Te Motu 'Kuikui' Syrah 2020
Te Motu 'Kuikui' Syrah 2020
A limited release of ultra-premium Syrah, from a strong Waiheke Island vintage.
Named in dedication to Margaret Dunleavy, the green-fingered mother of eleven, Kuikui means ‘the matriarch’ in Maori. As her children planted vines in the Onetangi Valley, she placed and nurtured the rose bushes at the end of each row.
Kuikui represents the best expression of Syrah our estate will produce.
Hand-harvested from low-yielding vines, with an obsessive level of fruit sorting. This Syrah was fermented in barrel, before enjoying extended élevage and maturing for 24 months in premium French oak before resting in bottle.
This wine can be enjoyed in its youth, but has the pedigree to improve for years to come. Only 650 bottles produced.
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COMPOSITION
COMPOSITION
Alcohol:
14.0%
Contains sulphites
Sugar:
<1 g/l
Allergen info:
Contains sulphites. No egg/fish has been used in production.
VINTAGE NOTES
VINTAGE NOTES
As we picked throughout lockdown, we were grateful to find pristine, clean, ripe, concentrated fruit across the board.
Minimal sorting was needed – in fact, in most blocks the fruit was perfect enough to ‘pick-and-drop’.
The pandemic provided challenges but we were able to complete the harvest safely with just the core vineyard crew due to perfect conditions.
We had no rain pressure through vintage. We were able to pick when we wanted. Allowing each of our red wine varieties to ripen to optimal levels.
All fruit was pristine but some exposed blocks were down in volume due to high winds impacting flowering in spring.
CRITIC REVIEWS
CRITIC REVIEWS
Lovely creamy texture with dark berries, asphalt, tea leaves and graphite on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied. Builds nicely on the palate, with hints of chocolate and walnuts at the end. Drink or hold.
95 Points / 5 stars – James Suckling
An earthy, oaky and savoury nose with developing notes of Moroccan spice, subtle meaty complexity and tobacco. Sweet cinnamon and vanilla oak which has started to melt into the fruit. Not fully expressive yet despite showing some tertiary notes. The palate is earthy with gamy barnyard complexity and submerged but sizable tannins. The acidity comes across with the tangy blackberry fruit. Nicely melded flavours ranging from red dates, black olive, blackberry bush and cocoa to dried bay leaf, clove and leather. Smooth and surprisingly elegant. Despite being obviously oaky, it is not overdone and there is plenty of detail and clarity to the fruit. Not over-ripe either. Something gamy here before the peppery spice kicks in. Sinewy and savoury with more development potential yet 19 May 2025
95 points - 5 starts Stephen Wong MW The Real Review
