SMITH & SHETH CRU OMAHU SYRAH 2020

From 20 year old vines grown on the Gimblett Gravels. A dark ‘velvety’ colour the wine has flavours of berry compote, florals, cocoa powder and an iodine hint. Quite plush in the mouth with fine dusty tannins. A great combination of ripeness and freshness.

Winery notes (2020 Vintage)
"Dense brooding black cherry colour. The nose is intoxicating with aromas of blackberry, cocoa, minerals, iodine and the distinctive sandalwood of fine Gimblett Gravels Syrah. The palate is rich, dense brooding spicey black fruited with a fine thread of blueberry, vanilla and cedar from oak and fruit. The finish is long, fine and gravelly. Cellar through until 2050 if you are patient.

Handpicked parcels from established vineyards in the stony river bed soils of the Gimblett Gravels sub region in Hawke’s Bay. Naturally low cropping, devigourated vines, now over 20 years old, allows for increased concentration in the resulting wine. 100% destemmed but not crushed prior to fermentation. Very gentle extraction with one gentle pump over each day of fermentation. Total time on skins between 15 and 21 days. Average 20 months ageing in a combination of new French oak barriques (60%) and a seasoned French oak foudre (40%)."

5 Stars & 97/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, December 2022 (2020 Vintage)
"Powerful and graceful at once, this refined syrah shows dark fruit richness, warm spice, tapenade, cedar and rich floral aromas on the nose, leading to wonderfully weighted palate offering seductive complexity with lavish texture, finishing splendidly long and gratifying. Superbly structured and seamless with outstanding depth and sophistication. At its best: 2024 to 2038."

5 Stars & 96/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, September 2022 (2020 Vintage)
"Intense, vibrant syrah with cassis, black cherry, black pepper, cigar box, tobacco leaf and spicy oak flavours. Formidable red with impressive cellaring potential. From the Gimblett Gravels subregion."

Rated Excellent & 94/100 Cameron Douglas MS, September 2022 (2020 Vintage)
"Great core of dark raspberry, black olive and black currant fruit aromas, layers of clove and baked vanilla toasty wood spices, a field mushroom and aged meat qualities with a dry stone mineral baseline. Complex and young. Flavours on the palate mirror the bouquet with dark berries and plums, meats and mushrooms and plenty of toasty new barrel sweet wood flavours. Weighty, fresh, satin-smooth and delicious. Best drinking from 2024 through 2029."

94/100 Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous, May 2025 (2020 Vintage)
"The 2020 Syrah Omahu CRU is youthful and richly fragranced with a sweet aroma, which takes me back to Guide camp, where we wrapped sweet banana and chocolate in aluminum foil and cooked it slowly in the embers of a fire. It is a silky, expansive style with mouthcoating tannins providing the age-worthy substance within its concentrated core. Despite its intensity, it never becomes lush and retains a sense of precision and tension. The alcohol is welcomingly modest, too, at 13%, maintaining freshness. The fragrant finish is a little festive, with cinnamon sticks joining black fruit, cherry and fruit cake. One for the more patient drinker. Drinking Window: 2025 – 2038."

93/100 Erin Larkin, RobertParker.com, Wine Advocate, December 2023 (2020 Vintage)
"The 2020 Cru Omahu Syrah is aromatic and perfumed on the nose, with all of the inflections of roast meat and broth, mushrooms and peppercorns and layers of licorice and mulberry. This is a balanced and restrained wine. It seems to be totally composed and sedate. Very good."