A lighter, complex and more fragrant expression of Syrah totally unlike its siblings of the Gimblett Gravels. From a tiny plot of Syrah planted in limestone soil atop The Terraces vineyard, this is a special and ultra-rare bottling.
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> A case is 6x 750ml bottles.
> Freight included for orders of $150 or more.
Tasting Notes
This is a complex and intriguing wine showcasing its limestone soils. Aromas of rose petal and red berries are compelling. The wine is elegant with a brambly red fruited profile, but a firm tannic backbone provides complexity and length. Raised in large format barrels the wine has little oak flavour, instead showcasing the beauty of its unique site.
Vineyards and Winemaking
The fruit was hand-picked on April 1st and fermented as a mix of whole cluster bunches and de-stemmed fruit in a single concrete fermenter. Indigenous yeasts were utilised for fermentation and after a period of post ferment maceration the wine was pressed to large format oak barrels for maturation. After 20 months maturation a blend was made from selected barrels and the wine bottled unfined and unfiltered in March 2023.
Soils And Viticulture
At the summit of “The Terraces” vineyard lies a limestone plateau, subdivided into four small plots of Syrah, totalling 1.1 hectares. Gently sloping to the north this is a warm site, but moderated by the sea breeze from the Pacific Ocean which lies 1 kilometre to the east. Once the home of Heipipi Pa, this vineyard offers incredible views of northern Hawkes Bay and with its limestone and shell base produces a unique wine. Planted in 2007, with the Limmer Clone, the dry farmed vines are cane pruned and intensively managed to produce wine of exceptional quality.