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
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.
2019 Elephant Hill Stone Hawke’s Bay Syrah
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.
2020 Trinity Hill Thomson’s Block Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Syrah
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.
2020 Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah
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.
2019 Elephant Hill Airavata Hawke’s Bay Syrah
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.
2021 Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Syrah
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.
2020 Esk Valley Artisan Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah
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.
2021 Giesen Single Vineyard Selection Clayvin Marlborough Syrah
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.
