2024 Cobaw Ridge Estate Syrah, Pyrenees

Cobaw Ridge Estate Syrah from the Pyrenees is one of Australia’s most distinctive cool-climate expressions of the variety, crafted with remarkable precision and authenticity by Alan and Nelly Cooper. The estate, founded in 1985, is fully certified organic and biodynamic, and its wines are renowned for their energy, savoury depth, and sense of place. This Syrah is the flagship red — elegant, pure, and shaped entirely by the granitic soils and high-altitude vineyards of Cobaw Ridge’s Macedon Ranges site on the edge of the Pyrenees.

The vines are grown at over 600 metres above sea level, where the combination of cold nights, rocky soils, and long, slow ripening produces fruit of striking perfume and natural acidity. The grapes are hand harvested and fermented with indigenous yeasts, often with a portion of whole bunches to enhance texture and aromatic lift. Maturation takes place in seasoned French oak for around eighteen months, allowing the wine’s structure and complexity to develop while preserving freshness.

In the glass it shows deep garnet with purple hues. The aroma is captivating — layers of black cherry, plum, and blackberry interwoven with pepper, herbs, olive tapenade, and subtle smoky earth. The palate is medium bodied and finely structured, showing purity of fruit framed by silky tannins and a savoury, mineral edge. It’s both vibrant and refined, a Syrah that speaks of granite and altitude rather than heat and weight. The finish is long, focused, and beautifully balanced.

It pairs beautifully with roast duck, lamb, venison, or dishes featuring black olive, truffle, or mushroom. While approachable now, it has the structure and depth to evolve gracefully for 15 years or more, revealing layers of spice, game, and forest floor with time.