Winemaker Notes
Sourced from our steepest hillside vineyards, the Syrah for the Dreadnought was hand harvested, destemmed without crushing and fermented in small open top fermenters, plunged twice per day. Following an average of 3 weeks on skins the wines were gently pressed to oak barrels for Malolactic fermentation. Each parcel of fruit was kept separate in the winery until the final blending sessions after 15 months in oak.
TASTING NOTES
The 2008 Dreadnought opens up to aromas of white pepper, star anise and blueberries with hints of wild game and a subtle floral fragrance. The palate has a mineral vibrancy which holds the firm ripe tannins in check. Overall the Dreadnought 2008 has layers of complex characters that unfold as the wine opens up in the glass revealing subtle hints of spice and game, a rich supple palate with the graphite-like tannins typical of 2008 Syrah from Waiheke Island.
DREADNOUGHT
The first in a line of early 20th century battleships bestowed with the motto "fear god and dreadnought" and embodying a supreme combination of speed and power, Dreadnought denotes our steepest and most breathtaking hillside Syrah vineyards.
This wine is bottled and protected under screw cap as we believe it is the best closure for quality wine.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Representing a new level of quality for Waiheke Syrah, this wine boasts captivating aromas of peppered meat, violets and cassis. It's full bodied without being heavy, and the flavors seamlessly blend fruity with savory for a thrilling ride. Finishes long, with firm tannins and a hint of espresso. Drink now.
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Wine & Spirits
A meaty, cool-climate syrah with scents of anise, blueberries and tar, this wine gains power from its tannins. The structure layers and herbal scents over crushed mineral flavors, gripping and a little youthfully reduced. Give this time in a decanter to open, then serve with roast duck.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2008 Dreadnought is straightforward on the nose at first, yet it develops nicely with aeration with aromas of blackberry, boysenberry and a touch of fresh date. Good definition but the bouquet demands coaxing. The palate is medium-bodied, flirting with jamminess but it has just enough acidity to keep it the right side of balance, with succulent blackberry and boysenberry fruit, chewy finish and good length. Not a subtle Syrah, but it has chutzpah and brio. Drink 2011-2017.
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.”
An eclectic region on the east coast of the North Island, Hawkes Bay extends from wide, fertile, coastal plains, inland, to the coast range, whose peaks reach as high as 5,300 feet. While the flatter areas were historically more popular because they are easier to cultivate, their alluvial soils can be too fertile for vines. In the late 20th century, the drive for quality led growers to the hills where soils are free-draining, limestone-rich and more suited to producing high quality wines.
Over the passing of time, the old Ngaruroro River laid down deep, gravelly beds, which were subsequently exposed after a huge flood in the 1860’s. In the 1980s growers identified this stretch, which continues for approximately 800 ha, and named it the Gimblett Gravels. The zone has proven to be ideal for the production of excellent red wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
Today the area takes well-earned recognition for its Bordeaux blends and other reds. Expressive of intense stewed red and black berry with gentle herbaceous characters, Gimblett Gravels wines are suggestive of their cool climate origin, and on par with other top-notch Bordeaux blends around the globe.
Chardonnay is the top white grape in Hawkes Bay, making elegant wines, strong in stone fruit character. Sauvignon blanc comes in close behind, notable for its tropical, fruit forward qualities.