Full, near saturated black-red colour with purple hues on the rim, youthful in appearance. The nose is elegantly proportioned but very tightly bound and intense with concentrated aromas of ripe blackberry fruit along with notes of boysenberries and blueberries, harmoniously intermixed with a layering of Asian spices, liquorice and piquant black pepper entwined with violet florals. The aromatics are refined and elegant and seamless in expression, and feature fragrance. Medium-full bodied, the palate has succulently rich and luscious, near opulent flavours of ripe blackberries and boysenberries with blue fruit detail, along with subtle raspberry elements, entwined with Asian spices and black pepper, with violet florals. The fruit has richness and vitality and an effusive energy forming a rich, packed heart. The fruit is underlined by fine-grained, powdery tannin extract, balancing structure and integrated acidity. The wine carries to a very long, spicy, vibrant and sustained finish. This is a wonderfully rich and refined Syrah with succulently ripe black fruits, spices and pepper on a very fine-structured palate. Match with lamb, beef and venison over the next 8-10+ years. Hand-picked MS clone Syrah fruit fermented in open top French oak cuves with 20% whole bunches to 13.3% alc., the wine aged 17 months in 35% new French oak barriques.

Le Sol, one of the country's most respected syrah labels, cracked through the NZD $100 barrier with the 2013 vintage and has continued to adjust the price in a northerly direction. This is the first vintage that a small amount (20% ) of whole bunches has been used in the fermentation. Nicely perfumed and typically dense, rich syrah with a lovely texture and firm, rounded tannins. Powerful yet elegant wine with plum, berry and mixed spice flavours together with an interesting savoury edge

2016 Craggy Range Le Sol Gimblett Gravels $150Big, dark, brooding and delicious, the full bodied dry Le Sol shows why Syrah has
traded places over the past 11 years with Cabernet Sauvignon as New Zealand’s third most planted red grape. It is made from a heritage
grape clone brought to New Zealand in the 1830s. All of the grapes for this wine were hand harvested, 80% destemmed and fermented in
open top French oak barrels, which support the concentrated flavours of black pepper, black plums and black cherries. It was aged for 17
months in oak, 35% new. This beautiful Syrah drinks well now and can age for at least a decade.

Full-bodied, supple and nicely balanced at this early age, with spicy detailed aromas including some stemmy whole-bunch nuances. Elegant, supple, soft-tannin palate. Possibly the best Le Sol to date. (20% whole-bunch fermentation, for the first time)

The 2016 Le Sol is perhaps the most confident, self-assured expression of Syrah to yet emerge from this benchmark producer. I say that because it no longer relies on weight, power and extraction for its impressiveness, but rather on its wonderful fragrance and elegance. Perfumed notes of violets and cracked pepper lead the way, backed by anise and black cherries. It's medium to full-bodied, with a rich, velvety mouthfeel and tremendous length, echoing with hints of clove, cinnamon and sassafras.

Drinking Window: 2019 - 2028

Reviewer Name: Joe Czerwinski

Review Date: 28th February 2019