2006 Sine Qua Non Raven Series Syrah

Deep, dark ruby, purple reflections and a slightly watery rim. Cherries, nuances of plums, subtle herbal savouriness, tobacco and background notes of dark berries. Taut and still somewhat underdeveloped on the palate, vivid tannins and a fruity finish with a touch of chocolate. Still needs a few more years of bottle maturing, but it will be worth the wait.

06 Sine Qua Non Raven pops from the glass like a jack in the box! Espresso, blackberry, blueberry, black raspberry, spice, jam and vanilla aromatics are all over the place. Thick, rich, dense and packed with layers of juicy ripe and over ripe fruit, this powerful Syrah ends with ripe jammy berries, chocolate, plums and oak. With so much fruit, I believe the oak will fully integrate. This wine is showing much better than it did a year ago.