TERRACE EDGE SYRAH 2021

Gold Medal – New Zealand Organic Wine Awards 2024

North Canterbury and Syrah is not something you would normally associate however the Chapman family at Terrace Edge have been pushing this variety for a several years and the results speak for themselves with previous vintages picking up trophies and multiple gold medals. The winery itself has been awarded New Zealand's Organic Vineyard of the Year in 2021, talk about impressive.

Maybe it's the organic farming practices, the incredible vineyard site (steep and exposed to sun all day), the talented winemaking or a factor of all of the above and more that makes this wine so special, but whatever the reason this is a wine that is full of potential and definitely worth seeking out.

Winery notes (2021 Vintage)
"We are very passionate about this variety with a portion of it growing on our unique 45 degree roasted slope. Very low cropping levels with the warm days and cool nights characteristic of this region, produce a rich, full-bodied wine with velvety tannins, spice, and great finesse.

With little intervention, our winemaking is entirely geared toward expressing the unique landscape in which the fruit is grown. Hand-picked Syrah fruit is co-fermented with 2% Viognier to add colour, complexity and aroma. Fermentation is in small vats with indigenous yeast, and plunged by hand. The wine is then pressed to French oak barriques (15% new) and aged for 11 months, during which time it undergoes malolactic fermentation. "

5 Stars & 95/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, January 2024 (2021 Vintage)
"Splendidly complex and engaging, the wine shows dark berry, warm spice, tar and roasted nut aromas, followed by a wonderfully weighted palate offering plump mouthfeel combined with refined texture and beautifully infused tannins. Gorgeously composed and expressed with a persistent satisfying finish. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2033."

Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, November 2023 (2021 Vintage)
"Ripe and varietal bouquet with scents of black currant and baked raspberry then baking spices and toasty barrel scents laced with a peppery overtone. Firm and dry with mealy textures from tannins and acidity, a cushioning of ripe fruit flavours and textures combine to deliver a wine of substance and flavour. More cellar ageing will lead this wine into stand alone drinking, in the meantime the youth and firmness lend this wine to food pairing. Best drinking from late 2025 through 2031+."

5 Stars & 18.5+/20 (94) Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, February 2024 (2021 Vintage)
"Full, deep ruby-red with a deep purple hue. The nose is enticing with aromas of red plum, blackberry, black pepper, fine spice and minerals. Medium-full bodied, aromas of plum and blackberry entwined with black pepper, liquorice, dried herbs, cloves and black minerals. The fruit is bright and savoury with concentration; the fine-grained tannins are rich with a silky presence. This Syrah is rich with good energy, bright fruit, fine-grained tannin structure, and lively acidity that drives vitality. Match with roasted lamb and wild boar over the next 8 years. Handpicked, fermented in small batches and matured in French oak. 14% alc."