Crossroads Hawkes Bay Syrah 2008

Stunning value Syrah that delivers everything you would expect from a Hawkes Bay Syrah. It won a Bronze medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards (UK) 2010 and deservedly so as it is what I would describe as “varietally pure”.  But, don’t just take my word for it, here’s what Lady Parker has to say…

http://www.youtube.com/user/ladyparkerwinereview#p/a/u/2/df4VGJp1AF0

VITICULTURE / WINEMAKING
At Crossroads our vineyards are the soul of our wines, we produce Syrah exclusively from estate grown fruit. Our Elms Vineyard, in the heart of the Gimblett Gravels sub-region, is planted entirely to Syrah and provided the grapes for the 2008 wine. The Gimblett Gravels are unique, the source of our best full bodied reds. Its low yielding vines performed wonderfully under the sunny days of 2008. With almost no rain we left the grapes ripening until mid April, a fortnight later than last year. The wine is beautifully balanced, flavourful yet moderate in alcohol.
Allowing the superb fruit to shine the bunches were destemmed and fermented with one parcel ‘cold-soaked’ to extract the delicate aromas. Another technique we used was ‘hand plunging’, pushing the grape skins into the juice to fill the wine with supple body. To integrate the wine further malolactic fermentation took place once the wine was in barrique. After a fourteen month journey the barrels were combined ready for the wine’s bottling.

WINEMAKERS COMMENTS
Intense with a supple mid palate this Syrah shows lots of varietal character. Classic black olive and subtle violet aromas intermingle with red and dark berry fruit. The elegant tannins give the wine terrific structure and balance. A whisper of soft cracked pepper adds another flavour to the long persistent finish.

WINE AND FOOD
Try with a roasted leg of lamb or smoked eel as a kiwi treat.

VINTAGE INFORMATION
Vintage Region Winemaker Viticulturist Harvested Oak treatment
Alc/Vol Titratable Acid pH Residual Sugar Cellaring
2008 Hawkes Bay, NZ Miles Dinneen John van der Linden 13th & 14th April 2008
Aged 14 months in French barriques, 18% new
13% 5.33g/l 3.66 Dry (<2g/L)
Now – 2016 in ideal conditions

• Print
• RSS
• Email to a Friend