The Liberator “Francophile” Syrah 2012, Stellenbosch (£10-£12 Corks Out, Dorset Wine Company, Dropwines Ltd, George Hill Ltd, The Wine Reserve, SA Wines Online, Villeneuve Wines, The Wright Wine Co)
Crunchy young wine, vibrant and punchy with floral scented dark berry and blackcurrant fruit tinged with spice and a roasted note, fleshy but fresh, a really good glugger. S

Higgovale Heights Shiraz 2011, Western Cape (£12 Tesco)
Reasonable dark fruit flavours – is there a touch of Pinotage in here somewhere? – along with toasty oak, but the tannins are a little clunky and I notice the heat of alcohol. Good but not great. B(-)

Jordan ‘The Prospector’ Syrah 2009, Stellenbosch (£12-£15 Alexander Wines, Emperor Wines Ltd, Oxford Wine Company, Christopher Piper Wines, The Wine Reserve, Waterloo Wine Co)
There’s some of that roasted, ever-so-slightly rubbery baked edge here, but it’s in balance with the warm, rounded berry and plum flavours. Nice texture – nutty, almost creamy, with juicy fruit. S-

The Foundry Syrah 2007, Stellenbosch (£15-£20 Dropwines Ltd, Villeneuve Wines, Fortnum & Mason, Harrogate Fine Wine, Vagabond Wines)
Smells younger than six years old, with blackcurrants, blackberries and plums tinged with herbs. You notice some of the softness of maturity when you taste it, but there still plenty of life here. Nearly very good: I just would like a little more soil-related wildness. S-