ASKERNE SYRAH 2023

Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"Fragrant and expressive, full of crunchy berry fruits, florals and scented spices, wild herbs and nuanced gamey notes. The palate plays on concentrated berry fruits and earthy complexity, balanced against bright acidity bringing wonderful length and flavour vibrancy through to the end.  Fine tannins gently fill and flow seamlessly through the wine.

This wine was made from 100% MS Clone Syrah grown on the stony and sandy lower terrace of the vineyard. The grapes were fermented in open top tanks.  The ferments also included a 10% Syrah whole bunch component as well as 4% Viognier for added complexity.  Gentle hand plunging was used for extraction. The wine was then held on skins for a total of 4 weeks giving an extended period of post ferment maceration to build richness. The wine was then pressed and racked to French oak barriques where it was aged for 9 months. The final blend has a 20% new oak component and 60% second fill."

Reviews for the 2022 vintage below…

92/100 Cameron Douglas MS, July 2023 (2022 Vintage)
"A lovely varietal impact with aromas of baked red berry fruits and barrel spices, stone, dried herb, a gentle aged meat quality, some pepper moments, violet and lees inspired baked goods qualities. Dry, taut and very youthful still as the wine touches the palate. Tannins and acidity drive the palate textures cushioned and contrasted by the core fruit flavours of black currant and raspberry, and some baked versions of the same. Tannins and acidity set a foundation structure that requires time in cellar to integrate with the layers of fruit flavours. A lovely wine that needs time in your cellar. Best drinking from late 2024 or early 2025 through 2030+."

91/100 David Walker Bell, WineFolio.com, July 2023 (2022 Vintage)
"A Hawke’s Bay wine from a label that perennially over-delivers on the price of the bottle, with many of their wines offering terrific value for money. A juicy new 2022 Syrah shows a brilliant dark ruby in the glass, with equally bright and perky aromatics of boysenberry, mocha, bramble and lots of plum on the nose. Medium-weight and well balanced with a viscous flow through the palate. Nothing too complex or angular here – just a well-articulated, juicy expression that is big on character and long on plush flavour. The finish is sleek and glossy, with good length."

90/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, May 2023 (2022 Vintage)
"Pristine and elegantly lifted on the nose with sweet plum, pomegranate, thyme, hazelnut and floral aromas, it's beautifully rounded and finely textured in the mouth offering ripe fruit intensity with fine-grained tannins. Elegant and approachable. At its best: now to 2028."