Waimea Nelson Syrah 2008
Nelson, New Zealand

What if I said here's a juicy red you can enjoy as a quaffer, accompany your entrée or main course and have for dessert too? Hard to believe but this is it - Waimea Nelson Syrah 2008.

The wine in the glass is a deep rubellite red. The inviting aromas are meaty, savoury and smoky with sweetish overtones of black cherry, vanilla, spice and some floral nuances emerging too. A spicy, fruit driven wine -with creamy, almost chocolatey oak adding succulence while a leafy, slightly leathery, savoury undercurrent brings it all into balance. The berry fruit is deep and concentrated - red fruit, perhaps raspberry - with leather, tar and rose petal. The meaty tannins are thick and velvety and the vanillin and cedar-like oak comes forth the again on the finish.

Incredibly juicy, easy to enjoy, you can perhaps see from my description why it's a quaffer or savoury course accompaniment - but a wine for dessert? Well yes, it's true. I detected a slight raspberry ripple ice cream flavour in the wine, so though why not try it on ice cream - white chocolate ice cream, no less. The ice cream was softened slightly and a capful of wine rippled in. The result - yum! Could this be something new - white chocolate and Waimea Syrah. Try it if you dare.

Back to the wine - very impressive at Nelson WineArt Roadshow that came to Auckland late last year - Sales rep Martin Carrington said it had 30% American oak with 3% Viognier co-fermented with the Syrah, this perhaps the secret to the perfume, perceived winey sweetness and intrigue.

Inmpressive again with a tiny taste again at the winery when I stopped by there in April but I recommend you buy a bottle, take it home and enjoy it with your dinner - at this time of year in New Zealand, a hearty beef or lamb casserole or stew - and don;t forget the Syrah ripple and white chocolate ice cream!

Price: $21.90 to $23.90 a bottle. Alcohol: 14%. Closure: Screwcap. My rating 4.5 stars.

Find out more from www.waimeaestates.co.nz.

© Sue Courtney
26 May 2010