Syrahmi 'Demi' Shiraz 2018

"The name Syrahmi is a made up from “Syrah” the French word for Shiraz and “Ami” meaning friend. The idea being a “friendly Shiraz” or “A friend of Shiraz. As a wine maker, My aim has always been to express the true terroir of the vineyard and vintage, and along the way have learnt you can have great success through minimal human intervention in the wine-making process and by simply putting your trust in Mother Nature." Adam Foster

Syrahmi is an independent winery by one of Australia’s most passionate, intuitive and thoughtful winemakers, Adam Foster, out of the southern reaches of Heathcote in Victoria. Adam is obsessed with Shiraz, having made it with some of France’s greatest producers, and takes a traditional and minimal approach to fruit from great vineyards in Heathcote, a region he understands better than most. Adam pushes the boundaries with Shiraz, not with fullness, flavour, alcohol or extract, but in winemaking, to draw out the elegance, gaminess, spice and savouriness that is on offer when it is farmed, harvested and produced with balance and complexity in mind.

Adam was a chef before a winemaker, working at Michelin level in Europe, before the wine bug got him. He then moved to the front of house and ran wine programs for some of Australia’s most iconic modern chefs (Alla Wolfe-Tasker and Andrew McConnell), a leading sommelier before sommeliers were ‘a thing’ in Australia. He then continued to wine-making, where he did alternate vintages between the Rhone Valley in France and some of Australia’s iconic Shiraz regions, working with producers such as Ogier, Gaillard, Torbreck and Jasper Hill. This was all before starting his own label, Syrahmi, in 2004. He is now a young father that lives on his vineyard in Heathcote, a top a great cellar and a winery out his back door. He brings a chef’s palate and a sommeliers passion to the vineyard and winery, and has established Syrahmi to one of the most popular red wines among hatted Australian restaurants. Now that a lot of these restaurants are shut, we’d like to offer you these wines to drink at home.

This week we are offering Adam’s Syrahmi Demi Shiraz 2018. This is a delicious, medium bodied, black fruited, juicy, peppery, floral Shiraz. What you often get in high quality (and priced) French Syrah is a graphite, gun powder, black olive character that is on show here at under $30. A lot of this comes from whole bunch, which you’ve heard us talk about recently, and Adam has a great handling and understanding of this technique in the cellar.

Since Adam has worked as a chef, sommelier and winemaker, he is more qualified than us to tell you how to enjoy this wine, so we’ll lean to him for that advice this week… “The essence of this wine is that it can be enjoyed as an everyday quaffer! No need to age this wine (but will easily last 5+ years) it can be enjoyed on its own or enjoyed with a home cooked roast, slow braise, a bowl of pasta, pizza or at a casual barbecue”

Whilst we have your ear… for those that like to lay down some Shiraz, or step up the intensity, Adam’s Syrahmi ‘New Beginning’s’ 2016 is also worth considering. We can offer this at $49 per bottle, and take some smaller orders if you wish, or if you would like to mix with some Demi, that will work as well. The New Beginnings has a more haunting perfume, with smoke, granite, charcuterie and dark fruits. The palate is ripe and full but mellow and elegant; framed by long and rich tannin. It is a special wine and always commands attention when tasted with some of the best palates in Australia or abroad. If you are interested in accessing some of these, just drop us a line directly.

Winter is certainly upon us now, and these are some wines from a great local vigneron that will suit the season well. 

We hope you’re travelling well and are safe and healthy. 

Cheers,

Tom and Dan.