VILLA MARIA RESERVE SYRAH 2018

Selected for the 2020 Fine Wines of New Zealand List
Trophy for Champion Wine of Provenance – New Zealand Wine of the Year Awards 2019
Trophy for Champion Syrah – Hawkes Bay A&P Wine Awards 2019
Gold Medal – Hawkes Bay A&P Wine Awards 2019
5 Stars & No. 1 Cuisine

Winery notes (2018 Vintage)
"This stunning Syrah is a blend of two parcels from our premium vineyards in Hawkes Bay's Gimblett Gravels. 2018 delivered wonderfully fragrant and intense Syrah wines. Dense purple hues lead to a perfumed nose of boysenberry, spice and violets. Ripe tannins encase concentrated fruit characters on a long and silky palate. Careful cellaring of up to 10+ years will reward with further complexity."

5 Stars & No. 1 Cuisine Syrah Tasting, June 2020 (2018 Vintage)
"This wine is A blend of two of Villa Maria’s premium vineyards grown in the Gimblett Gravels; Newton and Omahu Gravels. The renowned free-draining soils of the Gimblett Gravels in Hawke’s Bay have a well-earned reputation for quality and this wine is no exception. The grapes for this 100% syrah were picked following one of the warmest Hawke’s Bay summers on record. Despite some rain pressure earlier in vintage, the later-ripening reds, such as this syrah, were picked in ideal conditions and the extra ripening time ensured concentration of flavour and excellent grape quality at harvest. Post-fermentation this wine spent one year in french oak (30% new) and was bottled in July 2019.

This wine delighted the judges, with head judge Ben Glover declaring it to be “the business!” High praise from the chief, but also recognition from the other members of the panel with this wine being seen as a supreme example of what New Zealand can do as a cool-climate syrah producer.

The fruit is bright in the glass against the deep, dark colour of the wine. Delicately perfumed and fragrant with dark berries and a slight herbal character on the nose, yet on the palate displays density and power with silky, ripe tannins and remarkable length on the finish. A wine with poise and character, superbly made and incredibly delicious. Patience will be greatly rewarded by this wine, as it is expected to age beautifully for the next decade and possibly more."

Reviews for previous vintages below…

5 Stars Michael Cooper (2016 Vintage)
"The 2016 vintage was estate-grown at two sites in the Gimblett Gravels and matured for 17 months in French oak barriques (30 per cent new). A powerful, fleshy yet elegant wine, it has concentrated plum/spice flavours, ripe and smooth, and excellent vigour, depth and harmony. Still very youthful, it's well worth cellaring to 2021+."

5 Stars & 96/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, November 2018 (2016 Vintage)
"Elegant syrah with violet, plum, berry and black pepper flavours. An appealing wine with an attractive floral lift. Sweet, ripe fruit flavours are perfectly balanced by ripe tannins. Good now, better later."