Glenelly, Glass Collection Syrah, 2022
Glenelly, Glass Collection Syrah, 2022
- Red Still
- 75.0cl
- 14.0%
- Syrah
Glenelly's Glass Collection is the estate's calling card for everyday drinking — accessible, honest, and made with more care than the price suggests. The Syrah comes from Stellenbosch's Simonsberg foothills, where the cool afternoons and well-drained granite soils give the grape its characteristic savouriness. Think less of the jammy, overblown Syrah you might fear from warmer climates, and more of a southern Rhône-inflected style: dark fruit, pepper, olive, and a spine of fresh acidity that keeps things lively.
We think this is drinking well right now, at its most open and fruit-forward, though it has enough structure to sit comfortably until 2030. Glenelly was founded by May de Lencquesaing, the legendary former owner of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, and that Bordeaux instinct for balance shows even at this level. Brilliant value for a weeknight that deserves better than a weeknight wine.
- ❖ ABV: 14.0%
Grapes
Syrah
Vintage report
The 2022 vintage in Stellenbosch arrived with the kind of unpredictability that keeps winemakers on their toes. A wet winter provided excellent soil moisture reserves, but spring brought variable conditions that extended flowering and set up uneven ripening later on. The defining challenge came during harvest when persistent rain interrupted picking schedules, forcing producers to be ruthlessly selective about when and what they brought into the cellar.
What emerged is a vintage of surprising freshness and precision, particularly from those who waited out the weather. The Cabernet Sauvignon shows lovely balance rather than the power-first approach of recent hot years, with genuine structure beneath the fruit. Chenin Blanc absolutely shone, developing beautiful texture while keeping its natural acidity intact. We're finding these wines drink beautifully now, offering immediate pleasure while having the backbone to develop gracefully over the next five to eight years.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceDeep ruby-purple with a clean, youthful rim and good concentration in the glass.
NoseDark plum and blackberry lead, with a distinctive savoury undercurrent of black olive, cured meat, and cracked white pepper. There is a faint floral lift — violets, perhaps — that keeps the nose from feeling heavy.
PalateMedium to full-bodied with a pleasing sappiness through the mid-palate and tannins that are firm but not aggressive. The fruit is ripe without being sweet, and fresh acidity runs through the wine keeping everything focused and honest.
FinishClean and persistent with a lingering peppery, meaty quality that invites another sip.
Overall impressionAn honestly made, savoury Stellenbosch Syrah that punches above its weight and knows exactly what it wants to be.
Food Pairings
In Stellenbosch, a Syrah like this would most naturally appear alongside a braai — South Africa's answer to the barbecue, and taken very seriously indeed. Boerewors, the spiced beef and pork sausage coiled and grilled over coals, is a natural partner, the wine's peppery savouriness mirroring the coriander and clove in the meat. Slow-cooked lamb sosaties (skewers with apricot and curry marinade) would also work beautifully with the wine's dark fruit. Closer to home, think a leg of lamb studded with garlic and rosemary, or a mushroom-heavy beef stew on a cold evening.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 16-17°C — slightly below room temperature in most British homes. The wine benefits from 20-30 minutes in a decanter to open up and shed any initial tightness, though it is not so closed that you need to plan ahead. A standard Bordeaux-style glass works well, but a wider-bowled Burgundy glass will coax more of the aromatic complexity to the surface if you want to linger over it.
The Glenelly estate sits on the north-facing slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch, at altitudes between 200 and 400 metres above sea level. The soils are predominantly decomposed granite with some clay, giving excellent drainage and encouraging deep root development. The Cape's Mediterranean climate brings warm, dry summers, but the altitude and the influence of the cool Benguela Current moderate afternoon temperatures considerably, preserving the freshness and aromatic lift that define Glenelly's style.
Stellenbosch is South Africa's most celebrated red wine district, centred on the historic university town east of Cape Town. The appellation spans a wide range of aspects and soil types, from the heavier clays of the valley floor to the granite and schist of the mountain slopes, and this diversity is reflected in its wines. Syrah does particularly well on the cooler, higher-altitude sites, producing wines with more savoury grip and aromatic precision than those from the warmer Swartland. The region as a whole is the closest South Africa has to a fine wine heartland.
The 2022 vintage in Stellenbosch arrived with the kind of unpredictability that keeps winemakers on their toes. A wet winter provided excellent soil moisture reserves, but spring brought variable conditions that extended flowering and set up uneven ripening later on. The defining challenge came during harvest when persistent rain interrupted picking schedules, forcing producers to be ruthlessly selective about when and what they brought into the cellar.
What emerged is a vintage of surprising freshness and precision, particularly from those who waited out the weather. The Cabernet Sauvignon shows lovely balance rather than the power-first approach of recent hot years, with genuine structure beneath the fruit. Chenin Blanc absolutely shone, developing beautiful texture while keeping its natural acidity intact. We're finding these wines drink beautifully now, offering immediate pleasure while having the backbone to develop gracefully over the next five to eight years.
FAQs
What does this wine taste like?
Dark and savoury rather than sweet or jammy. Expect dark plum, black olive, cracked pepper, and a meaty, almost Rhône-like quality backed by firm but approachable tannins and good fresh acidity.
When is the best time to drink this wine?
It is drinking well right now in 2026 and will continue to do so until around 2030. This is not a wine that demands patience — it is at its most open and generous in the next two to three years.
What food should I serve with it?
It loves anything off the grill — lamb chops, beef burgers, or a proper sausage. It is equally at home with a slow-cooked lamb stew, a roast duck, or a plate of aged hard cheese on a Tuesday evening when you feel you deserve something better than the occasion technically demands.
How should I serve it?
Serve at around 16-17°C and give it 20-30 minutes in a decanter. A standard red wine glass is fine, though a wider bowl will bring out more of the aromatic interest.
Is it worth cellaring?
In short, not particularly — it is designed for near-term enjoyment. You could hold it until 2030 and it will remain sound, perhaps gaining a little complexity, but it will not transform into something dramatically different. Drink it while the fruit is still lively.
How does this compare to other South African Syrahs?
It sits firmly in the savoury, cool-climate camp rather than the riper, more full-throttle style you sometimes see from warmer South African sites. If you enjoy northern Rhône Syrah — the pepper, the olive, the meat — you will find a lot to like here at a fraction of the price.
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