2024 Te Mata Bullnose Syrah, Hawkes Bay

Wild aromas of game and dark berries with hints of crushed stones, tobacco, flint, five spice powder and hazelnuts. Medium-bodied with very polished and refined tannins that caress the palate and give length and verve to the wine. Lovely caressing finish. A ringer for a Northern Rhone. Drinkable now, but will improve with age. Drink or hold.

96 points jamessuckling.com

Bullnose is one of Te Mata Estate’s modern icons, named after the original 1912 Bullnose Morris that still sits proudly at the winery. Te Mata is one of New Zealand’s oldest family owned estates, founded in 1896 and guided today by the Buck and Morris families, with winemaker Phil Brodie shaping the contemporary style. The Syrah comes from hillside vineyards in Hawke’s Bay where warm days, cool nights and free draining soils produce fruit with both ripeness and perfume. The goal is a Syrah that marries Rhône elegance with New World clarity.

Winemaking is tuned toward refinement and longevity. Fermentation builds colour and fine tannin without heaviness, and maturation in French oak adds spice and structure rather than sweetness. The style is polished but energetic, allowing the vineyard voice to remain front and centre.

Deep ruby with purple flashes, the aromas open with blackberry, plum and blueberry layered with violet, cracked pepper and smoky spice. The palate is medium to full bodied and silky, with dark fruit wrapped in fine tannins and bright acidity. Flavours of black berry, olive and savoury spice run long through a smooth, persistent finish.

It pairs beautifully with lamb, game and grilled meats. Drinking impressively now with air, it will cellar confidently for twelve to fifteen years, gaining earthy and peppery complexity.