Sam Lambson is not yet 30 and already has nine vintages of his Minimalist label under his belt. Inspired by a bottle of 1998 Jamet Côte-Rôtie while studying at Stellenbosch, he made his very first syrah when he was still at university, debuting with the 2018 vintage of his Cape Agulhas syrah, Stars in the Dark. It’s fair to say, he is a prodigious talent.
His wines pulse with peppery perfume, cool-climate tension and a certain edginess; with his most recent two vintages (2024 and 2025) showing more finesse and confidence than ever before. I am delighted to offer his 2025 Stars in the Dark and 2025 No Place like Home to members as a First Release today, as part of our Spotlight on South Africa. We have a limited number of magnums of both wines for the first time ever, and as such have put together a very special mixed case featuring two bottles of each wine and one magnum of each wine. You can also buy the wines individually in cases of six bottles, or a mixed case of three of each.
Order by midday on Monday 17th August
The 2025 vintage – a spectacular one across the Western Cape, not just in Stellenbosch – sees Sam continue on his trajectory of excellence, making the wines in his own urban winery for the very first time. As well as the significance of this being the debut vintage in his new (uber cool) cellar in Cape Town, 2025 sees 'a return to minimalism and transparency,' he says, with identical production methods across the board so that the only differences between Stars in the Dark (Cape Agulhas) and No Place like Home (Elgin) come from their distinctive cool-climate syrah terroirs. That means we are back to 100% whole bunches again (following a couple of vintages where they deviated from this), entirely in concrete vats, all spontaneous fermentation and maturation half in old oak and half in concrete. The 2024 vintage was the first vintage Sam matured half the wine in concrete and he ‘loves the purity that concrete brings,’ opting for unlined vats so that there is a little oxygen exchange.
Every syrah-loving member will want these wines in their Reserves. Don't miss them.
