• Tweet

• Tweet

Hi from Matt

After judging the 2011 Mercedes Benz Hawkes Bay Wine Awards, and weeks of blind panel tasting at Fine Wine Delivery Company, I can definitively say that 2010 is a seminal year for Hawkes Bay and Waiheke Syrah.  It is clearly the greatest vintage for the variety in New Zealand thus far. The  vintage was a near perfect growing season that produced very low yields of ripe, flavour-packed and physiologically-balanced grapes.  This, combined with greater vine maturity and winemaker experience with the variety have culminated in a huge surge forward in Syrah quality and style in this country.

Syrah plantings in New Zealand are tiny, but the best of them are reminiscent of those of Crozes Hermitage in France’s northern Rhone valley, but with New Zealand’s vibrant, bright fruit flavours; dark fruits, blueberries, anise, black olive and black pepper.  2010 has delivered an extra dimension of spicy complexity, depth, balance and tannin finesse to these rare and special New Zealand reds.  I recommend stocking up on the best ones and cellaring them for 5-10 years.  Many top 2010 Syrah are far from release, but the best I’ve tried so far, in alphabetical order are…

Alpha Domus The Barnstormer Syrah 2010
Bilancia Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2010
Kennedy Point Syrah 2010
Man O’ War Dreadnought Syrah 2010 (yet to be released)
Te Awa Left Field Syrah 2010
Te Mata Estate Bullnose Syrah 2010
Te Whau Waiheke Island NZ Syrah 2010
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels 2010
Trinity Hill Hommage 2010 (yet to be released)
Weeping Sands Syrah 2010