2024 Bilancia Syrah

Hawke's Bay might be famous for Cabernet, but Syrah probably should be the real calling card of the region. Bilancia sits at the top of the tree with their flagship 'La Collina', but this estate release offers a perfect introduction to their style without the need to wait a decade.

Sourced from the Roys Hill sub-region, this is a blend of two vineyards. The backbone comes from the Trelinnoe site (90%), but crucially, it includes a 10% splash of fruit from the steep, rocky La Collina slopes. That addition adds a layer of pedigree that you don't often see at this price point. 

This is classic cool-climate Syrah. It leans towards the darker end of the fruit spectrum, offering notes of black plum, licorice and a distinct hit of garden herbs and baking spice. It is aromatic and tangy, with gentle, ripe tannins that make it incredibly approachable right now. While the flagship demands patience, this is made to be opened and enjoyed immediately, though it has enough stuffing to evolve over the next six to eight years.

94 points
"A perfumed syrah with aromas of blueberries, dark cherries, white pepper, violets and hints of meat, earth and iodine. Fresh and lively with a medium body, tense acidity and vivid and crunchy fruit, offering freshness and poise. Drink or hold. Screw cap."
- James Suckling