Syrah from Gimblett Gravels has become one of the most promising categories of red wine from New Zealand. After a 16-year vertical tasting of Craggy Range’s iconic Syrah, Le Sol, it was easy to see why. But before delving into the experience of tasting this vertical line-up of a very noteworthy wine, let’s look at why Syrah is thriving in Gimblett Gravels in New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay.

Why Syrah in Gimblett Gravels?

“Syrah is a very important grape in New Zealand even though, in terms of size, it is tiny,” says Craggy Range winemaker, Matt Stafford. Indeed, Syrah accounts for less than 1% of New Zealand’s total production but receives a disproportionate amount of praise and acknowledgement. For instance, it represents 6% of the Fine Wines of New Zealand listings and it has also been crowned champion in several recent wine competitions and tastings. The fuss is particularly about Syrah from Gimblett Gravels.

What sets Gimblett Gravels apart from many of the wine regions of New Zealand is that it has an incredibly poor soil – a dried up river bed with deep gravels. Whereas too much rain can be a problem in most of New Zealand’s wine regions, in Gimblett Gravels the free-draining soil means that irrigation is a necessity – even though it is common to get up to 500mm of rain in the summer.

Syrah always seems to do well on the rocks (hence its affinity with the Rhône). But it isn’t just the lower yields that result from the free-draining gravel that set Gimblett apart. There’s another trick up the sleeve of the gravels of Gimblett. Most of New Zealand’s wine regions would be considered cool climate, which is why white wines and early-ripening red wines (like Pinot Noir) dominate.

Hawke’s Bay, however, offers a pocket of sunshine and warmth in a protected inlet on the east coast of the North Island. The warmer average temperatures, temperate maritime climate and longer growing season make Hawke’s Bay New Zealand’s hotspot for red wine varieties, including Bordeaux blends. The dark stones of Gimblett Gravels also absorb the heat during the day and radiate that heat at night, giving this sub-region a warmer edge over the others.

Craggy Range winemaker Matt Stafford explains the Gimblett Gravels terroir and its suitability for Syrah in this vineyard interview:

Hawke's Bay & Gimblett Gravels guide with winemaker Matt Stafford

Watch this video on YouTube

Why Gimblett Gravels became the first Syrah of New Zealand

Syrah first made its way to New Zealand in 1832 with James Busby, who also brought the first Syrah vines to Australia. Shiraz boomed in Australia but almost disappeared entirely in New Zealand. The blockbuster, fruit-bomb style of Shiraz in Australia just couldn’t be done in New Zealand and it appeared that this variety had set sail for warmer lands on the other side of the Tasman Sea. By the 1980s, there were only a handful of Syrah vines left in an experimental vine garden at a wine institute.

In 1984, those last Syrah vines were destined for the bulldozer. It was serendipitous that a professor, Dr Alan Limmer, rushed to rescue them and happened to plant them in a new wine region in Hawke’s Bay – Gimblett Gravels. In the warmer soils, the Syrah vines thrived. And in 1989 he released the first New Zealand Syrah, from Stonecroft in Gimblett Gravels.

Syrah had experienced a change of fate, and it was largely to do with its success in the unique terroir of Gimblett Gravels.

Hawke’s Bay Syrah & the taste of Gimblett Dust

Here the wines can achieve full ripeness to give vibrant berry fruit aromas. There’s always fresh acidity, often floral notes and dark spice. However concentration and colour are also a key part of the identity of Gimblett Gravels Syrah.

There’s another particularity of Gimblett Gravels Syrah that local winemakers like to call the ‘Gimblett Dust’ character. It’s a fine dusty texture, and a mineral, hot stone aroma. It may be hard to describe but there’s a common graphite note and earthy character to the wines which seems consistent across the board.

There are variations in winemaking, but most would liken Gimblett Gravels Syrah as akin to Syrah from the Northern Rhone.

Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah 2001 – 2016

Wines with a 🌟 are considered Outstanding (or 95+ points, or 18.5+). All other wines listed are above 90 points (or equivalent). This vertical was purchased by and provided by Air New Zealand in promotion of their Fine Wines of New Zealand programme.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2001

Showing nicely for its age, this Syrah has moved onto more savoury and tertiary notes with olive and peppery salami aromas making it quite appealing. The lucky virgin vintage from young vines!

Craggy Range Le Sol 2002

This was a riper year and there’s primary fruit still on the nose – dense black forest fruits with spice on the finish. An attractive note of cigar box adds complexity.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2004

The first vintage to have some of the trademark violet aromas from the region, alongside rich, sweet fruit aromas with Christmas spice and peppery tannin.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2005

This was a very good year for Hawke’s Bay and it is riper in the glass with notes of prune and some leathery, cedar notes too. Silky and smooth.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2006

This vintage opens with attractive notes of lavender on the nose backed by a well-balanced wine with blue fruit and black pepper. A long finish with bright acidity. One of the most elegant of the earlier vintages.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2007

There is a lot of tension to this wine and it is holding up really nicely after over a decade in bottle. Spice, balance and some of that ‘Gimblett dust’. This wine has a lot of potential.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2008

This was a warmer vintage and the wine has a real richness of fruit with both prune and fresh plum notes. Cocoa and baking spices add complexity.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2009 🌟

One of my favourite wines of the line-up, the 2009 vintage has a great combination of heady violet perfume, dark cassis and graphite. There is finesse and great length to this wine.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2010

The 2010 vintage was more savoury in style with notes of tar, dried bay leaves and cedar. Black pepper and liquorice also meddle with blackcurrant notes. Attractive vintage.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2011

A dense and concentrated wine with rich berry notes and tight, peppery spice. It still feels quite young to drink, with a drier tannin. Give this one some time in the cellar.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2013 🌟

Another excellent vintage which has all the engaging elements of Gimblett Gravels Syrah – wild forest herbs, black pepper spice, tar and a real brightness of bramble fruit. Dark, long, elegant and interesting.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2014 🌟

This warm and dry vintage has a wonderful density of fruit with a leafiness and perfume adding some interest. Dark fruit, dusty tannin and a complex finish. Still young but great potential.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2015 🌟

Darker fruit on the nose with floral notes of violets and dried rose petals. There’s some sweet spice in this wine too but with the classic black pepper on the finish. Nicely balanced.

Craggy Range Le Sol 2016

This is still a baby but the tight tannin structure, dense fruit and intense spice shows a lot of promise for the years to come. Cellar for a few more years.