Over the past two decades, Ravensworth's Bryan Martin has been making some of Australia’s most compelling and highly sought-after wines; first at Clonakilla, then at his own Ravensworth estate perched high in Murrumbateman.
Ravensworth Estate Syrah is a throwback to Bryan’s days at Clonakilla, where he made some of Australia’s best Syrah. The 2023 Ravensworth Estate Syrah is a rare, "purist" expression of Murrumbateman Shiraz, marking only the second time winemaker Bryan Martin has bottled a straight Syrah from his estate vineyard.
Unlike his flagship Shiraz Viognier, this wine is made without whole bunches or Viognier. It is built for the cellar and defined by its structural precision.
"95 Points. Deep ruby in colour with a very pretty nose of violets and lilac with red and black cherry fruit, vanilla oak and white pepper spice. Elegant, layered and structured, with grippy, savoury tannins to finish. A deft hand with winemaking and delightful to drink now, or hold.”- Melissa Moore, The Real Review.
“94 Points. The 2023 Syrah leads with a bouquet steeped in rose petals, rose oil, blood orange, myrrh, plum and mulberry. It has notes of chinotto and mustard seed, licorice and blueberry. This is a very pretty cool-climate Syrah. It fermented with whole berries and matured in one new Taransaud puncheon for two years. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.”- Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate.
“It has the wash and slosh of the season but there’s plenty of attractive, dark fruit, woody spice, sweet earth, truffle and peppery elements here. There’s dashes of mint and eucalyptus too, a touch of tomato leaf, wet herbs. It’s pleasing in its way, a shimmy of light tannins help things along. All up, of the season, a softness and ease of drinking.”
93 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front.
