2018 Salomon Estate Wildflower Syrah-V

Bert and Gertrud Salomon are full-time travellers when it comes to wine. In Austria's Kremstal region on the Danube they manage their seventh-generation family estate, Salomon Undhof. Then once vintage is complete in the northern hemisphere, they fly south to Australia to manage Salomon Estate. Founded in 1995, the wines here are produced off a single property located on the Finniss River, about 20km southeast of McLaren Vale, where the Adelaide Hills run into the Fleurieu Peninsula. The soils are typically gravel and sand over red and orange sandstone and the vineyard falls gently away towards the northwest providing ideal exposure, warm days ensure ripe fruit flavours while the cooling breezes which roll off the Southern Ocean in the late afternoon ensure excellent acid retention.

Rich, sleek and highly seductive.

A blend of 95% Syrah and 4% Viognier made in the tradition of the northern Rhone Côte-Rôtie, barrel-aged for 20 months in 300L hogsheads (primarily French oak, with a small percentage of American oak). Dense midnight black colour with a dark red black hue. Nosing offers up pronounced dark plum and liquorice aromas followed by subtlety toasted vanillin oak, hints of honeysuckle and spice. Rich, seductive and silky textured the palate is layered with lush dark plum, liquorice and blackberry fruits which meld into a vanillin cedar, faint honeysuckle and spicy earth back drop. Amply concentrated and powerful it has velvet smooth tannins and finishes long and opulent.
Superb drinking over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 14.5%

Other Reviews….
Co-fermented with viognier. Full-bodied, and steps outside the usual elegant Salomon style, daring to lead to the top of the Rhone Valley. There are some exciting dark fruit flavours (despite the viognier) and well bred tannins. Drink by 2038.
94 points
James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion