Terrace Edge Syrah 2008

“You don’t see too many Syrahs south of Hawke’s Bay but there are a handful of excellent examples. This is a nicely crafted and varietally pure Syrah. Medium-deep red/purple in colour. A youthful and appealing bouquet displaying red plum, blueberry and subtle spice characters. The palate is ripe and refreshing with silky texture and bright acidity. It finishes clean and dry with fine tannins. This medium-bodied Syrah is beautifully balanced and proportioned.” 4 Stars Sam Kim (Senior Wine Judge) Wine Orbit New Zealand

We are meticulous in our vineyard which produces small crops of very concentrated grapes. Heat is radiated form our river gravel soils making it a great ‘Syrah Site’. The fruit was hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeast, then matured in French oak barriques for 12 months. This wine boasts a beautiful, complex aroma of sweet spice and white pepper. Vibrant fruit flavours combine with ripe tannins to produce an elegant wine with great cellaring potential.

Terrace Edge is a boutique, family-owned vineyard, situated on the south bank of the Waipara River in North Canterbury, New Zealand.
They have a deep respect for the land and have adopted many organic growing methods. They are also committed to the “Greening Waipara Project” which aims to increase the biological diversity around the vineyard by restoring some of the vegetation which is native to the region.
Cropping levels are always kept low to promote fruit with intense concentration. The grapes are handpicked and sorted by hand. The wines are made exclusively from fruit grown on their 12ha Waipara Valley vineyard. The winemaker, Belinda Gould, brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for crafting unique wines.
Terrace Edge produced its first wine in 2005. In 2010, we are producing Pinot Noir, Syrah, Pinot Gris and Riesling along with award-winning Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

In the vineyard
Alcohol: 12.5% RS: < 0.5g/L

The fruit for this wine is harvested from two small blocks. One block is situated on a terrace over looking the Waipara River and the other on a steep slope. The angle on the slope is 45 degrees, giving it a unique terroir. The north facing aspect and gravely soil allow temperatures to rise above 40 degrees in summer. We are passionate about this variety and believe that it has great potential on our site. The vines are 5-6 years old, and we are meticulous with their management. They are hand-tended producing small crops of concentrated fruit.

Harvest
Hand-harvested on the 8th of May. Yield: 1.7 ton/acre Brix: 22.8 TA: 7.2 g/L pH: 3.4

Winemaking
The grapes were de-stemmed then transferred to small open top 1.8T fermenters. Fermentation started after about 4 days with indigenous yeasts. The cap was punched down 3 times daily to achieve delicate extraction of tannin and colour from the skins. Total time on skins was 14-28 days. The wine was gently pressed and transferred to French oak barriques (20% new) and aged for 12 months. The wine was bottled on the 24th June 2008

Winemaker: Belinda Gould
Viticulturist : Pete Chapman
Owner : Chapman Family

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