2020 TWR Syrah SV 5182

Syrah is a labour of love for us here at TWR. There are very few producers in the area who grow this variety; it’s a bit left field for Marlborough. But our site is warmer than many, which means we have the length of growing season required and our soil type is well suited. This wine is our ninth release of Syrah and is a blend of four different clones planted on the home vineyard SV 5182. It exhibits the great fragrance and suppleness that we love about cool-climate Syrah and might just surprise a few doubters.
All fruit for this wine was hand-picked and hand-sorted, then destemmed and berry sorted as to ensure that only pristine, perfect Syrah berries made it into the fermenters. The fruit was gently transferred to small one-tonne open fermenters and hand-plunged up to three times daily. It spent about 23 days on skins in total (cold soak for 6-7 days, 6-7 day ferment and up to 9 days post-ferment maceration). Pressed off on taste then filled to oak after 24 hours. All in French oak (various different coopers, 33% new) for 12 months. Bottled unfined with minimal filtration.
This Syrah exhibits fragrant notes of mulberry, black pepper and violets with some complex savoury notes and hints of coffee and spice. The ripe, supple tannins combine with concentrated flavours of mulberries and omega plums and spice. The palate carries onto more savoury and complex flavours and finishes with a lingering persistence of fruit, fine tannin and well integrated oak. – Anna Flowerday