Syrah
Price range: $50.00 through $300.00 inc. GST
It’s a different pace up in the Adelaide Hills, one that allows and encourages a slightly different approach in both the vineyard and the winery. Here, eloquent red fruit aromas such as sour cherry, red currant, and raspberry sit in perfect harmony with scents of Mediterranean dried herbs and savoury notes of tar and cured meat. An initial burst of freshness transitions smoothly into textural layers of crunchy, savoury mid palate, with lively acidity and minerality guiding the journey from start to finish. An attractive, umami like, moreish finish lingers long after the sip. Adelaide Hills, albeit the northern part, but perhaps not as you know it. Humble in spirit, yet generous in expression. Double decanting at least two hours before enjoying is highly recommended.
Due to Block 11, the source of the former and much loved “Forreston”, being pulled out (new owner, new vision, and nothing I could do about it), the need to find a similar source of Adelaide Hills fruit suddenly arose. Fortunately, I didn’t have to look far. Just across from a neighbouring pine plantation, 4.5 km away as the crow flies, sits the “Glenbrook” vineyard around 320 metres above sea level, on a west facing slope in the northern part of the Adelaide Hills. Shallow, loamy, well drained soils with a mix of ironstone and sandstone gravel lie above a complex bedrock of schist, siltstone, and gneiss. This low yielding, premium block, managed by Brad Currie and his team, produces aromatics bursting with a vibrant mix of red and blue berry fruits, fresh acidity, and a firm yet fine tannin structure. Another long and elegant season allowed the grapes to develop fully, resulting in a complex wine that, in many ways, overdelivers. Freshness meets savouriness in the most enjoyable way.
Grapes were picked on a crisp autumn morning on 14th April, just before a rain event, and received a short cold soak followed by spontaneous fermentation in an open top vessel. To achieve gentle extraction, the cap was punched down manually twice a day. After two weeks, approximately 1/3 of the batch was drained directly into a seasoned French oak barrel, while the remainder stayed on skins for an extended maceration of a further four weeks before being pressed off. Natural malolactic fermentation took place, and the wine matured in barrels over a 30 month period without racking. After the final blend was assembled, the wine rested in a stainless steel tank for several more months before bottling in April 2026.
1099 bottles produced.
No fining or filtration. Minimal sulphur dioxide added.
Alcohol Vol. (%): 14.5%
Closure: Amorim Qork Xpür
