Celebrating 50 Years of the Fairview Label and a Passion for Shiraz: Introducing the Cool Climate Fairview Single Vineyard Lanner Hill Syrah from the Darling Hills

This year marks an extraordinary milestone for Fairview, a name synonymous with excellence in South African wine. It has been 50 years since Cyril Back first bottled Shiraz under the Fairview label in 1974, alongside Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage, using grapes exclusively grown on the Fairview estate. That inaugural vintage debuted at the Cape’s first public wine auction, a landmark event spearheaded by Cyril Back and hosted at Fairview. Since then, Fairview has grown from a family farm into a globally recognized brand known for its exceptional wines, artisanal cheeses, and vibrant tourism offerings.

Throughout this half-century of transformation, one constant has remained—the unwavering dedication to and passion for Shiraz. This grape variety has long been the cornerstone of Fairview‘s winemaking philosophy, becoming a flagship varietal deeply ingrained in the winery’s identity. Today, Shiraz is the most widely planted variety at Fairview, and its wines continue to garner prestigious awards, solidifying Fairview’s status as a Shiraz-producing gem in the Cape Winelands.

Recent accolades include the Platter’s 2024 Five Stars and Wine of the Year award for the flagship Fairview Cyril Back 2020 in the Shiraz/Syrah-based Red Blends category, and a Five Star rating for the Fairview Caldera 2021, a Shiraz-led Southern Rhône-style blend. Even at the more accessible end of the market, the Fairview Goats Do Roam Red 2021—a Shiraz-led blend—received a remarkable 94 points in Winemag.co.za’s Prescient Signature Red Blends Report 2023, underscoring the quality and versatility of Fairview’s Shiraz offerings.

For Fairview’s cellarmaster Anthony de Jager, Shiraz is a personal favorite.

“What excites me most about Shiraz is its diversity and versatility. It resonates with a sense of place that few other varieties can match. At Fairview, we are proud to cultivate vineyards in Paarl, Darling, Swartland, and Stellenbosch, always seeking out the best terroir to expand our wine offerings. This exploration has led us to discover extraordinary vineyards that now form the basis of our prized Single Vineyard Shirazes. These wines, made from hand-picked grapes from older vines, are true expressions of their unique terroirs, each telling its own story through taste and flavor.”

Fairview was among the pioneers of the single vineyard concept, with its Single Vineyard Eenzaamheid Shiraz from Paarl and The Beacon Shiraz from Swartland debuting in 2000. Now, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Fairview’s first Shiraz, the winery is proud to introduce a new addition to its Single Vineyard range—the cool climate Lanner Hill Syrah from the Darling Hills. This wine, distinguished by its elegant and spicy profile, is a tribute to the Northern Rhône style and the unique terroir of the Darling Hills, where the nearby Atlantic Ocean‘s cooling influence helps develop its distinct character.

Fairview Lanner Hill Syrah 2021

The Lanner Hill vineyard, named for the falcons that soar over its parcel of land overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, has been farmed by the Back family since the early 2000s. The cool climate and nutrient-rich oakleaf soils of this vineyard impart a fresh and elegant style to the wine, which was recently awarded 95 points by Christian Eedes of Winemag.co.za. Eedes praised the wine’s nose of red and black berries, blood orange, violets, lavender, and fynbos, as well as its succulent, fresh palate with fine tannins.

Winemaking for the Lanner Hill Syrah involved hand-picking grapes at 22.5 to 23.5 degrees Balling to capture the cool climate freshness. Whole bunch clusters were placed at the bottom of a large French oak fermenter, with the balance of destemmed grapes added on top. After natural fermentation with indigenous yeast, the wine was aged for 18 months in oak before final barrel selection and bottling with minimal filtration.

Tasting Notes: Dark red with a bright red rim, the Lanner Hill Syrah is wonderfully aromatic, displaying generous red berries, rosemary, lavender, and hints of cracked black pepper. The palate is fresh and refined, with red fruit purity complemented by peppery spice and fine tannins, promising excellent aging potential.

Food Pairing: This wine pairs beautifully with cheese, pâté, charcuterie, grilled lamb with herb sauce, or spicy and earthy vegetable dishes.

Other Notable Shirazes from Fairview

Fairview The Beacon Shiraz 2021: Named for the surveyor general’s trigonometric beacon, this wine comes from a rocky outcrop in Swartland. The unirrigated bush vines, planted in 1995, produce small, concentrated berries that yield a brooding, complex wine with intense dark fruit, charcuterie, and dried olive notes. This wine has a robust structure with firm, powdery tannins and significant aging potential.

Fairview Eenzaamheid Shiraz 2021: From a vineyard named for its historic solitude, this wine showcases rich, layered aromas of plums, berries, fynbos, and cracked pepper. The opulent palate reveals ripe dark and red fruits with a spicy edge, thanks to the cool 2021 vintage. With grippy tannins and a long savory finish, this wine also promises to age gracefully over the next five to eight years.

Fairview’s Single Vineyard Shirazes, including the new Lanner Hill Syrah, are available for purchase online at Fairview Marketplace, priced at R500 per bottle. Celebrate 50 years of winemaking excellence with these exquisite expressions of Shiraz, each offering a true taste of their unique terroir.