No Place Like Home is the second single-origin Syrah to join the Minimalist Wine family. It is a clear and complex expression of the cool-climate Elgin Valley and sits alongside Stars In The Dark, our tribute to the rugged terroir of Cape Agulhas.

The grapes all come from Niemandsrivier, a beautiful 3 hectare vineyard in Elgin that we lease from Johan and Milanie Vosloo and farm ourselves. Planted in 2006, it features three clones on a geographically complex mix of Sandstone and Shale soils and is the perfect canvas to produce fine wines.

Vines located in the same block can react to their environment in unique ways and No Place Like Home is an exploration of the variation that exists within a single vineyard. Using a mix of drone technology (with a Near Infrared Camera flying 80m above the vineyard) and good, old-fashioned soil analysis, we identified four distinct pockets across the 3 hectare parcel, then harvested and fermented them separately before marrying them together.

It has been fascinating to observe all the micro-differences in a small site like ours and the extent to which they can each impact flavour profile. No Place Like Home is a meticulous blend of four distinctly different wines produced from one 3ha block and the result is the finest expression of the vineyard’s complexity and intensity.

The Wine

Home might be Elgin but the upfront kick of white pepper and cardamom takes us straight to an Indian Spice Bazaar. Its complex combinations ebbing and flowing, with pretty florals morphing into cherry, leather and bacon fat.

On entry, it is all about coated red fruit, followed by a savoury mid-palate that finishes strong with distinct white pepper. Structurally, with its vibrant cool-climate acidity and fine-grained tannin, it has the potential to be one of our longest-lived wines, so patient drinkers can expect to be rewarded generously!