This is a vibrantly aromatic and juicy, red fruited wine, with energy and a refreshing, tangy backbone. The long, spicy finish has plenty to keep you engaged.

Levantine Hill Estate Syrah 2013 has bright crimson colour. Brooding, lifted complex aromas of red berry compote, musk, cardamom and white pepper compliment the underlying nutmeg and vanillin bouquet. The elegant medium-bodied palate abounds with spice and earthy nuances in a concentration of savouriness. The silky ripe tannins have been deftly integrated with the underlying oak providing carriage for the fruit weight and lingering flavours to a pronounced and persistent finish.

M. CHAPOUTIER Ermitage Le Pavillon, Hermitage Rare and highly sought-after, M.Chapoutiers brooding Ermitage Le Pavillon comes from a parcel of vines anchored on the granite soils of the Bessard commune lower down on the Hill of Hermitage. Le Pavillon refers to the ruins of an old stone-house located just below the vineyard on the famous Hill. The Syrah grapes are hand-harvested and entirely destemmed before undergoing vinification in concrete tanks. Following an extended maceration the wine is matured in a mix of approximately 30% new and 70% seasoned French oak casks for 18-20 months.

Exceptionally potent and powerful, initially giving the (false) impression its alcohol is more than 14%. Retasting brings it back into perspective, the two varieties bonded, yet each preserving its varietal integrity and structural architecture. A classic Australian blend of exceptional quality, destined to outlive most who taste it.

"Replacing the Petit Chapelle cuvee and first made in 2015, the 2016 Hermitage La Maison Bleue is smoking good. Black fruits, charcoal, powdered rock, currants and chocolate notes all give way to a big, concentrated, impressively structures barrel sample that has tons of potential. I expect the tannin will have integrated by the time this is released, but a few years of bottle age still recommended." - Jeb Dunnuck

Deep red with a bright purple edge, Estate Vineyards Syrah '18 has an incredibly inviting fragrance of dark cherry, raspberry, vanilla and allspice. The palate is immediately fullflavoured; a celebration of fresh boysenberry, blueberry, mocha and fine tannin that extends to a long and satisfying finish. With an exquisite level of detail and finesse, Estate Vineyards Syrah '18 is the perfect addition to any occasion. Estate Vineyards Syrah '18 was harvested between 19 March and 17 April 2018 from Te Mata Estate's own vineyards in Hawke's Bay's Bridge Pa and Woodthorpe Terraces Triangle sub-regions. The individual parcels of syrah from each plot were destemmed for fermentation and remained on skins for extended maceration before pressing. It was then run off to a mixture of new and seasoned French oak barrels for five months' maturation, during which time it was regularly topped and racked. The wine received a traditional egg white fining before bottling. Established in 1896, Te Mata Estate remains family owned, producing internationally recognized wines exclusively from its Hawkes Bay vineyards. A temperate maritime climate with low rainfall, due to the rain shadow from mountains to the west, ensures Te Matas sites make the most of every vintage. At the heart of Te Mata Estate are the Havelock Hills Vineyards - the first legally-protected vineyards in New Zealand. Te Mata has five sites on these free draining, north-facing slopes. Soils to the east are mostly sandy loam over a sandstone base, and towards the west are sandy loam over a thin layer of clay and a silica pan. The distinctive shape of the hills is due to their comparative youth, in geological terms. At the meeting point of two tectonic plates, sandstone has been pushed up then worn away relatively quickly leaving a landscape of steep and gentle slopes, and terraces ideal for grape-growing. Under vine for over 120 years, and including some of the oldest grape growing sites in New Zealand, the Havelock Hills are protected for their distinct character, special ambience and unique viticultural heritage.

Sourced from a vineyard nestled in the foothills of the cool southern vales of the Yarra Valley where the grey loam soils show seams of deep red volcanic clay, the 2015 Seville syrah is handpicked, fermented with a high proportion of whole bunches and receives no additions other than a small amount of sulphur dioxide at picking and bottling. It is then aged in older French barrels before being bottled unfiltered and unfined.