Red plums, fennel seed and white pepper on the nose, underpinned by tones of black berries, meat spice and dried thyme. A focused and elegant palate, guided by fine tendrils of red and black fruit tannin and pristine acidity. A finish of quenching minerality, awash with wet granite and subtle hints of black pepper.

Winemaking: Fruit was hand-picked and gently de-stemmed, with the berries left un-crushed to preserve the natural fruit perfumes and allow for slow and controlled tannin and flavour extraction. Fermentation took place in traditional open top fermenters with only 2 daily plunges in order to preserve the integrity of the skin and extract only the finest tannin and flavours. After 12 days of fermentation the wine was gently separated from the skin and transferred to French oak Puncheons, where it remained for 14 months before blending, clarification and bottling.

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Awards & Reviews:

THE WINE PILOT

“The regional-varietal connection posed by this wine is something to behold. Mineral dust shows from the first approach, with red plum and raspberry and a faint touch of musk stick all in there as a vibrant aromatic matrix, both to the nose and palate, where the flavour spectrum sits in a similar mode. That rock dust note returns as you taste, suggesting also ground white pepper, the powdery feel connecting with a fine tannin underlayer to finish. The sum of the aromatics, flavours and textures is most attractive and distinctive. A wine to dwell over and examine deeply. “ (June 2024)

TONY LOVE - 94 points

“Made by Bruce Dukes and Remi Guise excites me before I even taste this wine. Those two certainly know how to handle Syrah and I am generally a huge fan of all they make. The fruit here comes from a dry grown vineyard in Donnybrook – within the Geographe region. Plenty of lifted aromatics – blue fruit, spice, dried herbs and fennel. There is some plush fruit here along with crushed rock, white pepper and savoury complexity. Moorish and charming. Finishes long and has lovely tension.” (May 2024)

EMMA FARRELLY - 93 points

“A striking, individually-style Syrah from Western Australia’s Geographe wine region. There’s considerable fruit weight to this wine enlivened by the role of spice – it’s quite a vibrant and attractive addition. Aromas of black cherry, plum, aniseed, fennel seed and pencil lead/ graphite oak. Spices really come to the fore on the palate highlighted by black and red fruits, chocolate, fennel, earth and ginger root. A vein of gentle oak runs the full distance of the wine. Geographe is home to some 36 grape varieties but Shiraz – aka Syrah – probably deserves special recognition. This reserve Syrah shows its class and is a stand-out wine.” (May 2024)

JENI PORT

THE REAL REVIEW

“Deep-ish red with a purple rim, the bouquet is all walnut/pecan nut oak-derived savoury aromas with earthy, brown-spice shiraz fruit beneath it…” 2024-2035 (Nov 2023)

HUON HOOKE

SILVER - Labelmakers Group, WA Alternative Varieties Wine Show 2023