Ninety points in the Platter’s 2026 guide. Eighteen months in barrel. A winemaker who was named Diners Club Winemaker of the Year. The Survivor Terroir Syrah 2023 is a serious South African Syrah with a story — and now Christine Rudman‘s tasting note confirms what Pierre Wahl has been building at Survivor Wines for years.
The Story: A Cow, a Vineyard, and a Name Worth Keeping
The Survivor name was earned, not invented. A Nguni cow in transit jumped from the truck carrying her and was found grazing contentedly in owner DB Rust’s Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard on the farm. He named her Survivor. The wine label followed — and with it, a philosophy of resilience and terroir honesty that has since defined everything the winery produces.
Cellar Master Pierre Wahl is a Cape Winemakers Guild member and the 2016 Diners Club Winemaker of the Year — widely known as the “Pope of Pinotage” for his mastery of the cultivar, but equally respected for what he does with Swartland Syrah. The Terroir range represents his most terroir-focused work: grapes selected from specific sites — Swartland, Darling, Tradouw, Elgin, Stellenbosch — chosen for their ability to genuinely express a sense of place.
The Platter’s Verdict
“Full-ripe berries & plums, with spicy, smoky overtones from 18 months in barrel, 2023 even has liquorice nuances. There’s plushness & generosity in the styling, the texture streamlined, wine flavourful. Great current appeal with potential.”
— Christine Rudman, Platter’s South African Wine Guide 2026 | 90 points (4½ stars)
Tasting Notes
- Look: Deep ruby-purple with a concentrated, inky core.
- Nose: Full-ripe berries and plums with spicy, smoky overtones and a thread of liquorice — the hallmark of 18 months in barrel working in harmony with the fruit.
- Palate: Plush and generous with excellent texture, streamlined tannins and real flavour depth. Great current appeal with the structure to reward a few years in the cellar.
Details
- Producer: Survivor Wines
- Range: Terroir range
- Cellar Master: Pierre Wahl (Cape Winemakers Guild | 2016 Diners Club Winemaker of the Year)
- Region: Swartland
- Variety: Syrah
- Vintage: 2023
- Ageing: 18 months in barrel
- Platter’s 2026: 90 points (4½ stars) — tasted by Christine Rudman
Food Pairing
Built for the braai and the table in equal measure. Exceptional with sosaties, lamb chops over wood coals, springbok or ostrich cuts. Off the fire, try it with slow-braised lamb shoulder, venison pie or a richly spiced Cape Malay dish. The plushness and generosity in the styling make it an easy-going companion for almost any red meat occasion.
The Survivor Terroir Syrah 2023 is 90-point Swartland Syrah from Pierre Wahl — 18 months in barrel, genuine terroir character, and a story worth telling. Available at Vinty.
