Elephant Hill Hawke's Bay Syrah 2019

Description

• French oak
• Black Doris plum
• Dark olives
• Finely textured

"Gorgeously fruited and perfumed with Black Doris plum, spiced cherry, dark olive and smoked game nuances, it's succulent and supple in the mouth delivering excellent fruit purity and silky flow. Finely textured and lingering with a delightfully elegant finish. At its best: now to 2029" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, May 2022

"Deep, ruby-red with a hint of purple underlay, lighter on the rim. The nose is gently full, with power and depth, penetrating aromas of blackberries and plums melded with dark herb and a hint of mealy, meaty note. Full-bodied, concentrated aromas of blackberries and plums enriched by dark herb, violet, savoury, meaty nuances and a touch of pepper. The wine is mouth-filling with weight and broadness, reflecting the concentrated fruit. Fine-grained, powdery tannin contributes to a smooth line direct by integrated, lacy acidity. This is a broody Syrah with rich and intense dark-fruited flavours, herbs and spice with mealy nuances on a smooth flowing, weighty palate" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Wine Reviews, May 2022

"An exuberant, fresh and pure fruited bouquet with scents of dark cherry and raspberry, a mix of wood spice, strone and mineral qualities, violets and a whisper of peppery spice. Plush, fresh, textued new and delicious. The varietal signatures in the bouquet are delivered seamlessly to the palate. An abundance of fine polished tannins, a back bone of acidity and lengthy finish. An excellent wine for sipping on its own or with food. Best drinking from 2022 through 2028+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Jun 2022

An incredible vintage for Hawke’s Bay, one of the great years. Overall, the season was very warm with a total heat summation (1,425 Growing Degree Days) well above the Long-Term Average. The key ripening months of January and February were warm and dry. This combined with low crop yields, good flavour and careful selection allowed us to harvest fruit in excellent condition in the 2nd week of March.

Handpicked in late March/early April, with careful sorting in the vineyard and on arrival at the winery keeping only the best grapes. 99% Syrah was co-fermented with 1% Viognier from the SEA vineyard in Te Awanga. Gently de-stemmed and pressed and aged for just over a year in 20% new French oak.

Established in 2003, Elephant Hill is located within a stone’s throw of the Pacific Ocean on the idyllic Te Awanga coast of Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island. The winemaking at Elephant Hill is driven by tradition while not losing sight of what innovation can bring to the blend. Our aim is to make wines that are balanced, elegant and a true expression of the vineyards they come from.