Syrah the ‘perfect next step’ for Pinot lovers

Syrah’s easy-going nature and spicy charm makes it the perfect next step for Pinot Noir lovers according to Steve Skinner, chief winemaker of Elephant Hill in Hawkes Bay.

Elephant Hill in Hawkes Bay

Speaking to the drinks business during a recent visit to London, Skinner said: “Syrah is still quite a novel variety for a lot of consumers but we’re seeing sales growth at Elephant Hill.

“I think it’s perfect for Pinot Noir lovers who are looking to take the next step as it’s an easier style to get to grips with than Cabernet.

“There are only 500 hectares of Syrah in Hawkes Bay but plantings will increase significantly over the next decade. The grape accounts for just 0.2% of total production in New Zealand, but 80% of the Syrah made in the country hails from Hawkes Bay.”

As to why he labels his wines “Syrah” rather than “Shiraz”, Skinner said it was due to his Old World approach to the grape.

“We’re modeling ourselves on the Northern Rhône style of Syrah rather than the Barossa Valley in Australia, so we call it Syrah rather than Shiraz.

“We’re a lot cooler in the Hawkes Bay than South Africa and Australia and we’re able to make both a pretty, floral, St Joseph Syrah style and the bigger, more powerful Hermitage style.

“Whole cluster fermentation pulls the wine back into the more savoury and spicy style we’re lookling for,” he said.

“I think the dark red and black fruit driven Syrahs are wonderful but as wines they are less complete. Our Syrahs need some time to develop in bottle before drinking. For me their high acidity makes them an exciting drink,” he added.