Santagostino Nero D’Avola Syrah 2011 $30 ★★★★ The groovy, gothic-style circular design on the label comes from the façade of the 14th century Sicilian Santagostino Monastry in Trapani, so yes, the bottle looks good, but it tastes like money too. Liquorice, raspberry, dusty rose and pepper aromatics merge with rosehip and pomegranate flavours, fresh acidity, … Read More
syrah
Church Road Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013
Church Road Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013 $20 ★★★★★ I really, really, really, really like this wine for loads of reasons. It’s not just its elegant aromas of peppercorn, plum, violet and red fruits freshly dusted with cocoa powder, or its buoyant acidity and ethereal texture or even its sandy, emery-like tannins with just the right … Read More
CJ Pask Declaration Syrah 2013
CJ Pask Declaration Syrah 2013 $50 ★★★★★ An ultra-bright, intensely aromatic example, which oozes fruitwood smoke, cracked pepper, rose and violet notes alongside an underlying earthy character on the nose. Flavour-wise it boasts juicy dark fruit, vanilla and cocoa, tannins with grip and chew and a long, warming finish. It’s an incredibly satisfying drink now, … Read More
Elephant Hill Airavata Syrah 2013
Elephant Hill Airavata Syrah 2013 $95 ★★★★★ This wine was 3.5 years in the making. Choosing the best possible syrah rows, adopting a specific canopy management strategy to grow ‘super syrah’ and then working on it with kid gloves in the winery to create the first ‘Icon’ syrah since 2009. This Airavata (meaning ‘the king-god of … Read More
Elephant Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2013
Elephant Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2013 $69 ★★★★★ According to winemaker Steve Skinner, they did 33 different picks across their syrah vineyards, which, for a smallish, 200-odd tonne winery is a huge effort “but it was so worth it because we were able to single out some absolutely stunning parcels to make wines like this … Read More
Saint Clair Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2013
Saint Clair Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2013 $23 ★★★½ Being a pioneering Marlborough producer hasn’t stopped the Saint Clair crew from forging further into northern climes to nab themselves some prime red wine territory in Hawke’s Bay. This syrah has all those classic plum, violet and pepper-driven spice characters that you’ll be asking for, alongside good … Read More
Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve Syrah 2012
Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve Syrah 2012 $35 ★★★★ This is basically the Sade of red wine, a smooth operator if ever there was one. Soft, sweet boysenberry, cherry, chocolate and liquorice aromas and flavours lead to velvety, elastic tannins and a long, silky finish. If you’ve never tried a Californian syrah and want to get amongst … Read More
Trinity Hill Homage Syrah 2010
Trinity Hill Homage Syrah 2010 $120 ★★★★★ “2010 is quite possibly the best we’ve ever done” announced winemaker Warren Gibson as I sat down to a vertical tasting of Homage dating back to the debut 2002 vintage. It’s a wine only made in the most exceptional years, and the 2010 is definitely one of the … Read More
Elephant Hill Airavata Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2009
Elephant Hill Airavata Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2009 $90 ★★★★★ Wow! Inky, purple-black in the glass and what a nose! Seductive aromas of plum paste, white pepper and chocolate lead to spicy, luscious liquorice and Belgian biscuit flavours, which are just fantastic. Winemaker Steve Skinner has created a really special wine here, with delicious warmth, succulence and … Read More
William Murdoch Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2010
William Murdoch Syrah 2010 $35 ★★★★ I really like this snazzy, certified organic syrah sourced from Hawke’s Bay’s Gimblett Gravels subregion, because of its bright, vibrant violet, plum and pepper perfume and its lean, elegant, medium-bodied mouthfeel. It has lovely texture and a long, spicy finish.