2023 Wayfarer Wines Syrah 'The Estate'

Tasting Notes

Violets and crushed lavender, savory forest floor and tapenade, and a light touch of warm baking spices come together in the intoxicating perfume of the 2023 Wayfarer Syrah ‘The Estate’. Blackberry and black currant fill the palate, along with graphite and a salty iron character. This wine has precision and verve: focused structure and sleek, silky tannins lead into a long, savory finish. The 2023 Syrah is powerful yet weightless – pure elegance – and possesses great aging potential.

Winemaking Notes

Hand-harvested in the cool of the night, the fruit reached the winery before dawn. The clusters were hand-sorted, with 15% retained for whole-cluster fermentation. The remainder was destemmed before being gently elevated by conveyor into stainless steel tanks for seven days of cold maceration. Fermentation was carried out by native yeast; the cap was punched down by hand, with frequency and technique guided by daily tasting. Exclusively free-run wine aged for 18 months in two French oak barrels: a new 500L puncheon and a neutral 228L barrel. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Vintage Notes

Long, cool vintages like 2023 are ideal for producing classically styled wines with great aging potential. The season began with a cool and wet spring, delaying budbreak for weeks. A mild May and June extended the bloom period nearly three weeks, further delaying the vintage. July and August brought warmth and sunshine with above average temperatures driving berry development and ripening, before giving way to cooler weather in September. Harvest began on September 25th and carried well into October, ending on the 16th, the latest harvest on record at Wayfarer. The temperate yet sunny days post-veraison created beautiful flavor and tannin development while retaining freshness and compelling savory notes. The 2023s shine with finesse and quiet power – truly nuanced, multi-dimensional wines.

Blocks

15a

Clones

Alban 1

Critics

95 Points

Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2026

A new wine in this range, the 2023 Syrah The Estate emerges from a single block planted with Alban 1 clone. Heady and potent in the glass, the Syrah offers up a beguiling mix of inky blue fruit, gravel, lavender and incense. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the Syrah is refined and light on its feet. The 20% stems are barely perceptible.