Te Mata Estate Bullnose Syrah

Produced every year since 1992 (except in ’94 when a huge hailstorm wiped out all the grapes, gutted), Te Mata Estates Bullnose Syrah is simply world class Syrah and a prime example why this variety is fast becoming the next hottest thing in NZ wine.

An absolute must for your cellar collection (or heck, just drink it now) and with available stocks paper thin you’ll have to be quick. This is a special cellar release from the 2022 vintage with the usual rave reviews from local critics…

5 Stars, 97/100 (Sam Kim)
“Plush and exquisite at once, this engaging syrah shows dark fruit richness, clove, floral and assorted nut aromas on the nose with a hint of dried herbs, leading to superbly weighted palate offering splendid fruit purity with sensual complexity, gorgeously framed by velvety texture and beautifully melded tannins. This is weighty, robust and sophisticated with gorgeous harmony, finishing refined and immensely satisfying. At its best: 2027 to 2042.””

4 1/2 Stars (Michael Cooper)
“This consistently classy red is estate-grown and hand-picked in the Bullnose and Isosceles vineyards, in the Bridge Pa Triangle, and the Hotspur vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels. It is typically matured for 14-16 months in French oak barriques (partly new). The refined 2022 vintage has bright, full but not dense colour. Still very youthful, it is medium to full-bodied, floral and supple, with a strong surge of vibrant, plummy, spicy flavours, oak-derived complexity, and obvious potential. A very graceful red, slightly lighter than in some past vintages, it should be at its best 2026+.””

The best food matches here would be NZ lamb and game, or firm cheeses. If you’re wondering where the name comes from – it’s not named after a bull (or a nose!) but an early Morris Cowley car. Apparently the car’s radiator crest looks like a bull, which is the emblem they’ve slapped on the Bullnose label.