The grapes for this wine were mostly sourced in Bridge Pa – a powerhouse sub-region for Syrah in New Zealand. From the excellent 2021 vintage, a small addition of both Viognier and Malbec offers a subtle variant on the standard Syrah. There’s a lot to like about this wine – depth, structure, succulence and polish. It starts with the inky dark purple colour in the glass, then leads with ripe boysenberry, plum, blood orange and liquorice on the nose – topped off with a delightful lift of violet floral notes. In the palate, the warm of oak and savoury flavours of tapenade, white pepper and earthy minerality sit neatly in behind that plush fruit – the bright acidity pushing it ever more forward. Dry, but with bags of fruit ripeness, the finish is youthfully energetic and quite silky. 92pts
Aces & Arrows Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2021
