Bilancia Syrah 2020

Review

Cameron Douglas MS: 95/100.  A complete bouquet with a varietal core of dark berries, baked plum, black currant then wood spices from toasty barrel and a fine layer of dried herb. Dry, varietal and equally intense on the palate with a core of berries and ripe dark fruits, there’s no mistaking the firm ripe chalky tannins and back bone of acidity and a mealy salivating mouthfeel. A delicious wine that expands its flavours and textures as the wine warms and opens up in glass. Best drinking from mid to late 2023 through 2030.

Bob Campbell, MW: 95/100. It is a delicious combination of flavours with a core of sweet, ripe fruit balanced by soft acidity and ripe tannins. A lot of wine for the price.

James Suckling (JamesSuckling.com): 93/100. An enticing nose of white and black pepper, coriander, clove and grilled plums. Medium- to full-bodied, juicy and meaty. So much savory appeal on the palate with silky texture and tannins. A hint of blue fruit. Reminds me of Saint Joseph. Lovely. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Michael Cooper: 5 stars. Offering fine value, the classy 2020 vintage (5*) was grown at two sites at Roys Hill (90 per cent Trelinnoe Vineyard),and matured in a mix of stainless steel tanks and seasoned French oak barriques. It has deep, purple-flushed colour, with a floral, fresh, peppery bouquet. Still unfolding, it is mouthfilling and vibrantly fruity, with highly concentrated, well-ripened, dark berry, plum and spice flavours, and a finely textured, long finish. Best drinking mid-2023+.

VINOUS - Rebecca Gibb MW: 92/100. The 2020 Syrah is a balanced, complete style that offers the drinker plenty of reassurance. There's an ease and warmth to this wine with primary, blackberry fruit meeting floral notes and a light spice. Fine tannins and a gentle freshness create a supple structure and mid-length finish.

Tasting note

Sweet, ripe berry fruits and plums, fresh and juicy fruit coupled with Hawke’s Bay spice, balanced acidity and ripe, gentle tannins. A great wine for opening on release, this amazing 2020 Syrah is a vibrant, youthful wine and can be enjoyed immediately but it will also continue to develop over the next four to six years.

Aromas and flavours

Additional information

Type: red wine from New Zealand

Varietal: Syrah

Food match: Enjoy with BBQ pork ribs or stews.

Winemaking: From both vineyards perfect Syrah fruit was harvested separately and crushed to open top vessels for fermentation. The wines were pressed at dryness and run to either older French oak barriques or stainless steel tanks. The final wine is a blend of approximately 10% from la collina vineyard and 90% from Trelinnoe vineyard.

Cellaring potential: 2028+

Alcohol: 12.5% vol

Residual sugar: < 1g/l

Bottle size: 0.75l

Notice: contains sulphites

Closure: Screwcap

Produced and bottled by: Bilancia Limited PO Box 2508 Hastings 4156 Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Distributor: vinabonus GmbH, Simmedenweg 40, 34134 Kassel, Germany.

You love Syrah? Browse the Syrah assortment here.