Hills Syrah’s 99 points ‘a dream’

Murdoch Hill 2021 Landau Syrah is the first wine from the Adelaide Hills to score 99 points in the history of the Halliday Wine Companion.

The wine – from a 25-year-old vineyard at Oakbank – was named Shiraz of the Year in the Halliday Wine Companion Awards announced last night.

Murdoch Hill chief winemaker Michael Downer says, “With so many incredible wines in contention, to be chosen is a dream.

“Our family is thrilled and honoured.”

This is the tenth release of Landau Syrah.

“Since its first vintage in 2012, we have evolved our viticulture and winemaking to the point that we were comfortable to put ourselves up against the best Shiraz in the country,” Michael says.

“I knew the 2021 Landau Syrah was going to be exceptional from the moment we picked the fruit.

“The 2021 growing season delivered near-perfect conditions and the grapes ripened beautifully.

“All it needed was gentle handling in the winery to produce an elegant yet complex Syrah with spicy aromas and a silken texture.”

Michael selects fruit from rows on the top ridge where the leaner soils result in exceptional quality Syrah.

“The Landau Syrah 2021 displays superb cool climate Shiraz character with a medium-bodied palate, bright red fruits with complex aromas of spice and cloves, a fine structure, and silky textured tannins,” he says.

Master of Wine Ned Goodwin who tasted the Adelaide Hills wines for the 2024 Halliday Wine Companion says, “This is one of the finest Australian Shiraz/Syrah I have come across in a long time.

“So finely tuned, aromatic and fresh it makes my head spin… clearly fruit comes off a site as beautiful as the hands that crafted this wine.”

It is the first time an Adelaide Hills wine has been awarded Shiraz of the Year since the varietal awards began in 2015.

Michael says, “It is exciting that the Adelaide Hills wine region has been recognised for its ability to produce the best Shiraz in Australia.

“Shiraz grown in a cool climate is different from the blockbuster styles for which Australia is renowned.

“This is why we call it ‘Syrah’.

“It is a more elegant, pulled-back, spice-driven style with a delicate tension between fruit, tannin, savouriness and minerality.

“People are just discovering this.

“We are in the grip of an exciting new era for cool climate Shiraz.”