Ataahua Waipara Syrah 2020 $40 The Nor’wester swept plains of North Canterbury have turned out some sensational, yet completely underrated syrah over the years, but I’m thinking this new release from winemaker Stephanie Henderson-Grant is going to create some real noise. With pure peppercorn and Damson plum notes on the nose, brisk, feisty, under-the-front-gums tannins … Read More
syrah
Mills Reef Reserve Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2020
Mills Reef Reserve Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2020 $25 When the 2020 grape harvest wrapped up, winemakers were hopping, skipping and clapping about the excellence of it all and right about now the reds being released are absolutely proving that point. This syrah is always exceptional value however 2020 is a squeak above the rest. Bold … Read More
Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Redstone Syrah 2019
Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Redstone Syrah 2019 $120 The ‘treat ’em mean, keep ’em keen philosophy applied by winemaker Chris Scott to these vines, is pretty hardcore. I mean dropping the crop by 60%-70%? That’s practically abuse! And yet this Bridge Pa-grown wine tastes like its long, loose bunches have been lovingly cuddled and … Read More
CRAGGY RANGE Gimblett Gravels LE SOL 2019 $150 2021 marks 20 years since the very first Le Sol syrah was produced and since then it’s only been released when the fruit is faultless and every vintage has a skite sheet stacked with accolades from across the globe. 2019 is next level. The Le Sol style … Read More
Beach House Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2019
Beach House Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2019 $30 Chris Harrison is a syrah superstar in my book. Each year his Gimblett Gravels grown grapes produce the peppery, cocoa-dusted goods. The 2019 oozes blueberries, dark chocolate, Christmas pudding spices across the nose and palate, the tannins are smooth, softly elastic and have excellent chew-factor. It’s a warming, … Read More
Mission Gimblett Gravels Jewelstone Syrah 2020
Mission Gimblett Gravels Jewelstone Syrah 2020 $50 Intensely glossy and inky-dark as it pours into the glass, this is a wine crafted from fruit grown in a small site on Mere Road, in the middle of the most famous red wine region in the country. And it’s pretty spectacular. I bet the last thing you … Read More
Swift Whole Bunch Bridge Pa Triangle Syrah 2019
Swift Whole Bunch Bridge Pa Triangle Syrah 2019 $40 Syrah lends itself to reductive winemaking, especially when it’s made in a low-preservative way like Lauren Swift prefers. When her syrah is fresh out of the gate, it takes on a struck-match, flinty, smoky complexity that wraps around the pepper and blueberry backbone of the wine. … Read More
Swift Wines Bridge Pa Triangle Whole Bunch Syrah 2020
Swift Wines Bridge Pa Triangle Whole Bunch Syrah 2020$40 If you’re expecting classic violets and pepper and all that normal syrah ‘stuff’ then best you put your seatbelt on and scoot right out of the CBD because winemaker Lauren Swift shakes her syrah up. A field blend of two clones, Mass Selection and Chave have … Read More
de la terre Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019
de la terre Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019 $39.99 Hold the phone, lock the gates and pull on your pepper pants because this new release from the legendary winemaking talents of Tony Prichard is extraordinarily spicy and nicey. Crafted from handpicked fruit grown in the highest elevation syrah vineyard in Hawke’s Bay (160m icyww), it’s … Read More
Kōpū Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020
Kōpū Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020 $24.99 From the lovelies at Lake Road Wines comes this bright, pepper-dusted syrah sourced from vineyards around Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand’s syrahvana. Showing classic violet vavoom and an edge of iron filings, blackcurrant, blueberry and seasoned leather, it’s a style that requires a large, swirlable glass so that you can … Read More