Gold Medal – New Zealand International Wine Show 2023
Gold Medal – The National Wine Awards of Aotearoa New Zealand 2023
Winery notes (2021 Vintage)
"Deep red with a purple hue. Tremendous aromatic lift, with lavender and sweet cherries rising from the glass. The palate has significant density but a perfect balance that already encourages drinking. Again, so much energy in the 2021 wines but also a concentration due to the low yields. Delightful.
A very warm spring brought forward the growing season. Summer was mild but with minimal rain days, producing low yields. The result was near-perfect ripening conditions for Syrah."
Reviews for previous vintages below…
Best in Show & 97/100 Decanter World Wine Awards, June 2022 (2020 Vintage)
"The Gimblett Gravels endeavour is a model for terroir research outside traditional regions, and recent generous vintages have really begun to pay off for this disciplined private association of Hawke's Bay wine growers. This is glorious Syrah: deep, dense and black-red in colour, with classic varietal aromas which combine inner urgency with sweet seduction. On the palate the wine offers a cascade of fruit, with tempered acidity and shy tannins. It's the grain to that fruit which impresses so: primary (plum, currant and sloe) yet nuanced, too, perfumed to the last drop and with a sense of stone behind the fruit to lend it dignity and keep you coming back to the glass for more."
93/100 Mike Bennie, The Wine Front, November 2022 (2020 Vintage)
"Juicy, slick and vibrant expression with good doses of spice, cranberry jelly, floral lift and faint game meat characters – perfume and palate in cahoots on this. Slips along with mellow, medium weight appeal but finds a cinch and pucker from pumice-stone like tannin profile and a cool, orangey acidity backing it all up. So slurpable, glossy and delicious. Joyous stuff, but with plenty going on for the syrah nerds too. Very well done."
4 ½ Stars & Top 10, Cuisine NZ Syrah Tasting, June 2023 (2020 Vintage)
"A deep colour with a dark core that looks fantastic in the glass. Plush, luscious dark fruit and floral aromas on the nose that segue through to the palate and which are set against a meaty character and evidence of judicious use of oak. Lovely polished tannins provide structure and length."
5 Stars & 96/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, October 2020 (2019 Vintage)
"Dense syrah with red-fleshed plum, cassis, a hint of floral and black pepper. It sits on the cusp between blockbuster and finesse with a nod in both directions. Graphite tannins. Great now but will age."
Rated Excellent & 94/100 Cameron Douglas MS, January 2022 (2019 Vintage)
"Immediately generous of fruit and wood scents with synergies adding complexity and charm. Aromas and flavours of dark berries and toasty barrel, violet and iron, stone soils and some sweet black fruit suggestions. Salivating, fruity, firm and dry on the palate with flavours and textures delivered all at once. Tannins have a fine chalky texture and acidity delivers the backbone of structure – both contrasted by a core of fruit. Delicious, fresh, youthful and lengthy. Ready for drinking from 2022 through 2029+."
94/100 Decanter Magazine UK, March 2021 (2019 Vintage)
"Gorgeously lifted floral notes and raspberry juice purity on the nose. The palate is inky and youthful, packed with dense purple brambles, more ripe raspberries and sweet red cherries too. Super-bright cleansing acidity, a cool mineral tang and mouthcoating musky tannins. A stunner now but will age beautifully."
4 ½ Stars Michael Cooper (2019 Vintage)
"This label is overshadowed by the reputation of its stablemate, Le Sol, but proves the power, structure and finesse that can be achieved with Syrah grown in the Gimblett Gravels of Hawke's Bay. The 2019 vintage was matured for 14 months in French oak barriques (25 per cent new). Deep and youthful in colour, it has a floral, peppery fragrance. Fresh and full-bodied, it is supple, with strong plum, spice and black pepper flavours, showing good vigour and concentration. Well worth cellaring."
93/100 Jamie Goode, wineanorak.com, January 2022 (2019 Vintage)
"Heady nose of floral black cherry and blackberry fruit with notes of coffee, pepper and iodine, as well as some vinyl-like reductive character. The palate is bright and primary with fresh black fruits, good acidity, a bit of structure and some peppery detail, but it’s still quite closed. It’s a bright, expressive example of Syrah. It will be approachable sooner than Le Sol, and prettier too for a while, but should still be able to age."