Rall Wines
About Rall Wines
Donovan Rall has established an enviable reputation as one of South Africa’s most talented winemakers. Cutting his teeth in New Zealand, the Rhône Valley and, finally, with the Sadie Family, his time at the latter was instrumental to Rall's current understanding of the diverse terroir of this expansive region.
In 2008, Donovan Rall set out on his own, creating his eponymous winery – Rall Wines. As was to be expected, it didn’t take him long to capture the interest of numerous leading wine critics. In fact, Donovan’s very first wine in 2008 already garnered a five-star rating from the Platter’s Wine Guide.
Today, his winery, touted as “one of the most consistent” in the country, is rated as a “First Growth” in Tim Atkin’s Cape Classification System.
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Coastal Region | 1 | 97 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€440.87 |
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Vinous (97)The 2021 Syrah Ava comes from two schist vineyards, the main component from the parcel that forms the Rall Syrah, in a corner where the clusters are very small. It has a compelling bouquet with dark berry fruit, slate-like scents, hints of broom and Provençal herbs. The palate is medium-bodied with a dense yet paradoxically elegant frame of tannins, precise peppery black fruit with a persistent, beautifully proportioned finish. All this at just 11.9% alcohol. Brilliant. |
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1 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. TAX
€167.65 |
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Tim Atkin MW (95)A wine doesn't have to be big to be complex," says Donovan Rall of this refined, ageworthy Cinsault, which combines fruit from Darling and the Swartland. Textured, refreshing yet with quite a bit of tannin for the variety, this is crunchy, complex and elegant with layers of summer berry and black cherry fruit. 2022-26 |
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5 | 94 (TA) |
Inc. TAX
€167.65 |
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Tim Atkin MW (94)Sold as a Coastal red because it includes fruit from the Swartland as well as Darling - the vineyards are only two kilometres apart - this is a delicate, yet focused red with some whole bunch spices and sap, black cherry and raspberry fruit, nuanced tannins and a floral, tapering finish. 2022-27 |
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3 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€195.25 |
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Vinous (94)The 2016 Red contains Carignan for the first time, though Syrah still comprises 80% of the blend, along with Cinsault and Grenache. It has a very detailed bouquet with scents of black plum, blackberry, a touch of gravel and the 100% whole bunch lending a slightly earthy tincture. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, quite firm in the mouth and maybe more masculine compared to other Syrah-dominated Rhône blends, yet there is wonderful freshness and delineation here. It exerts a gentle grip on the midpalate and those schistous soils impart a wonderful mineralité on the finish. Outstanding. |
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5 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€206.05 |
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Vinous (95)The 2017 Rall Red is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault that is matured in 225- and 500-liter French oak. It has a perfumed, quite sensual bouquet of pressed violet and potpourri aromas entwined with black cherries and blueberry fruit. The medium-bodied palate displays very fine tannins that frame exceedingly pure black and blueberry fruit laced with truffle, Provençal herbs and white pepper. It feels very persistent as it fans out on the finish, completing an outstanding Rall Red, one of the best that Donovan Rall has produced thus far. |
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10 | 94 (TA) |
Inc. TAX
€195.25 |
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Tim Atkin MW (94)"The most southern Rhône-like red I've made" is how Donovan Rall describes this 50% whole bunch-fermented cuvée of Syrah with 30% Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. Broad and spicy, with Mediterranean garrigue aromas, a tannic backdrop and meaty, bloody intensity. 2021-28 |
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2 | 94 (CE) |
Inc. TAX
€197.41 |
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Christian Eedes (94)65% Syrah, 13% Grenache, 13% Cinsault and 9% Carignan. The nose is particularly expressive with notes of red and black berries, cured meat, lavender, herbs and pepper while the palate is rich and flavourful but equally not short of freshness – a bit less foursquare than preceding vintages have tended to be. Complex and satisfying. |
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1 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€197.27 |
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Vinous (94)The 2020 Red Blend is 100% whole bunch matured in old French oak. It has a lovely, quite bold and expressive, succulent dark cherry and cassis-tinged bouquet that bursts from the glass. The palate is the ripest of Rall's portfolio with grippy tannins that frame the layered dark berry fruit laced with white pepper and black tea. Nicely proportioned and very persistent on the finish. Excellent. |
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|
1 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€202.07 |
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Vinous (95)The 2021 Syrah is a maiden release from a 10-hectare parcel on schist soils that Rall took two weeks to track down the owner. It was cropped at 2 tons/hectare as it is so rocky. This comes from the early-picked fruit and matured in concrete only. The bouquet is very endearing with raspberry, wild strawberry and a very slight confit-like scent. The palate is very harmonious with fine grip, a little tertiary in style, beautifully proportioned and elegant on the finish. Outstanding. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 97 (VN) |
In Bond
€345.00 |
|||||
Vinous (97)The 2021 Syrah Ava comes from two schist vineyards, the main component from the parcel that forms the Rall Syrah, in a corner where the clusters are very small. It has a compelling bouquet with dark berry fruit, slate-like scents, hints of broom and Provençal herbs. The palate is medium-bodied with a dense yet paradoxically elegant frame of tannins, precise peppery black fruit with a persistent, beautifully proportioned finish. All this at just 11.9% alcohol. Brilliant. |
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|
1 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
€121.00 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)A wine doesn't have to be big to be complex," says Donovan Rall of this refined, ageworthy Cinsault, which combines fruit from Darling and the Swartland. Textured, refreshing yet with quite a bit of tannin for the variety, this is crunchy, complex and elegant with layers of summer berry and black cherry fruit. 2022-26 |
|||||||||
|
5 | 94 (TA) |
In Bond
€121.00 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (94)Sold as a Coastal red because it includes fruit from the Swartland as well as Darling - the vineyards are only two kilometres apart - this is a delicate, yet focused red with some whole bunch spices and sap, black cherry and raspberry fruit, nuanced tannins and a floral, tapering finish. 2022-27 |
|||||||||
|
3 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
€144.00 |
||||||
Vinous (94)The 2016 Red contains Carignan for the first time, though Syrah still comprises 80% of the blend, along with Cinsault and Grenache. It has a very detailed bouquet with scents of black plum, blackberry, a touch of gravel and the 100% whole bunch lending a slightly earthy tincture. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, quite firm in the mouth and maybe more masculine compared to other Syrah-dominated Rhône blends, yet there is wonderful freshness and delineation here. It exerts a gentle grip on the midpalate and those schistous soils impart a wonderful mineralité on the finish. Outstanding. |
|||||||||
|
5 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
€153.00 |
||||||
Vinous (95)The 2017 Rall Red is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault that is matured in 225- and 500-liter French oak. It has a perfumed, quite sensual bouquet of pressed violet and potpourri aromas entwined with black cherries and blueberry fruit. The medium-bodied palate displays very fine tannins that frame exceedingly pure black and blueberry fruit laced with truffle, Provençal herbs and white pepper. It feels very persistent as it fans out on the finish, completing an outstanding Rall Red, one of the best that Donovan Rall has produced thus far. |
|||||||||
|
10 | 94 (TA) |
In Bond
€144.00 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (94)"The most southern Rhône-like red I've made" is how Donovan Rall describes this 50% whole bunch-fermented cuvée of Syrah with 30% Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. Broad and spicy, with Mediterranean garrigue aromas, a tannic backdrop and meaty, bloody intensity. 2021-28 |
|||||||||
|
2 | 94 (CE) |
In Bond
€146.00 |
||||||
Christian Eedes (94)65% Syrah, 13% Grenache, 13% Cinsault and 9% Carignan. The nose is particularly expressive with notes of red and black berries, cured meat, lavender, herbs and pepper while the palate is rich and flavourful but equally not short of freshness – a bit less foursquare than preceding vintages have tended to be. Complex and satisfying. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
€142.00 |
||||||
Vinous (94)The 2020 Red Blend is 100% whole bunch matured in old French oak. It has a lovely, quite bold and expressive, succulent dark cherry and cassis-tinged bouquet that bursts from the glass. The palate is the ripest of Rall's portfolio with grippy tannins that frame the layered dark berry fruit laced with white pepper and black tea. Nicely proportioned and very persistent on the finish. Excellent. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
€146.00 |
||||||
Vinous (95)The 2021 Syrah is a maiden release from a 10-hectare parcel on schist soils that Rall took two weeks to track down the owner. It was cropped at 2 tons/hectare as it is so rocky. This comes from the early-picked fruit and matured in concrete only. The bouquet is very endearing with raspberry, wild strawberry and a very slight confit-like scent. The palate is very harmonious with fine grip, a little tertiary in style, beautifully proportioned and elegant on the finish. Outstanding. |