Lismore Estate Syrah 2016
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Robert
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Wine
Enthusiast
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Cassis, blackberry and cherry. White pepper, ground herbs and the strong floral perfume of crushed violets. Light and elegant, but structured with fresh acidity.
Pair this wine alongside roasted meats, pastas, cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made with 40% whole cluster, the 2016 Syrah opens with a beautiful floral and red fruit expression of Syrah, with dark cherry skin, ripe and juicy plum, pomegranate, soft potpourri spices, subtle oak tones and nuances of red spiced tea and peppercorn. Subtly savory with energetic acidity, the medium-bodied wine expresses elegance with tart, lively red fruit and spices that sway across the mid-palate with a vibrant and food-friendly sensation. It ends with flavors of lavender, redcurrants and dark cherry skin on the long, lingering finish—marking another stellar bottling from Samantha O'Keefe.
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Wine Enthusiast
Vibrant raspberry, blueberry and red cherry aromas leap from the glass of this elegant and refined Syrah, with faint hints of iris petals and thin mint for added depth. The palate is smooth and silky, with fine, well-integrated tannins and lively, saline-inflected freshness that keeps the palate lifted and the finish vibrant and enduring. Pepper and cola-like spice unfolds on the close.
Other Vintages
2017- Vinous
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.