Le Sol Syrah, Craggy Range 2013

Craggy Range’s flagship wine from a vintage that has been hailed as “once in a lifetime”. Dense but not a heavy wine, lithe rather than blockbuster although certainly not lacking power. Tightly packed flavours including dark berry, oriental spices, oak and a suggestion of floral characters are gradually displayed and will continue to be revealed as the wine ages. A truly classic ‘Le Sol’.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2013 Le Sol (Syrah) has a very pretty nose of violets and red roses over a core of red and black cherries plus hints of cinnamon stick and star anise. Light to medium-bodied, the palate is beautifully crafted with elegant, perfumed red fruits supported by ripe, rounded tannins. It finishes with great length.

Varietal Syrah, 55 hl/ha, destemmed, mix of inoculated and wild ferment, aged in French oak for 18 months, 32% new. 13.1% alcohol. Brooding sweet black cherry and blackberry fruit nose with some fine peppery notes in the background. Sweetly aromatic and quite fresh. The palate shows sweet fruit, a taut presence and stylish spicy notes, together with a bit of pepper and well handled oak. A superb effort that on day 2 picks up some intensity and fleshiness. An exciting wine.

This wine no longer broadcasts Syrah on the front label. From an excellent vintage for Hawkes Bay. Hand picked and all destemmed. Open topped fermenters. 32% new barriques for 18 months. Dark crimson. Light sweet oak on the nose and then very Syrah dry leatheriness. Sort of Côte Rôtie style. Quite uncompromising but a little austere at this early stage. But admirably ambitious. Bone dry finish.