A big red with a big following thanks to its dense dark and impressive ripe black plummy flavours intermingled with spice in a deliciously full bodied, complex red wine from Waiheke Island's biggest wine producer. 

The grapes in this wine come from six vineyards on the island. They are called  Asylum, Big North, Garden Cove, Mad Mans, Niko Face and North 3; all small sites planted on extremely steep hillsides on a remote and beautiful corner of Waiheke Island. Each little vineyard was originally planted as an experiment to see how well grapes would fare here. The results speak for themselves; Man O' War Dreadnought Syrah is a commanding and powerful red from one of the warmest climates in New Zealand. It was fermented in French oak, 32% new and 68% seasoned and is named after the first in a line of early 20th Century battleships which was named Dreadnought. 

Winemaker Grant Edmonds crafts this deliciously dark fruited and complex Syrah with its subtle floral characters along with slightly more muscular tannins define this elegant and complex wine. Finely balanced, it will develop over the next seven to eight years in the bottle.

From the winery...

Saorsa. A term to describe a radical sense of freedom that represents our philosophy completely. Our aim is to produce honest and sincere wines that are free to sing their own song and truly express themselves and the sites they are grown. Wines of great balance and texture, using what nature provides? time and thought.

Here at Saorsa Wines we make small production wines by hand in the beautiful Hawke?s Bay. We select specific sites that not only have the greatest attributes for exceptional quality but also a unique individuality that manifests in the wine itself. Production is with the lightest of hands, in a traditional manner using everything the grapes bring with them without industrial manipulation and additives.

About the wine...
Aromatic notes of rose petals and dried herbs layered upon liquorice, smoke and earth. Fresh and lively with a seductive silky finish. Our wines are produced with oxygen exposure and develop greatly once opened. Decanting the wines will allow them to truly express themselves.

Vineyards

A blend of two idyllic hillside sites in Hawke?s Bay. One from the Subregion of Paki Paki a gentle North facing slopes with shallow limestone soils. A slightly more inland area of Hawke?s Bay with long hot days and an abundance of sunlight. The second from the steep sandstone over limestone slopes of Roy?s Hill situated high above the Gimbeltt Gravels stoney soils. This presence of light and heat combined with the natural slope of the sites and cooling winds allows our Syrah to boast both masculine and delicate floral tones.

Luna winemaker Joel Watson is a devoted fan of Martinborough Syrah but is also candid about how tricky it can be to grow in this dry North Island wine region. His latest is a great example of cool climate Syrah with spicy black pepper aromas leading into a velvet smooth, highly structured wine with a full body and lingering finish thanks to its refreshing acidity. 

The Luna Syrah is made from grapes grown on the winery's Blue Rock Vineyard, which was planted south of Martinborough township in 1997 on a steep north facing slope. The sun shines all day here, providing evening ripening conditions for this late ripening grape variety but the wind also brings its influence to bear, making high crops a marginal prospect in this relatively cool climate. 

This is a stunning wine with huge complexity of clove and peppery spice coupled with dark chocolate and black fruit flavours. What's not to love in this wine. 

One of our favourite wine importers created this tasty, dry, full bodied red from Hawke?s Bay Syrah with the help of talented winemakers. This is a spicy, deep purple, juicy take on the second most planted red in the Bay; Syrah. This wine drinks well now and can age further; try cellaring a couple of bottles for at least five to six years.

Dark, juicy, spicy and delicious Syrah made from organically certified grapes grown in Marlborough. Exceptional wine with power, elegance and structure.

Drink now or hold til 2026/2027.

Organic certification

The organic story at Seresin

One of the greatest things about Seresin Estate is the organic certification. This came relatively early on for Seresin, who was dismayed by the amount used and the impacts of man made chemicals, which were routinely and frequently sprayed on vines. His early adopting philosophy of organic certification paved a positive path for the integrity of the wines as well as leading others to follow suit.

One of New Zealand's premium Syrahs. Deep and savoury with rich tannins. The vines are planted in the stoniest parts of the vineyard to a heritage clone of Syrah brought to New Zealand in the 1840s. 

"Inky purple red. Enticing aromatics of boysenberry, blueberry, violets, clove and lightly seared meat. The wine exhibits a richness of fruit yet carries an ethereal quality as the fine grained tannins dance gracefully across the palate." Winemaker's note.

Only produced in the best years, this Reserve Syrah is Passage Rock's showcase wine.

Rich ripe aromas of dark forest fruit and spice, coffee and vanilla on the nose lead to a dark garnet intensity in the glass. On the palate, toasted nuts and spices vie with dark berries, integrated ripe tannins and lacy acidity. Cellar it for 10 to 15 years

Outstanding Hawke's Bay Syrah which was first made in the early 1990s from iron rich soils. This makes Bullnose one of the oldest Syrah brands in Hawke's Bay, named after one of the vineyards from which the wine is made (which, in turn, was named after the vineyard owners' love of old cars, particularly the pre 1928 Bullnose). The grapes come from two vineyards, Bullnose and Isosceles, both in the Bridge Pa Triangle; one of the warmer growing areas of Hawke's Bay, thanks to both soil and climate there. 

Aging for 15 months in French oak, which provides its spicy notes and depth.

A beautiful wine for drinking now or for cellaring. 

Intense pepper and exotic florals on the nose merge with vanilla-saturated plum, cherry and boysenberry - plump tannins and smooth succulence round out the finish.

This Syrah shows dark fruit with a touch of cracked pepper and soft, approachable tannins on the palate. This wine is supple and well balanced, and will continue to develop for 4-6 years in the cellar.

Elegant and robust Syrah from the hand of Rod McDonald - one of New Zealand's masters with this varietal. Plush dark fruit forward flavours lead into a full bodied, dry and spicy Syrah with a long and savoury finish.

Commercial description

This deep purple Syrah blossoms with blue fruits and violets, and is directed as if by gravitational force to a subtle undertone of exotic cooking spices. Vibrant and sharply focused, displaying smoke-accentuated nuance on the palate with a plush, velvety texture. Eighteen months in carefully selected French oak barriques with regular bâtonage rounded the tannins, adding to the framework a fine grip and delicate finishing touch. Cellaring Potential: 10 years

Strictly one per person

Dark, peppery and appealingly spicy aromatic Syrah from the northern Wairarapa Lynfer Vineyard. Hand picked grapes with intense flavours of deeply rich black plum fruit were all hand picked and destemmed with fermentation and
maceration in stainless steel for 14 days. The wine was aged in 228 litre French oak barrels for 12 months and the wine was bottled unfined and
unfiltered. Still youthful, drinking beautifully and has a good four to five years of ageing potential up its sleeve.