A Syrah from Paewhenua Island, near Cable Bay in Northland. A glossy, dark ruby in the glass. The vineyard is on a peninsula overlooking the ocean, and the wine has a sense of this – it breezes through the palate – warm, rustic and flowing. Spice and fruit collide in the perfume, with plum, cherry and boysenberry underpinned with black pepper, smoked sage, cloves and a touch of vanilla. The palate is medium-bodied, showing more oak than I’d prefer, but the tannin and acidity combine well to push and pull the wine through and give support. Not short on texture, which adds a lushness to the finish, but that open, not over-worked style still persists. 90pts
Dancing Petrel Syrah 2022
