2015 McLaren Vale Syrah
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Vineyards as for the 2021. 18% whole bunches added to the fermenter. Winemaking otherwise very similar to the 2021. Mixture of new (40%) and older (60%) French oak puncheons. Bottled December 2016. Unfiltered. Mid garnet. More interesting and nuanced than the 2021, evolving to eucalyptus and mocha. Chewy, sweetly senescent fruit balanced by marked freshness on the finish. In fact, the acidity sticks out a bit on the finish. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Juicy black fruit with soft tannins, lots of smoke and black cherry. Creamy texture and full without being heavy or unbalanced. Lovely expressive oak spice on the finish. Ripe but savoury. Heat on the finish. (RH)
Violets and hints of toasty oak mark the nose, while the full-bodied palate of Bekkers 2015 Syrah shows a lovely supple expansiveness. Cola, plum and spice notes glide into every crevice on the palate, leaving behind a lush, creamy sensation that lingers on the finish.
18% whole bunch fermented. Aged in 500-litre puncheons of which 40% were new. Unfiltered. Fifth vintage. Glorious, indulgent fruit with a strong beefy note. Ample fruit intensity, soft, clay-textured tannin with fairly light body considering the style but none of the undue acidity that sometimes characterises these styles. Very dark fruits on the finish, with warming alcohol. Oak spice is thoroughly absorbed by the fruit ripeness, but there's none of the black pepper that 'Syrah' might indicate. This is Shiraz, and convincingly so! (RH)