Place: Yarra Valley - VIC

Variety: Syrah

Farming: Sustainable

Honky Château is the passion project of recent Gourmet Traveller sommelier of the year Chris Ryan who can usually be found undertaking duties as head wine buyer for Cumulus Inc. 

Grapes from the really exciting black basalt soils in Kangaroo Ground. Syrah was picked in early April from a blend of two blocks.  One red fruited the other darker and more powerful.  De-stemmed half at receival and the other after a week. No whole berries. Wild ferment for about two weeks before being pressed off into old barrels . Gentle plunging just to keep the cap wet. Malo in barrels. Blended in September and returned to barrels til December. Sulfur added and bottled in January.

Syrah with slinky restraint. Capturing the aromatic, elegant, red fruity and spicy side of Victorian Shiraz. Serve in big glasses.