NOVUM THE OAKS VINEYARD SYRAH 2024

Winery notes (2024 Vintage)
"Once de-stemmed into open top fermenters, the Syrah grapes sat on their skins prior to kick-off of wild yeast fermentation (about 5 days), and then were pumped over 2 times a day during active ferment. After 35+ days on skins, the wine was basket pressed, racked and transferred to French oak puncheons (30% new oak). The wine was aged in barrel for 18 months, with the final wine blended in September and bottled 10 October 2025. 1860 bottles produced.

This is a wine with soul. The 2024 Syrah takes a moment to reveal itself in the glass. Quietly, aromas of blackberry and violet, spice and white pepper appear — subtle at first – then with growing intensity. The concentrated palate emerges, with black fruits and a savoury, earthy spiciness, and supportive mid-weight tannins that lead to a long, satisfying finish. This is a wine for a colder evening, perhaps slow-roasted lamb and dazzling company.

Syrah grown in Marlborough sits on the edge of climatic suitability. However, after years of working with this variety we have learnt that the high number of sunshine hours combined with careful attention in the vineyard can produce wines of the most astonishing concentration and flavour. We planted 1 acre of Syrah vines 7 years ago with the express desire to make a truly great Syrah. This is no small undertaking. We put together 20 years’ worth of learnings on soil type, root stock, row spacings, canopy management, pruning techniques, and winemaking into the development of this one acre of vineyard. The resulting vineyard stands out – it’s different from every vineyard around it. Extremely close-planted at just 1.4 by 1.5 metres, with 5,600 plants per HA, with the fruiting wire sitting only 500 millimetres off the ground to achieve optimum effect from the radiated ground heat. Planted amongst the Syrah vines are Viognier plants (3%), which are a traditional varietal mix used in select parts of the Rhône Valley to add mid-palate weight and fix colour when co-fermented with Syrah"