Man O' War, Dreadnought Syrah, Waiheke Island

N/a

2018 vintage

Waited 2.5 years since drinking first bottle. Much better than remembered. Felt old world, very enjoyable. Only knock is it's a little one dimensional.

2017 vintage

Perfect accompaniment to our beef Wellington. Drinking beautifully.

2017 vintage

dark plum, spices, mild oak, m+ body, delicious fine tannins. dark chocolate and violet in m+ finish. all moderate and balanced, with true strength underlying. but need a little more concentration as one of top end Waiheke Island Syrah. Ap 5/5, Ar 13/15, Palate 16/20, Overall 4+3/10 Total 91+/100

2018 vintage

Ripe blackberry dominant nose. Palette was unbalanced and not great for me. Oddly reminded me of whiskey - disconnected oak. Did not finish the glass.

2018 vintage

Dark brooding fruit coffee and olives. Good flavors but really light. Very little viscosity. No mid or back palette. Pour it at your next bbq.

2017 vintage

I’m pretty neutral on this one- it is a little more savory and oaky than I prefer in a Syrah, with the fruit taking a back seat.

2017 vintage

medium dark red, garnet rim. moderate smells with spices and sweet herbals, consistent in mouth, rich flavours, dark berries, clove, cinnamon, some rosemary and a little pepper corn, medium body, medium and smooth ripe tannins, mild acidity, well mellowed, lean but long finish. a lovely Waiheke Island Syrah, showing nice elegance and fineness, nodding to Northern Rhone. some whole bunch, ferment with wild yeast, 18 months in French barrel plus 3 months in tank before bottling. BC 95, CD 93, …

2018 vintage

Very good Old World-style Syrah. Lovely, spicy, savory and complex.

2017 vintage

Quick note. This wine was about what I recall with a touch less brightness on night-1 open (see previous note). Plenty enjoyable. I'll have to admit by night-2, the wine fell apart with an oxidized, almost heat-damaged quality. I still drank the 2nd half of the bottle, but it would have scored an 83 in my scoring parlance (vs. 90-91 on night1). It's very interesting to see how this can happen with some wines and not others. I couldn't say …

2008 vintage

Cool-climate Syrah that is okay to drink now but can go a few more years. Light in color with lots of floral notes, yet unmistakably Syrah. Enjoyable.

2017 vintage

Clearly new-world with its exuberant dark fruit and ripeness, but this could have been any grape to be honest. Not the biggest fan of such anonymous wines.

2018 vintage

Beginning to lose vibrancy - best start drinking up

2008 vintage

Just a really nice glass of wine. Nose is a bit nondescript, but certainly not off putting. On the palette there’s blueberries, bramble and forest floor. Long finish. Really enjoyable. Will go for another few years in the cellar with no trouble.

2017 vintage

Always an ok drop

2018 vintage

A bit stinky, shame, reduction, the curse of Syrah! Dirty palate too, sulphurous. Frustrating!

2017 vintage

Unfortunately long past its best by date. Was clearly a wonderful wine once.

2008 vintage

Consistent with previous note

2017 vintage

A non-brooding syrah with a great expression of the region. Red fruits, pepper, savory and a little 'meaty' on the palate, similar to a Cornas.

2017 vintage

N: funky, slight sweet. Blackberry and chocolate. P: medium body, maybe a bit thin. Tart black fruit. Slightly peppery. Fine tannins.

2017 vintage

Just coming into play. Good concentration of black fruits, starting to develop tertiary flavours. Could do with a couple more years but very nice with a long decant. More Côte rotie than new world.

2012 vintage

Still a good colour and nose but just past it’s prime. I should have opened it when I opened the other two bottles two years ago.

2008 vintage

Two visits to Waiheke Island (Easter 2019 and New Year's 2020) (Auckland, NZ) : Drunk with lunch. Red black colour with ruby at the rim. Spicy oak perfumes, blackberries and some blueberries, liquorice and a hint of black pepper. On palate, blackberries, blackcurrants and – with time and accompanied by food – a touch of tar and pepper. Full and seamless – with fine grained tannins - but with good acidity. The product of a cooler vintage. Adequate body. Not …

2017 vintage

Rioja & Rhône(style) : Blind. Dark ruby. Quite dense. Very scented and plush nose. Dark syrah fruit that seems ripe Côte Rotie in style. But apparently not. This is clearly the restrained end of new world. With air it takes on an incredibly strong and evocative scent of thyme, and gives a nod to the garrigue of the south. Plush and finely velvety dark red fruit. A slight sweetness and glycerol element too. Maybe just a pinch of alcohol on …

2008 vintage

Davyd Bday lunch at Tangerine. Screw-cap. Pop and poured. Drank over 1.5 hours. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of initial elephant musk that blows off, leather, cracked black peppers and white pepper, blackberries, dark red cherries, boysenberries. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), smooth suave high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of juicy blackberries, dark red cherries, boysenberries, black and white pepper. Long finish. Very …

2008 vintage

My 300th tasting note. Deep ruby, no sign of change on edges. Nose of rosemary bush, juniper berry, elevated eucalyptus and menthol, deep powdery plum, maraschino cherry, creme de cassis, oakiness (old piano), liquorice and raspberry. Palate introduces richer oakiness, earth, ripe plum, with a stunning, fruity finish. Good length and fine tannins giving a medium level mouthfeel. Complex, deep yet elegant. Could be kept for another five years. Would recommend a quick decanter (30 mins) to blow off reductiveness.

2012 vintage

Fruit forward on the nose, but not too jammy, with a touch of burnt wood on the finish. The palate is also an interesting mix of slightly jammy black fruits with elements of cigar box in the mid palate. The tannins are fairly integrated with woody elements and good acidity. Shows some good evolution but ready to drink now.

2008 vintage

Lovely wine, beautiful balance, layer upon layer of complex flavours, savoury, sweet long. Not in the least tired.

2008 vintage

Quelques années en cave ont permis à ce vin de se raffiner. Légère acidité mélangé à des tannins présents mais fins. Une très belle syrah de la Nouvelle-Zélande !

2008 vintage

Amazing!

2012 vintage

Robe bourgogne-brunâtre. Beau nez sur les olives, cassis, cerise, feuille, poivre et épice. Vin assez corsé. Long en bouche et délicat. Belle complexité. Commence ca pente descendante. Noté 93 en décembre 2015.

2008 vintage

A lovely soft Syrah - quite sweet and less spicy than other Syrahs. Very soft tannins, instantly appealing. Nice long finish. Excellent with food. Happy to buy again. Still a couple in the cellar to try later, though I do like the fruit now.

2012 vintage

Multi hour decant, started out with a classic meaty nose that a syrah can express but it faded to a more floral element over time. The palate is fairly big with cherry, light spice, a little pepper. Medium bodied with a full mouthfeel, a very nice NZ syrah.

2008 vintage

Très fine syrah avec de beaux arômes de mûre. Les tanins sont très fondus, 30% du vin a été élevé en fûts neufs, le reste en fûts anciens.

2012 vintage

Retailer tasting (@ GT in R) : In the bouquet dark and red berries, minerals and leather. Nice bouquet which reminds of northern Rhone. Same on the palate, juicy fruits, a touch of sweetness, good acidity and mild tannin. Good length. Really good wine. Early maturity now and probably around 2018 even a bit better.

2012 vintage

Disagree with previous consumer, last glass the best, should have decanted. Still tightly wound

2008 vintage

Gorgeous and modern with nice bottle aged complexity. Seemingly the product of a warm vintage, this is opulent and forward and has generous alcohol but combined with the NZ acid backbone, this feels well-balanced. Bacon fat and mushrooms on the nose with lightly toasted oak. Ripe and candied blackberries. Long and well modulated. Tannic structure is quite classy. This is modern and outstanding. I would drink this sooner than later, though under stelvin, this may develop pretty slowly...

2009 vintage

Popped and poured. Opaque mid garnet in colour. Aged nose showing confit spice and white pepper, licorice, dark berry jam, chocolate and coffee beans. Great fruit up front, secondary flavours leather, sandalwood, salivating mid palate and long peppery finish. This is a terrific bottle from the cellar. Much better without decanting as the previous opening fell short. Drinking very well right now.

2008 vintage

Brief notes. Very solid kiwi syrah. Plenty of white pepper on the nose and silky tannin on the palate. (90 Good wine)

2008 vintage

Super funky and backward upon opening, but it opened up after about an hour. Sweet fruit emerged more and more over the savory tones as time went on. Good mouthfeel and a peppery, drying finish. Lots of correctness for New World Syrah but perhaps a little short on personality. Enjoyable but takes some work.

2008 vintage

Wine lunch with work colleagues (Hawksmoor, Guildhall, London) : Next to the Crozes, this was warmer, fatter, clumsier. Smoky and classy in its own way, but a bit too much alcohol

2009 vintage

Smoky, but smooth, agreeably medicinal, the alcohol not so obtrusive in an outdoor lunch

2009 vintage

Enjoyed this more than the previous tasting. Fruit did drop away but more of a typical NZ Syrah this time with pepper, vanilla and spice. Would prefer a Bullnose or Stonecroft however.

2008 vintage

Glorious smoky bacon nose, ripe fruit on the palate, but it's just a bit too alcoholic

2009 vintage

More spirity and alcoholic than I was expecting and hoping for. Very syrah. Ripe. But lacking the dimension and nuance of a real Hermitage.

2009 vintage

Dark red violet color; roasted black fruit, roast plum, charcoal nose; tasty, roasted black fruit, roast plum, charcoal palate; could use 2-plus years; medium-plus finish 91+ points

2009 vintage

Pronouced white pepper nose, medium to full bodied with firm tannins. Found this to be a tad 'syrupy and sweet. Ok, but overall disapointed. Would rather have a Nth Rhone.

2008 vintage

Complex smoky nose, dark fruits; gorgeous fruit, lovely finesse. Smoky and animal finish.

2009 vintage

Hazy notes, Similar impressions to last time. Very tasty, with plums and green olives, and a great velvety texture to it (A-).

2008 vintage

Spicy with a dash of white pepper, medium body, delicious drink and well integrated at a young age. Would have scored higher however, the fruit became more muted as the hours passed in the decanter.

2008 vintage

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Man O' War, Dreadnought Syrah, Waiheke Island

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