Te Awanga 2017 Syrah, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Te Awanga is located right on the coast in Hawke’s Bay giving it a warm costal climate with a gentle sea breeze and shallow clay soils that produce clean flavors and ripe fruit. Like every wine they produce the grapes are handpicked and sorted. Then they destemmed the grapes and left them to naturally ferment. Rod chose to not crush the grapes and left them on the skins for two weeks post ferment. Then the wine was pressed and put into barrels to mature for 14 months in new and used French oak. This Syrah has classic flavors of white pepper, thyme, and violet aromas that lead into a palate that is elegant and pure. The plum and blueberry flavors in this wine are accompanied by a finish of light herbal notes giving the wine a savory finish. The fine tannins give the wine an elegant supple finish.