2023 Lethbridge Que Syrah Syrah, Pyrenees

Ray Nadeson and Maree Collis established Lethbridge in 1996 in the Moorabool Valley, northwest of Geelong, on a site with viticultural roots stretching back to 1874. Biodynamic farming and minimal intervention in the winery have been central to the Lethbridge philosophy from the outset — the belief that the best wines express the unique character of the places they come from.

The fruit for Que Syra Syrah is from the beautiful Malakoff vineyard in Victoria's Pyrenees at around 300 metres elevation on a northeast-facing slope. Owned and farmed by Robert and Cameron John, it has become one of the most sought-after fruit sources in Victoria, with a remarkable list of producers having worked with its Shiraz over the years. The red ferrous clay soils with heavy deposits of quartz and ironstone, combined with cool southerly winds and an extended growing season, produce fruit of genuine complexity and natural structure. Lethbridge has been working with the Johns for over a decade.

The Que Syrah Syrah is made in a deliberately cooler, more restrained style than the typical warm-climate Australian Shiraz. It sits somewhere between the savoury, peppery character of a northern Rhône Syrah and the fruit-driven warmth the variety expresses in warmer Australian regions. Fruit is handled with minimal intervention, fermented and matured in French oak to preserve the site's natural energy and structure.

The 2023 is fragrant and focused with red and dark berries, pepper, dried herbs and an iron-tinged earthiness on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, persistent tannins and a freshness that speaks clearly of the altitude and the cool, extended season. A wine of real elegance and restraint for those who seek Syrah rather than Shiraz in their glass.

Open well ahead of serving alongside slow-roasted lamb, game birds or a richly seasoned mushroom dish.