The Waterford Estate Kevin Arnold Shiraz 2021 is one of the estate’s signature wines and a long-standing expression of Helderberg-grown Shiraz. Named in honour of Waterford’s founding winemaker and former cellarmaster, Kevin Arnold, the wine reflects both the estate’s history and its distinctive Stellenbosch terroir.
The 2021 vintage combines 91% Shiraz with 9% Mourvèdre, with the latter bringing additional savoury depth and structure. A longer ripening season helped develop excellent fruit concentration while retaining freshness, resulting in a wine that balances the richer character associated with Shiraz with the perfume and elegance of classical Syrah.
The wine is matured for 20 months in older French oak, including larger-format barrels and foudre. The restrained use of oak allows the fruit, spice and mineral character of the Helderberg to remain at the forefront.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep ruby-red with vibrant crimson highlights.
Nose: Highly expressive, with an intriguing combination of smoky chorizo, violets and vibrant red and black fruits. Savoury spice, subtle pepper and mineral nuances add complexity, while the floral character provides an elegant lift.
Palate: Smooth, layered and beautifully structured. Fresh red and black berry fruit is supported by velvety tannins and bright acidity. Savoury notes and a subtle mineral edge provide tension and complexity, preventing the wine from becoming overly rich or heavy.
Finish: Long, linear and refined, with lingering dark fruit, savoury spice, fine tannins and a distinctive mineral character. The structure suggests excellent potential for further development in bottle.
Awards & Accolades
The 2021 vintage has received excellent recognition:
93 Points – Tim Atkin MW, South Africa Special Report 2025
4.5 Stars – Platter’s Wine Guide 2026
Food Pairing
An excellent partner for venison, slow-roasted lamb shoulder, beef fillet, braaied meats and chargrilled mushrooms. The combination of bright acidity, savoury spice and fine tannins works particularly well with rosemary, black pepper and smoky flavours.
Technical Details
Producer: Waterford Estate
Wine: Kevin Arnold Shiraz
Vintage: 2021
Country: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Terroir: Helderberg Mountain
Blend: 91% Shiraz, 9% Mourvèdre
Harvesting: Hand-harvested
Fermentation: Whole berries fermented for approximately 14 days
Malolactic Fermentation: In older French oak
Maturation: 20 months in older French oak barrels, including 300L, 500L and 2,400L foudre
Alcohol: 13% ABV
Residual Sugar: 1.5 g/L
Total Acidity: 5.0 g/L
pH: 3.68
Bottle Size: 750ml
Cellaring Potential: 5–20 years
Delivery within South Africa:
All orders are delivered from our central warehouse located in Montague Gardens, Western Cape. Local orders are usually delivered in 0-2 working days. Orders outside of Cape Town but within SA are generally delivered within 2-5 working days. If you require expedited delivery, we now offer an Express delivery service, which typically takes 1-3 working days, depending on your area.
While we strive for timely deliveries, there are occasional instances where delays may occur. These are rare but can happen due to unforeseen circumstances.
Delivery Rates:
At checkout, you will be presented with delivery options and corresponding rates. These rates are provided directly by our courier partners and are displayed as is. On rare occasions, a courier may generate an incorrect delivery rate due to issues with the address recognition. In such cases, we will arrange for an alternative courier to deliver your order at a similar rate to the original cost.
We believe in offering transparency in our delivery fees and, as such, do not include any delivery costs in our product pricing. We do not profit from delivery fees.
Third-Party Couriers:
For the majority of our orders, we rely on third-party courier services for delivery. Regular notifications will be sent and on the day of delivery the couriers will notify you via sms, call or email . If the courier is unable to reach you, we will get in touch with you to arrange an alternative solution.
Please note, you will be required to sign upon delivery, and the drivers may request a form of identification.
If there is something wrong with your product, we will gladly issue a full refund of 100% of your purchase amount. To process this, please reach out to us at info@mothercityliquor.co.za as soon as possible, and we will guide you through the refund process.
Order Cancellations: If you need to cancel your order, simply email us at info@mothercityliquor.co.za, and we’ll assist you with the cancellation process. Please note, cancellations will incur a small fee of 10%, which covers the transaction fees we incur for processing each order. If your order has already been shipped, please be aware that the shipping fee is non-refundable.
Consignment Orders:
We do not offer consignment stock or consignment deals.
Returns:
If you find that there is an issue with your product, you are eligible to return it to us. Here’s how you can initiate the return:
Exceptions to Returns:
Sale or Special Offer Items: Only regular-priced items are eligible for a refund. Unfortunately, items purchased on sale or as part of a special offer cannot be refunded.
Subscription Terms & Conditions:
By purchasing a Subscription, you agree to recurring automatic payments based on your selected delivery frequency (monthly, every 2 months or every 3 months etc).
Your subscription will automatically renew and your payment method will be charged on the same calendar day as your original purchase until your subscription is cancelled.
Minimum Commitment: Subscription pricing includes a discounted rate and therefore requires a minimum commitment of two (2) deliveries. Cancellation requests will only be accepted after your second subscription box has been successfully delivered.
Cancellation requests must be submitted before your next billing date. If your payment has already been processed, that month's subscription will still be fulfilled and dispatched.
Subscription payments are non-refundable once they have been successfully processed, except where required by applicable South African consumer protection laws.
In the event that a product becomes unavailable, Mothercity Liquor reserves the right to substitute it with a product of equal or greater value.
Customers must be 18 years or older to purchase or receive alcoholic products.
