-
96
/ 100
Cameron Douglas MS -
96
/ 100
Bob Campbell MW
Red
Classification
Pinot Noir
Variety
2018
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
New Zealand
Country
Marlborough,
Region
13.0%
Alcohol %
10-15 Years
Cellaring
Scores
96 / 100"This is a single vineyard expression of Syrah, 60% whole cluster and co-fermented with a small portion of Gruner Veltliner skins. Matured for 14 months in new and seasoned French oak. The resulting wine showcases aromas of spices and black fruits, crushed black currant berries and raspberry, violets, clove and toasty barrel scents. A complex and intriguing bouquet, quite powerful and very youthful. On the palate - delicious! Flavours of black fruits and currants, wild berries and spices from barrel and fruit, licorice and clove, some meat moments, pepper and iron-like stony soil qualities. Complex, lengthy and still rather youthful. Decant for service if you must, but best left till late 2022 then enjoy through 2030+."
- Cameron Douglas MS
96 / 100
"This is a single vineyard expression of Syrah, 60% whole cluster and co-fermented with a small portion of Gruner Veltliner skins. Matured for 14 months in new and seasoned French oak. The resulting wine showcases aromas of spices and black fruits, crushed black currant berries and raspberry, violets, clove and toasty barrel scents. A complex and intriguing bouquet, quite powerful and very youthful. On the palate - delicious! Flavours of black fruits and currants, wild berries and spices from barrel and fruit, licorice and clove, some meat moments, pepper and iron-like stony soil qualities. Complex, lengthy and still rather youthful. Decant for service if you must, but best left till late 2022 then enjoy through 2030+."
- Bob Campbell MW
Tasting Notes
Winemaker Matt Thomson was one of the biggest names in Marlborough winemaking, thanks not just to his well-documented successes with Saint Clair, but also his 20+ years of extensive winemaking consulting for special Italian and other European producers. It's the vast bank of old and new world winemaking experience that's grown Matt into the exceptional winemaker he is today. Like Kevin Judd and James Healy before him, he's elected to go out on his own and make a mark like Greywacke or Dog Point with his new Blank Canvas label.
In the true expression of cool-climate Syrah, this wine exudes freshly cracked black pepper, crushed violets, red and black forest fruits and savoury smoky nuances. It has crunchy lifted acidity which carries the defined, fine-grain tannins and background of spicy, savoury oak.
This wine is about fragrance and texture, which is assisted by our pioneering co-fermentation technique with a small proportion of Gruner Veltliner skins as well as whole-cluster fermentation. The co-fermentation gives a white pepper spice quality to the flavour spectrum and intensifies and stabilises the brilliant purple hue of Syrah. The result is layers of complexity in flavour and tannins which will allow an intriguing long-term ageing potential.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity