Vineyards with soul, gently bottled.

- Sam Lambson

The Estate

Sam Lambson has always been captivated by fragrances and flavours and loves experimenting in the kitchen as well as the cellar. Since discovering the magic of blending bicarb and vinegar to make volcanoes as a kid, not much has changed. Sam is still searching for the perfect ratio, and still marvelling at the difference one drop can make.

First exposed to wine by his grandfather, who used to bring back bottles of wines from his travels, Sam came to realise over time his passion in life was wine, and dedicated himself to learn as much as possible about wine. He enrolled as an Oenology student at the University of Stellenbosch, worked shifts at the Hawk & Schoon wine shop, and worked harvests under Carl van de Merwe of De Morgenzon, and independent winemakers Lukas van Loggerenberg and Chris Alheit.

It was while he was still an Oenology student that he burst onto the scene at a London trade tasting with the debut of Stars in the Dark Syrah 2018, vinified at Stellenbosch University’s historic Welgevallen Cellar. This wine wowed seasoned tasters with its poise, transparency, and electrifying acidity.

Minimalist Wines is all about Sam’s fascination with minimal intervention and letting each vineyard tell its own unique story.  It is about focusing on varietals he loves, treating them gently in the cellar, and then allowing nature to shine, rather than delivering formulaic wines each vintage. His passion is Syrah, but his enterprising spirit led him to bottle small batches of interesting vineyard discoveries he makes each year too under the EXPERIMENTAL line.

Having suffered and recovered from depression, Sam is passionate in raising awareness on mental health and the need to get help when necessary. 10% of the proceeds from the EXPERIMENTAL bottlings will always go to the South African Depression & Anxiety Group (SADAG) to support their work in the communities the grapes come from.

With extremely limited production, we are delighted to be exclusive importers of Minimalist Wines in Hong Kong, and we are sure this is a name you will be hearing a lot more about in the coming years.

Viticulture and Vinification

Sam is extremely quality focussed, and only works with well managed vineyards that produce superior fruit for the cool climate wines he favours. The wines are handpicked and vinified with minimal intervention using traditional techniques such as foot stomping, whole bunch, and whole berry fermentation. Fermentation is spontaneous and with natural yeasts, and there is a preference for extended maceration with skins and stems. The wines are aged in large old barrels and there is no racking till bottling. The naturally high acidity means only a judicious amount of sulphur, if any, is used to stabilise the wines for long term ageing.

Wines Produced

Stars in the Dark Syrah

The debut 2018 vintage was made with fruits from a 20 years old vineyard in Elim, at the Southern tip of South Africa, where vines have to battle windy conditions and disease pressure to emerge into concentrated berries. Fruits from a second vineyard with 17 years old vines were added to the 2019 vintage. The wine is savoury, perhaps influenced by the marine fossils in the vineyard, with signature cool climate acidity, poise, tension, and depth. 1,380 bottles made in 2019.

CONNECT THE DOTS

A second Syrah label of close to 2,400 bottles produced in the first vintage of this wine in 2019. This first vintage hails from two vineyards in Elgin, and a site on the Helderberg in Stellenbosch. The idea is to explore the diversity of Syrah planted in the cooler micro-climates of the Cape to provide a snapshot of Cape Syrah in a given year and to fuse the results in a bottle.

Experimental Blanc

The first vintage of the EXPERIMENTAL Blanc was 2019. This is a Riesling made in the Elgin area of Western Cape from an 18 years old vineyard. This whole bunched pressed wine did not go through the full malolactic fermentation to retain acidity, and was aged for 10 months on its own lees in old French oak to add texture and depth. It is pale golden yellow in colour, with cool yellow stone fruit and pear, and a very mineral palate that makes it a unique Riesling amongst other more fruity offerings. Close to 1,800 bottles produced, and as it turns out, this will be the first and last chance to taste this wine, as the vineyard is being ripped up to make way for orchards.

Experimental NOIR

The first vintage of the EXPERIMENTAL Noir was 2019. This is a Grenache from a 1Ha plot in the area of Wellington, to the north of Paarl. Only 390 bottles made due to drought.

Critical Praise

“Let me state for the record, apropos South Africa, this sophomore release made the biggest impression upon my palate since tasting Alheit’s maiden Cartology or the first vintage of Eben Sadie’s Old Vine Series. If this is a portent of what we can expect from winemaker Sam Lambson, then he will have to get accustomed to adulation and demand outstripping supply.”

Neal Martin on Stars in the Dark Syrah 2019, Vinous.com

“Minimalist Wines, Stars in the Dark Syrah 2018 Elim was made by 21-year-old Sam Lambson, a curly-haired lamb of a lad who is currently completing his BSc in Oenology at the University of Stellenbosch… To my mind it really adds to the range of Syrah on offer from the Cape… this is a delightfully transparent, savoury, appetising number. ‘Snap this up!’, I wrote.”

Jancis Robinson MW

“Sam Lambson is definitely a star to watch.”

Greg Sherwood MW

GENERAL INFORMATION

Country:  South Africa

Region:  Western Cape  

Appellation:  Elim, Elgin

Founded:  2018 

Annual Production: Under 1,000 cases

Farming: Traditional