Asian Syrah Masters 2017: the results

Syrah, the noble grape variety that has expanded from its home base in the Rhône Valley to inspire ‘Rhône rangers’ in California and feverish followers in South Australia, came under close scrutiny at our Asian Syrah Masters competition.

A cherry-picked panel of judges blind-tasted and assessed a wide array of Syrah samples at Hip Cellar on 29 August. From left to right: Francesca Martin, founder and director of BEE Drinks Global; Ivy Ng, publisher of the drinks business Hong Kong; Jude Mullins, international development director of the WSET; Darius Allyn, Master Sommelier; Amanda Longworth, head of Marketing & Wine Services, Berry Bros & Rudd, Hong Kong; Eddie McDougall, The Flying Winemaker; Ying-Hsien Tan MW, executive director of Taberna Wine Academy Pte Ltd; Jennie Mack, co-founder of AWSEC and Natalie Wang, online editor of the drinks business Hong Kong (observing).

Many industry heavyweights such as Jancis Robinson MW have suggested the red grape has, “two distinct personalities” – the powerful, rich, and concentrated Shiraz from Australia and the fresher and more perfumed Syrah from the Northern Rhône.

Never having being eulogised as an immensely fashionable grape, as Pinot Noir is, or an overtly adaptable variety like Cabernet Sauvignon, the grape has had its fair share of boom and bust.

Outside of France, in the late 1990s, staunch followers in California dubbing themselves ‘Rhône rangers’  pushed up plantings 400 acres in 1992 to 6,800 acres, followed by waves of increased plantings in Australia and Chile. Yet, almost during the same period in the Languedoc, a mysterious vine disease affecting the grape led critics to speak of “Syrah decline”.

But the resilient red variety has never strayed too far from centre stage and has steadily climbed to be one of the world’s six most planted varieties of either colour. As shown in our Asian Syrah Masters, the grape’s consistency and malleability ranging from almost Pinot-like elegance to high-octane powerhouses demonstrate the variety’s enduring appeal.

This probably explains why the Asian Syrah Masters is the best performing red grape variety competition in our Asian Masters series so far. A cherry-picked panel of judges including wine educators, a Master of Wine, a Master Sommelier and top merchants in Hong Kong, handed out five Masters and 15 Gold medals, 21 Silvers and 29 Bronzes after blind-tasting samples from Switzerland, South Africa, Chile, Australia, Italy and France.

Winemaking skills 

Unlike Pinot Noir, where care and attention is essential in crafting a fine wine, Syrah is relatively more forgiving, which is not to say the variety is tolerant of winemaking faults. In fact, if picked too early, the wine can be too astringent and take on unpleasant whiff of burnt rubber; and due to the fact that it is reduction-prone, without sufficient racking and aeration during fermentation, it can reek of rotten eggs or dirty drain.

But given the choices available to winemakers such as whole bunch fermentation, freedom with new or old oak, use of stem and extraction technique, styles of Syrah can vary vastly, making it, “one of the more exciting varieties for winemakers to work with,” commented Francesca Martin, director of BEE Drinks Global and one of the judges for the competition.

Indeed, from the lighter, fresher style in Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie, to lesser known examples from the Valais in Switzerland or Washington State in the US, to the upcoming Swartland in South Africa, and eventually to Australia, there are abundant styles that vary enormously with climate and winemaking techniques.

“In terms of the styles I’m coming across from around the world, the finest examples still show these varietal and regional characteristics that make for interesting individuality,” commented Ying-Hsien Tan MW, executive director of Taberna Wine Academy Pte Ltd.

Darius Allyn MS was one of the judges for our Asian Syrah Masters competition

Amanda Longworth, head of Marketing & Wine Services at Berry Bros & Rudd Hong Kong, agreed: “It can have a lot of colour, and also a lot of tannins – so depending on where it’s from, producers may treat it more like Pinot Noir – to gently extract tannins, or treat it more like Merlot with more assertive extraction techniques such a pumping over.”

“I noticed in this tasting that there were more and more wines that have the distinctive notes of whole bunch and carbonic maceration techniques. It’s really obvious to pick out the wines that are really going for a style that reflects those of the classic Cornas or Hermitage,” added Eddie McDougell, the Flying Winemaker.

But the challenge for winemakers when dealing with the grape is not to mask its regional and varietal characters with excessive winemaking techniques, Tan noted.

“There also seems to be a convergence of techniques by winemakers around the world that emphasises depth of colour, rich fruitiness and in some non-European countries a focus on tannic structure that tends to first, anonymise the wines subduing their regional and varietal distinctiveness and second, a tendency to produce wines that seem to be over extracted without such firm, dry tannins. It often feels like one is chewing on a twisted muscle,” he elaborated.

Nonetheless, “It was interesting to acknowledge how Syrah/Shiraz wines can produce various expressions that could appeal to a wide range of wine drinkers. It is quite rare that Syrah/Shiraz wines disappoint,” Jennie Mack, co-founder of AWSEC asserted.  

The Shiraz of Oz

Ying-Hsien Tan MW discussing some of the wines with fellow judges

It’s safe to say that when it comes to Australia, no other grape variety carries more weight than Shiraz, which is almost synonymous with Australian wine.

The grape has been planted extensively in Barossa, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Riverina and even cooler sites in Adelaide Hills. Plantings of the grape during 2014-2015 amounted to 39,893 ha, accounting for 46% of all red vineyards and almost a third of all vineyards around the country, according to figures from The Australian and New Zealand Wine Industry Directory.

So it came as no surprise that Australia dominated the medal chart in our Asian Syrah Masters competition, bagging four out of five Masters (meaning each wine scored at least 95 points), and nine out of 15 Gold medals.

Taylor’s Wines Jaraman Shiraz 2015 from Clare Valley was the best value Master-winning wine we have found in the tasting in the HK$150-HK$199 price band, although most of the Gold and Master medal winners tended to cluster in price brackets above HK$300 (US$38). The same winery’s pricer ‘The Prisoner Shiraz Exceptional Parcel Release 2013’ is yet another delicious and savoury sample that has won a Master but falls in the HK$800+ price bracket.

Francesca Martin, director of BEE Drinks Global

It goes without saying that Barossa Valley and Eden Valley were most responsible for churning out savoury, dense and rich Shiraz that boasts long cellar potential, as exemplified by the classic sample we found in McGuigan Farms Shiraz 2013. The wine is a rich, structured and bold red that checks off all the boxes of a classic Barossa Shiraz, earning it a deserved Master title.

Penfolds RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz 2014 also showed the wonder of Barossa, while Jackson Family Wines Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard Brooks Road Shiraz 2014, Geoff Johnston Wines Ironstone Low Trellis Shiraz 2013 and Jackson Family Wines Yangarra Estate Vineyard Shiraz 2014 highlighted the brilliance of McLaren Vale.

One exciting development in Australia’s Shiraz scene is the rise of cooler climate Shiraz that proves producers can craft more elegant and refined styles, as shown by Bird in Hand’s Nest Egg Shiraz from Mount Lofty Ranges in Adelaide Hills. Its 2013 and 2014 vintages have both taken home a Gold medal, with the former impressing judge Longworth the most, lauding it as having “lovely depth of ripe fruit, with real elegance, charm and complexity”.

Even in Barossa, more elegant and fresher styles can be found, such as the Gatt High Eden Shiraz 2014, which is a dead ringer to Northern Rhône Syrah. “The wine was a highly savoury, spicy, earthy style which reminded me of Northern Rhône wines. I was very surprised to find out it was from Eden Valley. It’s a style I don’t necessarily associate with this region, so it was really interesting. It stood out for its stylistic difference compared to much of what we tasted. Much more elegant and fresh in style than most with great concentration, complexity and length,” Martin explained.

Lesser examples of Shiraz from the competition are found in both hot and cool climates when the grape’s growing conditions are either too hot in places such as Riverina where it lost its fragrance, or when, too cold, it struggles to ripen.

Treasure troves 

Amanda Longworth, Head of Marketing & Wine Services at Berry Bros & Rudd Hong Kong

Outside of Australia, another Master title went to Chile, where Vina Ventisquero Pangea Apalta Vineyard Ultra Premium Syrah 2013 from Colchagua Valley proved that the text-book ideal red wine growing region has what it takes to craft world-class Syrah. “Its quality of fruit, regional expression and the attention to detail throughout the winemaking process that was clearly evident shows us what Chile can achieve with this grape variety at the very highest level,” lauded Jude Mullins, international development director of WSET. There are a few samples from Leyda Valley as well, showing the potential of cool climate Shiraz in Chile, although they failed to win the top Gold medal this time.

Another exceedingly encouraging example came from Switzerland’ sun-trapped Valais, where its warm climate and ample sunlight can produce bright and juicy Syrah, harking back to the classic Northern Rhône style, as we’ve found in Domaine Jean-René Germanier Cayas Syrah du Valais Reserve 2013. The wine left a mark on judge Darrius Allyn MS, as it “expressed not cool climate qualities of Syrah, which stood out from most all the rest in our flights”, he pondered.

Jennie Mack, co-founder of Asia Wine Service & Education Centre (AWSEC)

Among the Gold medal winners, two Shiraz from South Africa – La Motte Syrah 2014 and Distell Alto Shiraz 2015 – are two delicious samples, while back in the Rhône Valley, Ogier AOP Croze Hermitage – Heritages 2015, AOP Côte Rôtie – Heritages 2015 and Doamines Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage ‘La Petite Chapelle’ 2012 are prime examples of Northern Rhône’s strength when it comes to crafting savoury, layered and complex Syrah. Wines from Côte-Rôtie, the ‘roasted slope’, generally show more elegance and restraint with the aim of Viognier while Hermitage tends to go down the power path.

Finally, there are more Gold medals from Australia worth seeking out including Bird in Hand MAC Shiraz 2013 and Gatt Shiraz Barossa 2013 to name a few.

Although there are a few high Silver medal winners came close to winning Gold, a trove of Syrahs from Sicily in Italy deserve a nod for the wines’ minerality, balance and bright fruitiness, as shown in a Sallier de la Tour Syrah 2015, for instance.

Overall, more than 90% of samples at the competition were awarded with a medal, representing an impressive breadth and depth of Syrah, which goes out to affirm the grape’s quality and the wide array of stellar choices out in the market for consumers.

Judges profiles: 

Ying-Hsien Tan MW is the first Singaporean Master of Wine, one of the first two Asian men to attain the prestigious title in 2015. Owner of Singapore-based Taberna Wine Academy, Tan frequently conducts tastings, classes and wine dinners. He is currently engaged in the Institute of Masters of Wine Education Programme for candidates studying for the MW qualification. He also served as a judge at many international wine events including the Sopexa French Wine Sommelier Competition 2015 and the Singapore National Sommelier Competitions in 2014 and 2016 to name a few. In his own time, Tan writes for a few wine and food magazines.

Seattle native Darius Allyn MS became the 60th American passing the Master Sommelier examination in 2005, after obtaining his Advanced Oenology Diploma from leading winemaking school UC Davis in 2004. With over 30 years of hospitality experience, Allyn has created and led award-winning wine programmes around the world including Wine Spectator Grand Award recipient Aureole Las Vegas and Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney Australia. A firm believer in industry wine education, Allyn was Adjunct Professor in University of Nevada Las Vegas. Over past decade, Allyn frequently travelled to Asia to lead courses for Court of Master Sommeliers whilst continuing to be active as Examiner for Master Sommelier level candidates. Allyn possesses extensive judging and speaking experience, having participated in over 20 international wine conferences and competitions.

Eddie McDougall, an award-winning winemaker and TV personality in Asia, is the creator of TLC’s popular The Flying Winemaker TV series. A trained winemaker with a diploma in Wine Technology and Viticulture from the University of Melbourne, McDougall has more than a decade of winemaking experiences working with wineries such as Vietti and Innocent Bystander. McDougall just successfully launched his first ever Asian Wine Festival this year, showcasing some of the best wines made in Asian countries from Japan to Bali in Indonesia.

Francesca Martin is the founder and director of BEE Drinks Global, a wine and spirits consulting company. Martin has spent more than 12 years in brand management, PR, winemaking and marketing. Over the years, she has worked for some of the most renowned names in the global wine industry including Francois Lurton in Argentina, Miguel Torres in Spain, Liberty Wines and Steven Spurrier in the UK and ASC Fine Wines in Hong Kong. A WSET diploma holder and a certified WSET educator, Martin is currently studying for Master of Wine exam.

A Sydney native, Amanda Longworth is the head of marketing and wine services at Berry Bros. & Rudd in Hong Kong after a lustrous career in wine working in the US, UK, Korea, Singapore, China and Japan. A certified WSET educator, Amanda is responsible for coordinating all education programmes at Berry Bros. Since 2008, she has educated over 2,500 wine enthusiasts. After receiving the prestigious Wine Australia Scholarship in 2012 awarded to the top performing WSET Diploma candidate in Asia-Pacific, Amanda is continuing her wine studies for the ultimate Master of Wine.

Jennie Mack is the co-founder and managing director of Asia Wine Service and Education Center (AWSEC). The education center is the first institute in Asia to win the “WSET Educator of the Year” out of 500 providers in 62 countries. A WSET diploma holder, Jennie has been involved in wine education in Hong Kong and around Asia for more than 20 years. She has a range of certificates including French Wine Scholar, Sud de France Master Level, Bordeaux Wine School International Accredited Educator, Certified Spanish Wine Educator, Chilean Wine Ambassador and Barossa Wine Educator. Jennie is also a prolific wine judge at various wine and sommelier competitions including the famous Berlin Tasting.

Jude Mullins is International Development Director at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), the largest global provider of qualifications in the field of Wines and Spirits. After a career working in hospitality, retail, direct sales and for the International Wine Challenge, Jude joined the WSET in 2002 as part of the Awards (examinations) team and subsequently moving to the newly formed International Development Team in 2005.  She was appointed as Director for Asia Pacific in 2012, becoming International Development Director in 2013. Jude’s responsibilities include working with, and training, wine and spirit educators in over 70 countries worldwide, where she has gained a great appreciation for the challenges and nuances of communication across different cultures and languages, especially in the field of wines and spirits. She passed the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits with Honours in 2001 also winning the Carlo Pellegrino Scholarship. She is also a WSET Certified Educator.

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