2008 Vintage

Greystone Syrah 2008

Our very first release of this special wine. Tiny amounts produced from blocks on the highest point of our vineyard, one of which is known as Nick’s Home Block!

Very complex nose, hints of ripe red berry fruit, cocoa, cinnamon, tobacco and all spice. Lovely warm rich mouth feel, dark plum, blackberry, mulberry and hints of chocolate and liquorice. Delicious stuff!

Viticulturist's Notes

Our most elevated block (block 9) holds two thirds of our Syrah and faces into the Nor’Wester wind which keeps the canopy dry and contributes to ripening – giving small intense berries.  The block is high in limestone content which helps to give fruit with a good acid/tannin balance.
 
Our other block (block 8) is steeper and looks directly at the afternoon sun over the summer months. The fruit here ripens slightly earlier as the vines struggle for water on the ridge of the block. Both blocks are rigorously fruit thinned throughout the season. All Syrah is two-cane pruned on VSP trellising

Winemaker's Notes

Our Syrah is totally hand selected and picked late in the season once the vines have had every opportunity to ripen their small crop load of around 500 g per vine. The fruit is crushed before going into small open top fermenters for fermentation. Hand plunging several times a day assists in good colour and tannin extraction. Once fermented and pressed our Syrah goes into 65 % new French Oak for a full years maturation before filtration and bottling. This wine was not fined as we believe further softening will take place under the cork closure.