Peccavi Margaret River Syrah 2013
Posted: April 20, 2017
Hints of Christmas cake spices to the nose and interesting nectarine-like flavours with some old oak.
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Vinaceous Right Reverend V Mount Barker Syrah 2014
Posted: April 20, 2017
Leafy green fruit nose with nice herbal note. Nice depth of flavour on a fresh crisp palate.
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Satyr Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
Priced right, this vibrantly fruity and supple, medium-bodied red has youthful plum/spice flavours, showing a touch of complexity, and satisfying depth. Best drinking mid-2017+. (From Sileni). $19 (A)
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Terrace Edge Waipara Valley Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
This powerful, ageworthy red was hand-picked and matured in French oak casks (25% new). Deeply coloured, it is fragrant and mouthfilling (14.5% alc/vol), with concentrated, ripe plum and spice flavours, still very youthful, and excellent depth, complexity and harmony. Best…
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Marsden Bay of Islands Vigot Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Deeply coloured, mouthfilling and rich, this fresh, youthful Northland red is very ageworthy. Showing excellent density of ripe, plummy, spicy, nutty flavours, it is complex and well-structured. Open 2018+. $35
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Mr Riggs Piebald Adelaide Hills Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
Lovely sweet shiraz fruit mingles with fresh new oak and is nicely supported by the acid and the firm tannins.
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Saint Clair Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Fruit-driven style, partly oak-aged, with deep colour, a peppery bouquet and fresh, strong plum, herb and spice flavours, with gentle tannins. $27 (UK)
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Mission Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
Fresh, smooth, fruit-driven style, not barrel-aged. Vibrantly fruity, with plenty of plummy, peppery flavour, in a strongly varietal style. Described by one judge as “pretty”. $18 (A, UK)
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Crossroads Talisman Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Smooth, dark red with ripe plum/spice flavours, and slight tamarillo and earth notes. Gamey and herby, with some savoury complexity. $56 (A)
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Sacred Hill Deerstalkers Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Boldly fruity, deeply coloured red, matured for 18 months in French oak barrels (30% new). Medium to full-bodied, tightly structured style, with fresh, strong blackcurrant/spice flavours, smoky, herbal, earthy notes, and firm tannins. $60
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Alpha Domus The Barnstormer Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
Full-coloured, firmly structured red, estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle and matured for over a year in mostly French oak barriques. Strong plum and black pepper flavours, with hints of licorice and violets, and a distinctly spicy finish. $34 (A,…
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Vidal Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Generous, supple red, matured for 15 months in barrels (20% new). Deeply coloured, with blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, in a silky, finely textured style, described by one panellist as “pinot noir-like”. $25 (A, UK)
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Te Awa Single Estate Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Very youthful, floral, fruit-packed style, with deep, bright colour and strong, fresh, plummy, peppery flavours, showing good purity. Elegant, with a soft, long finish. $30
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Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Fresh, rich, youthful, Gimblett Gravels red, matured for 11 months in French oak (30% new). Deeply coloured and mouthfilling, with ripe plum, spice and licorice flavours that linger well. $38 (UK)
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Mission Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
Dark, purple-flushed red with strong plum/spice flavours and some earthy, gamey notes adding complexity. Firm, peppery and savoury, with very good depth, structure and potential. $25 (A, UK)
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Mission Jewelstone Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Dark, concentrated red, matured for a year in French oak casks (23% new). Rich, well-ripened flavours of blackcurrants, plums and spices, with a finely textured finish. $45 (A, UK)
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Mills Reef Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
Deep ruby, vibrantly fruity red, aged for eight months in French oak casks (72%), American oak casks (8%), and tanks (20%). Medium to full-bodied style with generous, ripe berry fruit and spice flavours, good complexity and richness, and fine-grained tannins….
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Esk Valley Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Boldly coloured, sweet-fruited red, with dense plum and black pepper flavours, and savoury, toasty notes adding complexity. Described by one judge as “a burly, ripe style, more shiraz than syrah.” $25
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Clearview Cape Kidnappers Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
Youthful, full-bodied, soft red, with dark, purple-flushed colour and an attractive bouquet of red berries, fruitcake and spice. Fruity, with plum and slight licorice flavours, rich and smooth. $27
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Babich Winemakers Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
Concentrated, firmly structured red, grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle. Dark, with a fragrant bouquet of violets, oak complexity and a strong surge of plum, spice and slight licorice flavours. Well worth cellaring. $30
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Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Densely coloured, highly concentrated red, matured for 17 months in French oak barriques (35% new). Youthful, ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, with an earthy streak and firm tannins. (One judge scored it five stars.) $60
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Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Dense, youthful red, grown in the Cornerstone Vineyard and matured for 16 months in French oak barriques (55% new). Richly varietal and vibrantly fruity, with deep plum, blackcurrant and spice flavours, and a firm, tightly structured, long finish. $60
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Church Road Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Powerful, sweet-fruited red, bargain-priced. Deeply coloured and floral, with concentrated, youthful, very ripe flavours of red fruits and spices, a hint of licorice, and supple tannins. Drink now-2020+. $20
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Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Instantly appealing, deliciously rich and smooth-flowing red. Grown in the Gimblett Gravels (two-thirds) and the Bridge Pa Triangle (one-third), and matured for 17 months in French oak barriques (20% new). Mouthfilling and boldly coloured, with concentrated plum, licorice and spice…
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Vidal Legacy Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Stylish, youthful, “brooding” wine (according to one judge), dark and dense. Matured for 18 months in French oak barriques (38% new), it is sweet-fruited, with notably concentrated, well-ripened blackcurrant, plum, spice and licorice flavours, firmly structured, savoury and lasting. $80
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Coopers Creek SV Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Highly expressive in its youth, but very ageworthy, this dark, fragrant blend (2% viognier) is concentrated, sweet-fruited and finely structured. Rich, ripe and smooth, with hints of licorice, it offers great value. $28
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Coopers Creek SV Chalk Ridge Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Dark, with an invitingly fragrant, aromatic bouquet (1.5% viognier) of violets, boysenberry and licorice. Fresh, with intense, ripe plum and spice flavours, vibrant, silky-textured and long. Fine value. $28 (UK)
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Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Bold, dense colour, with a fragrant bouquet of spices and licorice. Highly concentrated, with good weight, rich, very ripe plum, spice and licorice flavours, and a firm backbone of tannin. Best drinking 2017+. $27
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Saint Clair James Sinclair Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Partly oak-aged, this youthful, deeply coloured red was estate-grown in the Plateau Vineyard. Medium to full-bodied, it is strongly varietal, with plum, spice and black pepper aromas and flavours, fresh, vibrant and smooth. Best drinking 2017+. $25
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Tamburlaine Reserve Hunter Valley Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
A simple easy to drink style; some residual sugar. Pretty floral berry fruit and perfumed oak. 3-5
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Nanny Goat Vineyard Central Otago Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
Full, youthful colour, with generous, plummy, spicy, slightly peppery flavours. Medium-bodied, with gentle tannins and an attractively floral bouquet. $36 (A)
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Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
Fresh, medium-bodied, vibrantly fruity red, still very youthful. Full-coloured, with plummy, distinctly spicy flavours, showing very good depth, a subtle oak influence (French, 18% new), and gentle tannins. Best drinking 2018+. $38 (UK)
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Murdoch James Blue Rock Martinborough Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Bright ruby, vibrantly fruity and supple, medium-bodied style. Tightly structured, distinctly cool-climate red with very good depth of fresh, plummy, spicy, peppery flavours. Worth cellaring. $50 (A, US)
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Spy Valley Marlborough Syrah 2013
Posted: April 5, 2017
Elegant, cool-climate style, hand-picked at up to 24.6 brix, fermented with indigenous yeasts and barrel-aged for over two years. Deep, bright ruby, mouthfilling and supple, with strong, vibrant plum, spice and nut flavours, showing good complexity, and a tightly structured…
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Crossroads Winemakers Collection Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Sturdy, youthful, clearly varietal red, grown in the Elms Vineyard. Concentrated plum and spice flavours, seasoned with nutty oak, earthy notes adding complexity, and good tannin backbone. Best drinking 2018+. $40 (A, UK)
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Crossroads Talisman Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Floral, graceful, very finely textured red, grown in the Elms Vineyard. Deeply coloured, with rich, ripe blackcurrant and spice flavours, hints of dark chocolate and licorice, and a long, slightly peppery finish. Already delicious, it should be at its best…
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Sileni Estate Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Posted: April 5, 2017
The nose has perfume, white pepper and spice. An easy, approachable lighter bodied style that emphasises red fruits.
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Wairau River Reserve Marlborough Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
A rich concentration of perfumed red fruit aromatics and a classy palate with great flavours concentration and overall presence.
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Sew & Sew Adelaide Hills Syrah 2014
Posted: April 5, 2017
Earthy and savoury on the nose with a slight eucalypt edge. The firm grippy palate has soft minty fruit flavours.
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Delluva Wines Barossa Syrah 2012
Posted: April 4, 2017
Earthy developed style with slightly leathery aromas and a palate that still shows some fruit.
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Tohu Hawkes Bay Syrah 2015
Posted: April 4, 2017
Huge lift of white pepper jumps out the glass. More of the pepper evident on the fruit driven palate with its pleasant spicy finish.
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Tamburlaine Organic Wines Reserve Orange Syrah 2015
Posted: April 4, 2017
Lifted red fruit aromatics and a youthful and primary fruit palate with elegant tannins. Needs time. Has great promise for the future.
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Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 4, 2017
A dense but very approachable style. Interesting clove-like characters to the nose which carry through to the grippy blue fruit palate.
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Mr Riggs Piebald Adelaide Syrah 2014
Posted: April 4, 2017
A menthol, eucalypt like lift to the oaky nose and a solid, gamey, chocolaty palate with a good tannic grip and delicate acid lift.
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Left Field Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 4, 2017
This buoyantly fruity red was estate-grown in the Gimblett Gravels and matured for a year in French oak hogsheads. It’s a flavoursome, fresh, plummy, spicy wine, showing some nutty, savoury complexity, with a moderately firm finish. (From Te Awa). $25
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Squawking Magpie The Chatterer Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 4, 2017
Still very youthful, this barrel-aged red is deeply coloured, with a fragrant, spicy bouquet. A strongly varietal wine, it is mouthfilling, with vibrant plum and black pepper flavours, showing excellent ripeness, depth and harmony. Priced sharply. $25
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Clearview Cape Kidnappers Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Posted: April 4, 2017
Delicious young, this deeply coloured, generous red was grown at Te Awanga and matured in French oak casks (10% new). Mouthfilling and supple, it is vibrantly fruity, with plummy, spicy flavours, showing excellent depth and harmony. $27
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Vidal Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Posted: April 4, 2017
Priced sharply, this estate-grown red was matured for 15 months in French oak barriques (20 per cent new). Deeply coloured, it has a complex bouquet, leading into a rich, youthful, well-structured palate with fresh acidity and vibrant plum, spice, black…
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The Landing Bay of Islands Syrah 2013
Posted: April 4, 2017
This stylish Northland red was estate-grown at a coastal vineyard and matured for 18 months in French oak barriques (30% new). Fragrant, with dark, youthful colour, it has deep, vibrant plum, spice and nut flavours, fine-grained tannins, and excellent ripeness,…
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Aramis The Heir McLaren Vale Syrah 2012
Posted: April 4, 2017
Dense developed and slightly tarry; a nice combo of plum jam-like fruit and chocolaty oak.
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