2021 Bullnose Syrah

The 2021 Bullnose Syrah gives us Asian five spice, musk, red dirt, gravel and blueberry on the nose. There's a distinctly darker fruit character on the palate, with red licorice, pomegranate, savory and gentle meat nuances. This is fleshy but with energy and finesse. Matured for 16 months in French oak (33% new), it's almost creamy, with hints of cream soda and sarsaparilla, and there's a spice/blood root character. This wine achieves that aspirational balance between sweet fruit and savory tannin.

The 2021 Syrah Bullnose is exotically spiced, leaving you half expecting a belly dancer to appear while you're drinking it. It is sweetly fruited while full of floral fragrance, cardamom, cinnamon and sandalwood. While it is richly fruited, it is not a big Syrah in terms of size. It does, however have motion and drive; the tannins are well-handled. Fragrant and long with sinew providing length and carrying its scent. You could approach this in youth if you were the world's most impatient person but I'd hang on, as this will be delightful in the coming 6 to 10 years and beyond.