De Bortoli Section A8 Syrah 2018

97 Points & Special Value Wine James Halliday
96 Points Campbell Mattinson, Winefront
96 Points Ralph Kyte-Powell

Carefully nurtured from vine to glass, this single vineyard wine represents the pinnacle of their Yarra Valley Estate. Each vineyard parcel is selected for quality and typicity. Fruit is hand harvested and the wines are handled by gravity where possible. Fine wine with charm and character.

Section A8 Syrah was planted in 1971. It is a north east facing vineyard which is ideal for modern balanced Syrah. The soil is sedimentary and very high in iron which may explain some of the graphite characters that we often see in this wine.

Fruit is hand harvested and hand sorted. An average of 50% whole bunches included in the ferments. Left to ferment naturally with ambient yeast. Some foot plunging at the beginning followed by turnovers and pigeage at the end of the fermentation. Pressed, settled overnight and filled to barrel via gravity. Allowed to mature for 10 months at 16°C in 500L French oak casks. Regular racking to give some air.

“Medium to deep red colour with tints of brick and just a light touch of purple. The bouquet tallies, with a lot of whole-bunch nuances, forest-floor and humus. Earthy root vegetables, too. The wine is full-bodied and fleshy, with lovely extract contributing to its texture, finishing long and resonant. There’s a lot of detail here: a multitude of spices, some sooty, graphite notes and abundant soft but drying tannins. Lovely wine – a wine I want to drink.” – 95 Points & 5 Stars Huon Hooke

“Beautiful syrah. Hands down. Silken, spicy, floral and alive. Pushed with blue/red/black berry flavours with infusions of anise. Subtle woodsmoke/clove/reductive notes. Class from start to finish. Fine spread of tannin. A little mescal too. A treat of a wine.” – 96 Points Campbell Mattinson, Winefront

“It has a deep colour and an impressively aromatic bouquet. Already complex with pepper, plum, musky spice and forest foliage scents of delicious, savoury appeal and distinctive personality, it’s medium-bodied with good depth of plump, concentrated juicy flavour, seamless, fine mouthfeel, layered ripe tannins in excellent balance, and lingering fragrant finish. Delicious syrah or shiraz.” – 96 Points Ralph Kyte-Powell

“This vineyard was planted in ’71 in the earliest days of the revival of the Yarra Valley. The bouquet has some fine French oak on parade, but the fruit easily accommodates it. A stylish wine of high quality, with a long future for those with patience.” – 97 Points & Special Value Wine James Halliday