Living and working in the south of the country, I don’t get to see Hawke’s Bay wines as much as I do those from Central, so it was quite a treat looking forward to a range of Syrahs. I had been collecting a line-up to taste, but then, just to turn things on its head a Syrah from Marlborough and then another from Central Otago arrived to join the mix. Rare beasts indeed given Hawke’s Bay’s dominance with this variety. Covering the price gamut, it was a fascinating mix. 2019 Mt Difficulty Ghost Town Bendigo Syrah Price RRP $60 Rating Excellent to Outstanding Attractively floral, violets, meaty savoury notes, charcuterie, spices, a wisp of leather. Powerfully fruited, darker fruits, spice and savoury notes again matched by mouth-puckering tannins. The tannins settle as the wine opens out, great length and depth of flavour, blood and iron filings to the close. Complexity, interest, good grip. www.mtdifficulty.nz 2019 Elephant Hill Stone Hawke’s Bay Syrah Price RRP $59 Rating Very Good to Excellent A fascinating touch of funkiness leads, some sweet oak scents, savoury qualities, pencil shavings. Sweetly fruited, red fruits and berryfruits, a hint of toffee too before the tannins rush in showing real grip and chewiness that takes this to a drier close with black tea notes. That funkiness becomes more apparent over time, clouding the other flavours. www.elephanthill.co.nz 2020 Trinity Hill Thomson’s Block Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Syrah Price RRP $120 Rating Outstanding Perfumed florality ebbs to forest floor notes before meaty savoury qualities come into play, a little dried herb too. A powerful example, great flavour intensity with a freshening note of leaf/mint with a savoury undercurrent. Fine tannins, lovely balance, persistence and length and within its power there’s a sense of elegance. Gorgeous texture. www.trinityhill.com 2020 Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah Price RRP $39.99 Rating Excellent A perfume to this, a melange of herb and flowers, yeasty umami notes, an earthy quality underneath, fruit in support. A tighter, cooler feel , shows its youthful side. Mixed berries, tilled earth, a deceptively powerful tannic backbone gives real chewiness. More to come I feel so give it some air or pair with food to show its best. www.trinityhill.com 2019 Elephant Hill Airavata Hawke’s Bay Syrah Price RRP $125 Rating Excellent Fragrant nose with wisps of warm leather and balsamic, dusty stones, savoury notes rising, darker fruits. Fruit richness leads, a touch of funky wildness, bloody, savoury notes again with a refreshing tangy quality. Hits some different buttons, firm, with a youthful angularity that begs a little more time to come together. www.elephanthill.co.nz 2021 Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Syrah Price RRP $24.99 Rating Excellent to Outstanding Darker, brooding, graphite/lead pencil and shavings, florality, spice, hung game with aeration. Again a brooding palate, pencil lead, dark fruits, savoury qualities, deceptively chewy tannins frame the long close. Bright acidity gives this freshness and vibrancy with flecks of leather on the close. Some youthful brashness and promise, yet already drinking well. Value here. www.trinityhill.com 2020 Esk Valley Artisan Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah Price RRP $24.99 Rating Very Good to Excellent Charry notes, a touch of wildness, dusty gravel, tilled earth/humus, savoury notes. Medium-weight style, a mix of red and dark fruits, meaty, the charry notes quite evident. Opens up on the palate with aeration, fleshing out nicely with a fresh, minty touch. Ready to go now, its only failing was being part of a very solid line up. www.eskvalleywines.com 2021 Giesen Single Vineyard Selection Clayvin Marlborough Syrah Price RRP $29 Rating Excellent to Outstanding A beguiling perfume, violet and lavender, prosciutto, darker fruits. Creamily textured front palate. flows to sweeter fruits tempered by savoury qualities and a little funk before powerful, chewy tannins come into play lending a dry, lip-smacking quality to the finish. Bright acidity, graceful within its youthful boldness, great length and growing all the while. www.giesen.co.nz
