The 2023 harvest was marked by hot, dry weather. As was the case with most regions, rains in February and March triggered a boost in powdery mildew pressure, and they had to be on their toes to manage the canopies correctly. That said, having an elevated vineyard site, that is exposed to slightly more wind, helps to give any viticultural team the upper hand in situations like these. When all was said and done, harvest dates were slightly earlier than last year, especially for our granitic Syrah parcels.

Overall yields were considerably down from 2022. A slightly moodier expression than the rest of the Damascene Syrahs. The vanguard carries blackberry fruit, aniseed, mineral hints of iron, and herbal oreganum. The palate is pleasantly muscled, and forms arguably the most savoury of the three Damascene Syrahs. The wine possesses a solid core of wild blackberry and maraschino cherry, along with savoury notes of roasted plum skins and olives. All of this is then peppered with herbal accents of fennel, and rocket leaf, framed by firm suede-like tannins. The finish forms a dovetail of red currants, black cherry, black pepper, and aniseed spice.

ANALYSIS: ALC 13% | TA 5.1 g/l | RS 1.3 g/l | pH 3.76