Vanguardist Oeno Syrah 2024

The first release for a syrah in the Botanic Series, following on from the inaugural V label syrah in ’23. Tiny production; about 40% whole bunch. Not sure if one could pick a Vanguardist wine on style regardless of variety, but it feels so. That’s not to say there’s an imposition of making. Not at all. Rather, it is about restraint, a savoury elegance. Dark plum and cherry, loose black tea scented with bergamot, coal dust, anise powder, violet, preserved cherry, scrubby herbs, iron filings and a bresaola-like quality. Medium in weight, absent sweet fruit but vibrant, a twiggy crunch on the palate and a wisp of curing smoke on the finish. Very good. – 95 Points, Halliday Wine Companion – Marcus Ellis

‘Oeno’ derives from the science dedicated to the study and knowledge of wines, Oenology. The vineyard boasts an altitude exceeding 200m above sea level. The top soil is pure sand, with clay and red ironstone pockets below the surface. The namesake ‘Oeno’ has been extended to this inaugural Syrah from the Rende Vineyard under the Botanic label.

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