Reynvaan The Contender Syrah 2009

Professional Ratings

• 94 Wine Spectator
  Polished, vivid and expressive, this seductive mouthful of plum, blackberry, black olive and tar flavors finishes on a meaty note. Has depth and elegance.
• 93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  Given its 11% Marsanne, one has to consider Reynvaan’s 2009 Syrah The Contender – like several other of their recent Syrahs – a blend (without meaning thereby to imply that there is no co-fermentation going on at high percentage levels of white berries). Confitured and distilled plum and cherry seem to be set-off against a background of wet stone in this texturally silken, infectiously juicy wine. Clean red meat savor lends saliva-inducement and tactile impingement of brown spices invigoration. Baron points out that he was very sparing with stems in the Reynvaan 2009 fermentations given that even where the wood was ripe, that vintage’s musts were already high in pH. That certainly doesn’t translate into any dearth of primary juiciness or vivacity in the present instance. A hint of honey – seemingly a gift of the Marsanne – adds to the succulent allure of the long, dynamically interactive finish. This ought to merit close to a decade’s attention.
• 91 Wine & Spirits
  Youthful and dark, this young red leads with scents of charcoal and wood smoke. Its peppery black fruit flavor, touched by a dollop of marsanne, lasts with gentle persistence within a linear structure. After a day of air, a clean beam of sweet purple fruit comes front and center. Cellar this to serve with roast leg of lamb.