Aces & Arrows Hawke's Bay Syrah 2021

Description

Floral, Oak, Plum

"Aromas and flavours of black currant and peppery spices, there’s layers of licorice and vanilla then clove and leather. On the palate the textures from acidity and fine tannins ensure the mouthfeel and flavours are well balanced and pure. As the wine opens out on the palate the oak speaks a little louder and the dark berry flavours become more concentrated, black currant jam and blue fruits, doris plum, chocolate, black olive and barrel spices. Best drinking from 2024 through 2027" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Feb 2024

A core of dark fruit, overlaid with classic Hawkes Bay Syrah floral perfume and exotic warm spice. while subtle oak brings extra complexity and texture Combined with a splash of Viognier and Malbec to aid and enhance the floral complexity and add a twist on Hawkes Bay Syrah. On the palate the wine is medium bodied with an impression of sweet fruit and long finish driven by silky tannins and texture.

2021 was an outstanding Hawke’s Bay vintage. Exceptionally warm and dry, extended drought conditions persisted over the summer and through the entirety of the critical autumn harvest period, allowing all fruit to be harvested in perfect condition.

The fruit was selectively harvested across an automated sorting table to remove any green material before being crushed to fermenters. Fermentation was allowed to peak at 34 deg C ensuring good extraction of colour and ripe tannin. The wines were allowed to undergo post fermentation maceration for a total time on skins of between up to three weeks. This maceration period brings greater richness and texture to the palate and helps to integrate and balance the tannins in the wines. This is further aided by regular aeration, which also stabilises colour and opens up fruit aromatics, downplaying leafier herbal notes and allowing the aromatic floral and spice aromas to shine. We taste daily to determine the amount of aeration and to determine the optimum to drain and press. The wine then was matured with French Oak and complete MLF fermentation. At which point it was blended, racked for clarity and to avoid any unnecessary stripping effect, was bottled without any subsequent fining or filtration.

Food Pairing: Well matched to a wide range of game and red meat dishes.