Tasting Notes 2005
Te Mata Estate Woodthorpe Syrah ‘05 has an attractive deep magenta colour, with aromas of cherry, cinnamon and a touch of orange zest. The silky palate is full and juicy showing raspberry and peppery spices, with a long and elegant finish. This wine will continue to develop in bottle for 4-6 years from harvest.
Te Mata Estate Woodthorpe Syrah ‘05 is a great match with richly flavoured and lightly spiced dishes. It is particularly well suited to savoury Mediterranean cuisine, as well as grilled and roasted red meats and soft ripened cheeses.
Technical Analysis
pH: 3.55
Total acidity as tartaric: 5.6g/l
Alcohol: 13%
Residual sugar: Nil
Winemaking
The syrah grapes were combined with 5% viognier, destemmed and fermented together in open-top tanks. Following a warm, hand-plunged fermentation, the resulting wine remained on skins for extended maceration before pressing. It was then run off to a mixture of new and seasoned French oak barrels for 15 months’ maturation, during which time it was regularly topped and racked. The wine received a traditional egg-white fining before being bottled in August 2006.
Vineyards
Te Mata Estate Woodthorpe Syrah ‘05 was hand harvested between the 15 April and 2 May.
Origin
The co-fermentation of Syrah with small amounts of the white grape variety, Viognier, is a traditional winemaking technique in France's northern Rhone Valley. The addition of Viognier introduces a perfume/floral aroma to the soft red berry and spice flavours of Syrah.
