In de recente Robert Parker Wine Advocate heeft Monica Larner een flink aantal Zuid-Afrikaanse wijnen beschreven en beoordeeld: South Africa: The New Wave. Dit zijn de punten voor Strydom.

Robert Parker 94/100
The Strydom 2020 Stellenbosch Rex Cabernet Sauvignon shows the plum and dark fruit that we didn’t get in the Syrah. Thanks to hands-on cap management with pump-overs and punch-downs, this is a more concentrated effort. The wine sees 35% new oak in 300-liter barrels. Production is 1,800 bottles. Rex is released later in order to allow more bottle evolution. Rianie Strydom makes a very pretty Cabernet Sauvignon that shows a core of dark fruit, good mid-palate emphasis and elegantly chalky tannins.

Robert Parker 94/100
The Strydom 2022 Stellenbosch Rock Star Syrah represents a new chapter for this veteran winemaker. Rianie Strydom describes herself as a Bordeaux enthusiast whose first love is Merlot. That changed in 2005 when she started working with Syrah. The Rhône grape has an excellent reputation in South Africa, especially when planted on rocky soils. “It is the star of the rocks because Syrah is always planted on rocks,” she says. That explains the whimsical name of this 2,400-bottle production. Neutral vessels are used in winemaking, including Manetti clay amphorae, with as much as 30% whole cluster, depending on the vintage. The intention is to allow the fruit to shine bright with purity and ruby hues. Balance and freshness are paramount. Savory tones of bacon and tobacco are not desired, nor is baked plum or dried blackberry. Instead, this wine showcases blackcurrant, wild herb and blue flower.

Robert Parker 93/100
The Strydom 2020 Stellenbosch Épice Cabernet Franc reveals a pretty core of dark fruit with purple currants, juicy blackberry, spice, white pepper and cooked raspberry with the pie crust. You need to give it extra time to evolve and aerate. Cabernet Franc is one of vintner Rianie Strydom’s favorite varieties, and starting in 2023, the wine will be made exclusively with her own estate-grown fruit.

Robert Parker: 92/100
The Strydom 2023 Stellenbosch Legends & Myths Cinsault is in its second year of production. Fruit comes from the vineyard outside the winery and yields are very low, rendering just one cluster per vine. This Cinsault is slightly darker and more concentrated compared to its peers with blackcurrant, blueberry and a hint of sweet caramel. Some 30% whole-bunch fruit is used. The name Legends & Myths refers to the common misconceptions associated with Cinsault. Following the devastation of phylloxera, this was one of the only varietals available in local nurseries. It was blended with Cabernet Sauvignon for many years. But as the climate grows hotter, people want a lighter, ruby-colored red to pair with contemporary foods. Cinsault has finally found its space.

Robert Parker 93+/100
The Strydom 2023 Stellenbosch Siblings Chenin Blanc Roussanne Marsanne is the wine in the orange capsule. The blend is 59% Chenin Blanc, 24% Roussanne and 17% Marsanne. The grapes are co-fermented in 500-liter amphorae made locally with South African clay and sold under the brand name Yogi (or Yogi de Beer). There is also one Manetti red-clay orcio from Tuscany. Vintner Rianie Strydom would like to increase her use of amphorae and experiment with more white clay. This is the second release of this beautiful wine. The elements come together beautifully with a pronounced fruit profile, with creamy orchard fruit and pretty herbal highlights. The wine is fleshy and soft.

Robert Parker 92/100
Fruit for this Chenin Blanc comes from the vineyard immediately outside the Strydom home and winery and from another site with granite soils that adds freshness and sharpness. The 2023 Stellenbosch Danièle Chenin Blanc is indeed linear and mineral-driven. This wine has that elusive textural pithiness that you find in the best Chenin Blancs of South Africa. I feel like son Jean-Louis Strydom’s winemaking hand is stronger in this vintage because of the leaner style on display here. Production is 2,300 bottles.

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