The Trinity Hill ‘Homage’ Syrah 2007 is a worthy
successor to the great 2006, this wine having won numerous awards including
Trophy for Champion Syrah at the 2010 Royal Easter Show Wine Awards. Sourced from the company’s Gimblett Estate
and Gimblett Stones vineyards, this is 91% Syrah and 9% Viognier co-fermented,
the latter as skins after light pressing for the white wine, reaching 14.4%
alc, then aged 18 months in mainly new French barriques. It is the most elegant and refined ‘Homage’
Syrah to date, partly a function of the slightly cooler vintage, but also by
design by John and his winemaker Warren Gibson in search of greater detail and
finesse. Black-red with purple hues to
the colour, the nose is packed with aromas of black fruits, spices, black
pepper, tar, violets all lifted by beautifully balanced oak. This is a powerful and near-massive wine,
especially in terms of delivering flavour, but the sweetness and richness of
fruit is integrated with the tannin textures resulting in harmony and
fineness. The wine is very
fine-featured, with stunning nuances of spices and florals, along with meat and
tar appearing. It is an incredible
statement, and a great wine that will live another 15 years easily. RC Sept 10
Trinity Hill ‘Homage’ Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2007 (19.5/20), at 14.4% alc, was made from 91% Syrah with
9% Viognier grom the Gimblett Estate and Gimblett Stones vineyards co-fermented
and aged 18 months in mainly new French oak barriques. Black red with purple hues, the bouquet was
redolent of spices, black fruits, with confit and florals along with black
pepper and nutty oak. On palate, this
exhibited power and concentration allied to finesse and elegance. There is no denying the enormous extract, but
this is balanced by the richness of fruit which results in a net balance of
harmony. Extremely fine-grained, lush,
but very tight, and very long. A magnificent
wine that will develop over 10-15 years.
RC Apr 10