A fully flavor ripe,  powerful take on Syrah for us from this site and one that really opened our eyes to the sites potential. As with the Cabernet, the wonderful 2023 growing seasons gifted us conditions to really let this fruit hang and develop. Improved soil and vine health from our regenerative farming efforts meant the canopies held with enough vigour to full ripen the bunches and push flavor into new levels for us whilst retaining plenty enough natural acidity to offer balance. We’ve spoken of the potential of the harcourt granodiorite to high quality syrah and this vintage feels like a coming of age for us and the site. Or we just got lucky!

IN THE VINEYARD….Sourcing our estate fruit grown in deep, friable granitic sands on a south-east sloping sun drenched hill in our Metcalfe vineyard, located within the southernmost extent of  the Heathcote GI. Systemic herbicides and pesticides were removed from the farming cycle in 2019 as we moved to a more regenerative viticultural model, incorporating compost teas, fish and kelp emulsions into our spray program and fertigation. Early undervine cultivation was employed to break up soil compaction, followed by heavy undervine compost/mulch applications to bring balance and life to the soil. We regularly conduct soil sampling to ensure we are heading in the right direction with our approach to improving soil health. All vine work year to year is done by hand, including undervine management, shoot thinning, netting and picking.

IN THE WINERY…. Handpicked fully ripe bunches of Syrah destemmed and moved to large concrete tank for primary ferment. A slow ferment utilising native yeasts from our vineyard and cellar, with daily pump overs for the first week and regular plunging of the cap as the ferment slowed. The wine was pressed firmly post primary ferment and aged in a mix of 2nd use Stockinger demi-muid barrels and seasoned barriques for 16 months. Post malo the wine was racked, sulphured and rested in tank for another 10 months. The wine came together and was bottled under Diam 10 Origene cork in summer 2025.

IN THE GLASS…. With confidence and conditions to hang this fruit on the vines longer we have been rewarded with darker black and blue fruit flavours in the glass. A serious concentration this year along with ripe and persistent tannins. Cassis, boysenberry and dark cherries with savoury notes of licorice and aniseed, tobacco and leather. The oak here is well integrated and has done a great job tempering the powerful tannins. This is syrah like we’ve never seen it at Metcalfe and feels to us like the rewards of good farming. This wine will age well beyond 10 years in the cellar but sits in a great place now while the youthful fruit can still be enjoyed.

SYRAH - ORGANIC FARMING - WILD YEAST - OLD OAK - HEATHCOTE