While we're still in the midst of winter, we thought it'd be fun to go on a journey around the country (while dipping into the Rhône Valley and Hawkes Bay for good measure), and pick out some of our favourite contemporary Syrah expressions at the moment!
Syrah and Shiraz are indeed the same grape, however those that label their wines as 'Syrah' tend to be those hailing from the cooler-climated regions, with the red in question bringing a more elegant, aromatic mouthfeel than the intense tannins and ripe fruits often attributed to Shiraz. For this Saturday's tasting (22nd July), from 12 to 2pm, there'll be an abundance of this very style on pour for you all to try, as well as one terrific Shiraz/Viognier blend for comparison's sake!
There are plenty of highlights here, with two brilliant Rhône Valley reds, one from Hawkes Bay, as well a vast range of Aussie bottles, from Yarra Valley and Bendigo in Victoria, through to the Barossa, Great Southern and even Granite Belt here in Queensland! It'll be a brilliant display, so we hope you can come by!
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Specials & Tasting Lineup - Saturday 22nd July
2021 Hidden Creek Syrah (Granite Belt, Queensland) - $35 on offer ; $40 RRP
"Estate grown Shiraz made with French Rhône Valley methods including a tiny amount of Viognier and hand plunging, resulting in a distinctive combination of juicy cherry red fruits and spicy flavours with a silky palate to offer a Syrah style." - Winemaker Note
"Hidden Creek Syrah 2021, made 100% from estate grown Shiraz, is labelled with the original French variety name to signify that the style has more in common with the reds from the northern Rhone region around Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage but especially Saint-Joseph than the riper more alcoholic oak styles of South Australian warmer regions. The Hidden Creek estate vineyards are close to 1000 metres altitude in a windy rock location with granite soil. Vinification includes spontaneous fermentation and a high proportion of whole bunch fermentation. The flavour shows red and black cherry and raspberry as well as sage and meaty complexity, the latter being a function of the whole bunch wine making. There is savoury complexity as well as a silky mid palate structure. Drinking very well now but with 5 or more years potential." - Andrew Corrigan MW
2020 Bilancia Syrah (Hawkes Bay, NZ) - $39 on offer ; $45 RRP
"2020 was the vintage of irony; truly spectacular fruit harvested under the cloud of the global pandemic. Sweet, ripe berry fruits and plums, fresh and juicy fruit coupled with Hawke’s Bay spice, balanced acidity and ripe, gentle tannins. A great wine for opening on release, this amazing 2020 Syrah is a vibrant, youthful wine and can be enjoyed immediately but it will also continue to develop over the next six to eight years." - Winemaker Notes
"It is a delicious combination of flavours with a core of sweet, ripe fruit balanced by soft acidity and ripe tannins. A lot of wine for the price." - 95 Points, Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review
2021 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Syrah (Great Southern, WA) - $46 on offer ; $52 RRP
"A calm composed nose suggests great depth. Violets, cinnamon, peppercorns, smoke, stones, and dusty earth mingle with redcurrants, cherries and plums. The palate has todie-for weightlessness and is perfectly poised between a range of ripe, velvety fruits and savoury tones. The whole bunches and our ironstone soils conjure a slew of sweet and exotic spices threaded through the fine, ferrous tannins. Thoroughly compelling and cohesive from first sniff to the soaring finish." - Winemaker Notes
"This wonderful wine marks the continuing evolution of Syrah from Frankland Estate. It was a very good year with the cool ripening period allowing for excellent flavour build up. This is 94% Syrah, 4% viognier and 2% Mourvèdre. Each plays an important role in the final blend. The use of the 470 clone has brought a degree of perfume and elegance to the final wine that is quite beautiful. It’s spicy with a little regional ironstone and black pepper. Smoothly integrated and silky. The oak is deliberately muted with the use of 3500-litre foudres. Outstanding wine." - 97 Points, Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot
2020 Michael Hall Flaxman Valley Syrah (Eden Valley) - $46 on offer ; $53 RRP
"Deep-ish red to brick-red colour with earthy, plummy, rhubarb aromas showing some early development, also raspberry and dried-herb regional traces including some mint, while the palate is slightly uneven, with drying tannins disciplining somewhat jammy flavours, so that it all comes together finally in a satisfying conclusion. A truly regional Eden Valley shiraz. This wine really responded to extended breathing." - 94 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
"A flavorful, peppery syrah with aromas of cracked pepper, clove, black plum, blackberry and licorice. Medium-bodied with silky tannins and deliciously savory layers. Fresh and sleek finish. Drink or hold." - 93 Points, JamesSuckling.com
2019 Sutton Grange Estate Syrah (Bendigo, Victoria) - $59 on offer ; $67 RRP
"The Sutton Grange Estate Syrah is the purest expression of the property. Fragrant aromas of blue fruits, black currants and lifted violet florals, with complex hints of dark chocolate and fresh turned earth. Palate has flavours of fresh blue fruits with spiced notes of sweet cinnamon and cardamom. The palate is medium-full bodied, with grainy tannins and a core of gravel driving the mid-palate. The wine has both elegance and strength driven by the fruit definition and granitic tannins." - Winemaker Notes
"Deep, rich, saturated red colour with a strong tint of purple and a captivating bouquet of mixed spices, dried herbs and underbrush. The wine is a superb mixture of superior concentration and impossibly soft texture. A magical elegant shiraz, succulent and expertly balancing sweet fruit and savoury qualities. Long, long carry. It already drinks really well." - 95 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
2020 Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 2 (Yarra Valley) - $115 on offer ; $133 RRP
// Shiraz 96% Mataro 3% Viognier 1%
"A complex and layered wine; sweet and savoury all at once. The fragrance is a melting pot of violets, plums, savoury spices and a whiff of bramble and five spice. Moderate in weight; the summer pudding fruits come in all colours dialling up the flavour interest. There is cigar box and cardamom spice lending intrigue. Firm yet fine tannins ably support the fruit and texture drive the palate. This one is hard to put in a box, there is so much to love." - Winemaker Notes
"A deep crimson red. Concentrated with redcurrants, satsuma plums and blackberries along with fennel seed, olive tapenande, dark chocolate powder and a little fresh vanilla from the oak. A complete wine on the palate with its dark sour-cherry fruit, a slight savoury edge and firm, very fine tannins providing the structure for this to age well into the decade and beyond." - 96 Points, Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion
2021 Standish 'The Relic' Shiraz Viognier (Barossa Valley) - $129 on offer ; $150 RRP
“The 2021 Relic Shiraz-Viognier is made with the fruit from the Hongell family vineyard, Krondorf. It was made with 1% Viognier co-fermented, with 25% whole bunches in the ferment this year, up from 15% to 20% in 2020. The Relic is one of Australia’s greatest Shiraz Viognier wines and it’s a sure thing each year for quality and execution of style. In 2020, it was my preferred wine of the collection for its savory, meaty/bacon fat/bloody character. All elements were in balance, and it managed a savory and floral drive within the same glass. Super cool. This year, I love the wine for all the opposite reasons. The 2021 is creamy, plush and almost sybaritic in its outlay of fruit and tannin. At 15.5% alcohol, it’s the highest alcohol wine in the 2021 release, yet it doesn’t show that via a warmth or harshness in the wine. The whole-bunch component is up slightly this year from last, and honestly, it feels completely invisible in the wine. This is undoubtedly the biggest, most plush wine in the collection, but true to form for Standish, it is balanced and fresh, with a long future in front of it.” - 98 Points, Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate
2020 Rene Rostaing Côte Rôtie 'Ampodium' (Northern Rhône Valley) - $165 on offer ; $189 RRP
"Saturated ruby. Highly perfumed aromas of ripe dark berries, cherry, olive and pungent flowers are sharpened by a suggestion of black pepper. Supple and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated black raspberry, cherry-cola and violet pastille flavors and a suggestion of star anise. Finishes pliant, sweet and focused on the penetrating finish, showing smooth tannins and excellent tenacity." - 95 Points, Josh Raynolds, Vinous
"Looking like a very good year for this blend, which is concentrated, lively and juicy, with plenty of assertive but fine tannin which suggest waiting a while. Hard to make a definitive judgement on tasting just two barrels, but this is looking very promising. Four weeks in tank, 18 months in oak (limited new), with natural yeasts and as many stems as possible." - 93 Points, Matt Walls, Decanter
2019 Delas Hermitage Ligne de Crete 'Les Grandes Vignes' (Northern Rhône Valley) - $320 on offer ; $370 RRP
"Powerful, highly perfumed aromas of black/blue fruit liqueur, licorice, olive and potpourri are complemented by an exotic suggestion of incense. Stains the palate with intense boysenberry, cherry, cassis and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily through the midpalate. Shows a suave blend of power and delicacy and betrays no rough edges. Youthfully chewy tannins add shape to an extremely long, mineral-driven finish that delivers outstanding clarity and floral thrust." - 96-98 Points, Josh Raynolds, Vinous
"Sleek and vibrant primary fruit-led nose. There is a real sense of salinity to the richly textured palate – crushed blackberries and a plush, rounded mouthfeel. Beautifully judged fine tannins support the cool blue-fruit-laden finish." - 18.5+ / 20 Points, Alistair Cooper MW, JancisRobinson.com
If you wish to purchase any of these wines, please use the links above! Alternatively, email us at sales@thewineemporium.com.au, or contact us on (07)32521117 if you have any questions // Prices valid until Wednesday the 26th of June