Depth, potential and interest

I’VE had a soft spot for Hawke’s Bay syrah since stumbling upon the Stonecroft cellar door some 30 years ago and discovering the 1989 syrah: the inception wine of our modern syrah category in New Zealand.

Thirty vintages later, a combination of vine age, new clonal material and a wealth of experience garnered by the winemakers is seeing some thrilling offerings.

The vintage of 2018 was warm, yet not totally troublefree, but these labels have risen to the occasion with wines of depth, interest and potential.