 36 tasters in Johannesburg and 35 in Cape Town as part of a grand blind tasting of South Africa’s most expensive and luxurious red wines.

The 2011 Hanneli R rated under the Top 5 for both Johannesburg and Cape Town and then, of course, also in the Overall Top 5. “La Motte Hanneli R made an astonishing debut as a cool-climate Syrah blend with lovely elegance and detail.” The wine also had the lowest standard deviation between tasters – strongly demonstrating the preference for this style.

The 2011 Hanneli R is a blend of Shiraz (80%), Petit Syrah (10%) and Tempranillo (10%). The largest amount of the Shiraz originate from Elim and the rest from Bot River. The Petit Syrah and Tempranillo are from Franschhoek. The combination of a good vintage and 36 months of wood maturation produced a wine with exceptional depth, complexity and personality. The intense, distinctive nose shows rose-petal perfumes, with blackberry and mulberry fruit, as well as cinnamon and black pepper spices. On the palate there are powdery tannins, surrounded by a fleshy fullness and lingering minerally freshness.

The wine is available online or from the La Motte Tasting Room at R980.