Bekkers, Syrah Grenache, McLaren Vale

This was the highlight of my tasting flight at Bekkers. I was throwing descriptors at the page while enjoying the wine, red plums, blueberry, blackberry, and some light cedar in the background. What stood out most was the intensity and length on the palate.

28% whole bunch and neutral oak giving a firm tannic structure which continues nearly as long as the savoury aftertaste Dark pepper on nose, syrah clearly dominating. The palate continues this trend, dark pepper, garrigue and only a hint of spice with the dark red and black fruit Intense

This is a wine where your assessment may depend largely on attitude to oak and to some other stylistic issues. When first opened (under the life affirming screw cap), I was quite excited by a lovely mix of blackberry and plum but also some tomato stalk and leafy stuff and some roast meat/charcuterie. In the mouth the texture spoke of oak - rather thick and coating. Within about 3 hours (undecanted) the wine shifted again and the riper fruit characters …