2023 Vasse Felix Estate Syrah, Margaret River

Such a delight to drink shiraz or syrah from Margaret River these days because it’s up there as an excellent drink, as this one attests. While heady aromatics of florals, pepper and spice lure you in, this is very much in a savoury spectrum. All black olives, ferrous and brown spices infusing some dark fruit. Mid-weighted with beautifully shaped tannins and fine acidity to close.

95 points Special Value Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

This is as good as any syrah yet from Vasse Felix. It is thoroughly delicious and appealing from the first take on the nose through to the soft and plush palate delivered with medium body. Interesting techniques have captured the best from the fruit. It was wild yeast fermented, with a portion of whole bunches and a little carbonic maceration to bring it all to life. Powerful cherry and spicy plum aromas lead to a medium-weight palate that is so exquisitely smooth and seamless, yet with a fine minerality to define and sustain. Outstanding.

95 points rayjordanwine.com.au

Vasse Felix Estate Syrah from Margaret River is a beautifully refined, cool-climate take on the variety, offering a blend of elegance, spice and savoury complexity that sets it apart from bolder mainland Australian Shiraz styles. This Syrah comes from carefully selected vineyard sites across the estate, where the region’s maritime climate, gravelly soils and long growing season give rise to wines of aromatic lift, freshness and structural finesse.

The fruit is hand picked and wild fermented in open-top fermenters, often with a portion of whole bunch to enhance perfume and tannin structure. Maturation takes place in French oak barriques — mostly older — for around 12 months, allowing the wine to evolve without overt oak influence.

On the nose, it opens with black cherry, cranberry, white pepper, bay leaf, violets and charcuterie spice. The palate is medium bodied and silky, with fine tannins and flavours of red plum, blackberry, olive tapenade and subtle oak toast. There’s a savoury thread and a touch of graphite minerality, with bright acidity and a long, composed finish.

Food pairing: ideal with chargrilled lamb chops, duck breast with cherry glaze, mushroom and lentil ragù, or roasted beetroot and goat cheese salad. Also excellent with grilled eggplant or firm aged cheeses.

Cellar potential: drinking beautifully now with a short decant, but will evolve gracefully over the next 8 to 12 years, gaining more savoury and earthy complexity.