Doran Incipio Shiraz / Chenin Blanc

Additional information

Origin	Voor-Paardeberg, South Africa
Main grapes	Shiraz
Other grapes	Chenin Blanc
Vintage	2019
Bottle sizes	75cl

Description

Doran Incipio Shiraz / Chenin Blanc is a red wine from the Voor-Paardeberg wine-growing region. This innovative blend combines the area’s most iconic light and dark varietals—Chenin Blanc and Shiraz—and is aptly named “Incipio,” meaning “begin” in Latin. Primarily composed of Shiraz with a touch of Chenin Blanc, this wine offers a South African interpretation of the classic Cote-Rotie style.

Doran Vineyards can be found on the Far Horizons Farm in the Voor-Paardeberg wine terroir located between Paarl and Riebeek Kasteel. Voor-Paardeberg is a small wine-growing area within the Paarl winegrowing district which was awarded its WO (Wine of Origin) in 2006. The nearest town is Wellington some 15 minutes away. The region enjoys a very hot and dry climate, with rain very rare in the summer months. Dry farming is very common in the area, with sea air from the Atlantic offering a vital moderating factor to the intense summer heat.

Doran Vineyards was established by Irishman Edwin Doran. Edwin first started visiting South Africa in 1981 and would go on to set up a very successful travel business bringing sports tours to the country. He sold the sports tour business in 2008 to Tui Travel Plc. He then bought Far Horizons Farm with his partner Andre Badenhorst in 2010. They immediately implemented a R50 million investment programme at the 179 hectare farm. The estate is also run as a mixed farm with arable, Aberdeen Angus cattle and Île-de-France sheep.

The first vines were already planted at the farm in 1995 and included five red grape varieties, including Pinotage and Syrah, to this was added Grenache and Durif, and three white grape varieties, Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne eventually followed in 2011. In 2019 Edwin’s son, Tom, joined the company.

Doran Incipio Shiraz / Chenin Blanc is made by a co-fermentation of 15% whole bunch Chenin Blanc with 85% de-stemmed Shiraz. The juice was fermented naturally and left for eight weeks on the skins before being racked, unpressed, straight into old 500-litre barrels for 12 months.

Tasting Notes

Doran Incipio Shiraz / Chenin Blanc shows focused and fresh red fruit aromas on the nose with a spicy undertone and some very subtle notes of violet blossoms. The palate has a creamy texture that lingers with light touches of peach and honey on the finish.