A new tier of icon wines from The Landing in Northland’s Bay of Islands. Their Syrah was the winner of the WineFolio Top 10 Tasting of Syrah – no small achievement when up against the best of Hawke’s Bay versions such as Radburnd Cellars, TOM, Homage and Airavata – www.winefolio.co.nz/?p=3198. As such, I was gutted to miss the launch of these ‘Madre’ wines a couple of weeks ago in Auckland due to other commitments. My thoughts on tasting the wine:
Red plum, cacao nib, black pepper, boysenberry, sumac, graphite and cassis on the nose. The palate shows a confident, youthful energy, but is toned and supple – the elements interplay and sing on the same wavelength. A fine tannin profile is polished and with just a little grip and spice; a smoky smudge of oak lingers as a background note; and the fruit is firmly concentrated and succulent. The lick of acidity gives movement and leads you through layers of discovery – more souk spice, a verdant texture, and that dense core of fruit. A well-crafted and well-articulated wine that bodes well for future of this label that has already caught the eye. 95pts
