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: 2015 Bilancia "La Collina" Syrah Hawke's Bay New Zealand

2015 Bilancia "La Collina" Syrah Hawke's Bay New Zealand (Previously $80)

SKU #1413240 97 points James Suckling

Outer quote mark A very slick and polished edition of this wine that promises to develop steadily for a couple of decades. This will play the long game well. For now it has superb fresh fruit in the blackberry and red plum spectrum that is dusted with peppery aromas as well as spicy mocha-scented oak and hints of graphite-like dark stone. The palate runs a deep line of flavors, and tannins draw long with a sense of purpose and depth, carrying dark plum, mocha and blackberry flavors fresh into a succulent, lithe and juicy finish. A meticulously crafted wine. Best from 2021 and for some years after that. Screw cap. Inner quote mark (2/2017)

96 points Bob Campbell

Outer quote mark It's an impressive and more structured wine that promises to age very well.. Dark berry, violet, roasted nut, a hint of wood-smoke and spicy oak. A serious syrah with a bright future. Drink 2018 - 2032 Inner quote mark (5/2015)

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark The 2015 La Collina Syrah easily surpasses the 2014, which was a more heralded vintage in Hawke's Bay. Blueberries and spice make for compelling aromas, while the medium to full-bodied wine shows no rough edges on the palate. Glossy and rich, the tannins are more supple than in the 2014, the fruit more voluptuous, the finish longer. It's one of the top Syrahs yet to emerge from New Zealand. Drink 2019-2035 (JC) Inner quote mark (2/2019)

K&L Notes

Bilancia is a small Hawkes' Bay producer of exceptional Pinot Gris, Viognier, and Syrah. It is the label of winemakers Lorraine Leheny and Warren Gibson and was established in 1997 when Lorraine and Warren returned to New Zealand from winemaking overseas. The viticultural central point for Bilancia is the 15 acres of land covering the front and back of Roys Hill where, planted only on the north-northwest facing slope is the vineyard known as la collina (col-ee-na), which is Italian for "the hill." The upper most slopes and terraces are planted to Syrah while the lower, gently rising land and gravels flat is planted to Viognier.

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2015 Bilancia "La Collina" Syrah Hawke's Bay New Zealand

Price: $58.99

Quantity:

JS: 97

BC: 96

RP: 95

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Product Reviews:

By: Shelby Griffiths | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 8/30/2019 | Send Email

I will say it: I love Syrah. I have explored the world through glasses from the Rhone, the Barossa, and all the way to Amador, but I have truly never experienced a Syrah quite like this one before. This wine is intense and powerful! The structure sends your palate on thrill ride like a roller coaster, demanding your attention and keeping you on the edge of your seat. But at the same time there is a warm familiarity to this wine. Loads of savory spices, white and black pepper, fennel, mint... it brought me back to the much-anticipated dinners of my grandma's homemade fried chicken. And just like the chicken, my family and friends will be fighting for the last bits of this Syrah too.

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Shiraz/Syrah

- One of France's noblest black grape varieties, Syrah is known for its intense and distinctive perfume reminiscent of briar fruit, tar, spice and black pepper and its firm structure. One of few black grape varietals frequently vinified on its own, the best examples of Syrah come from the Northern Rhône, particularly Hermitage, but also Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage and St-Joseph. These wines are very astringent in their youth, though some Crozes-Hermitage and St-Joseph can be enjoyed young, relatively speaking. Given the requisite patience, though, these wines can reveal amazing complexity and secondary fruit characteristics like plum and blackcurrant as well as subtle hints of smoke and flowers. In the Southern Rhône, Syrah is used to add structure and complexity to wines dominated by Grenache and complemented by Mourvèdre, like the more immediately drinkable Côte du Rhônes, as well as the long-lived wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In recent years, plantings of Syrah have spread throughout the Languedoc-Roussillon where it is produced on its own or blended with other varietals. Outside of France, the most important Syrah growing country is easily Australia, where it is called Shiraz. Quality levels here depend greatly on yields and geography, and the wines range from bold, fruity and easy-drinking to intense and ageable, like the famed Penfolds Grange. Often bottled on its own, in Australia Syrah is also can be blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre, as in the Southern Rhône, and is increasingly combined with Cabernet Sauvignon. Syrah has also been steadily increasing in popularity in California, thanks to a group of advocates called the Rhône Rangers. Its most successful iterations come from the Central and Sonoma Coasts, where winemakers are pushing boundaries and creating some incredible wines. In recent years Syrah has also found a number of proponents in Washington State, which is definitely a region to watch for this variety.

Country:

New Zealand

- New Zealand is an extremely diverse wine-growing nation. The long history of producing wine started in the 1830s with wineries such as Mission Estate (1850) and Te Mata Estate (1896) still producing wine today. The two islands hold a multitude of different growing climates ranging from warmer areas such as Hawke’s Bay to very cool regions such as Waitaki, and Awatere. Most regions are defined as Maritime with the exception being Central Otago that has a moderate Continental climate with the high elevation creating dramatic diurnal swings in temperature. The plethora of grapes grown in New Zealand reflects this diverse microclimate make up. Everything has a place here, Bordeaux varietals and Syrah in Hawke’s Bay, Chardonnay and Pinot in Nelson, Pinot Noir and Riesling in Central Otago , aromatic whites in Waipara and pretty much everything you can imagine in Marlborough. New Zealand is also one of the “greenest” wine producing nations on earth (94% of wine certified sustainable in 2013) with a strong focus on organic and Biodynamic farming.