This is a luxurious and succulent red wine of sleek texture and medium weight, exuberant perfume, spice and graphite-lime mineral qualities. There's bouncy red fruit and game meat subtlety woven into the wine, with a touch of floral lift. Poised, lengthy, fine and balanced. A very serious contender for top-flight status of NZ syrah, and drinkability is a charm. Yes please. Points: 95/100
Deep purple. Perfumed syrah with black cherry and violet notes set against sweetly spicy cinnamon oak, this is no more than medium-bodied but has a coulis-like concentration of fruit and elegant yet structured tannins from both wood and fruit. Young and unevolved presently, it will be better in the coming year once it absorbs some of its sweet oak and has the length and architecture to reward mid-term cellaring. Points: 93/100
Gimblett Gravels Syrah, Shiraz this side of the ditch, continues to excite and seems to get better vintage after vintage. From a single vineyard, the colour here is a gleaming mauve/magenta. It is immediately apparent that the intensity of this well-balanced wine not only runs the full journey, but never wavers. The aromas include notes of leather, truffles, mulberries, black cherries, charcuterie, coffee grinds and an array of spices, with even a flick of pepper. The wine is taut, poised and offers a supple texture with fine balance. There really is such impressive length to this wine. For enjoying over the next fifteen years. Points: 95/100
This release is powerful and well structured, not to mention complex. But it’s also surly; it’s a bit of a grump. It tastes of plums, graphite, creamy oak, peppercorns and violets, and while there are some black pepper characters in play they are modest at most. These characters too are slightly bitter, for the record. Tannin is firm and yet the finish is still (very) well sustained. There’s a feeling though that this wine is all arms and legs at present; it hasn’t yet fledged into its proper swing. It will do so in time. 92+ Points: 92/100
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