Roys Hill, Hastings stands proudly over the former riverbed of the Ngaruroro River: The area that is now known as the 'Gimblett Gravels'.

At the Northern end of Roys Hill, plunging to the floor of the plains is la collina, the terraced hillside vineyard of Bilancia. The slope of the vineyard faces to the North and the Northwest. The hillside is protected from the cooling effects of the southerly and Southwesterly winds and during the growing season is bathed in sunshine all of the day. It is on this steep hillside that Syrah is grown while Viognier is planted on the lower slope and flat gravels land. The soil type is Sandstone/limestone subsoil which can be managed unirrigated in all but the driest of seasons. The site is frost free and due to the windy aspect has low disease pressure. Thus, very limited non-organic fungicide is needed and no insecticides are applied. A truly unique site that expresses itself in the aromatics and textural qualities of the resulting wine. Provencal herbs (Thyme, Rosemary and Lavender) are continually being planted on the terraces for stability and aesthetics and nuances appear in the aromatics of the wine.

Take a Punt on a Red Star Timothy Giles, Sunday Herald, January 30 2005

"When it was served it was immediately apparent that this wine, the Bilancia La Collina Syrah, was something special."

Download a pdf of this document here

SYRAH

2002

Harvested in two passes over a ten day period during late March 2002, the fruit was destemmed and crushed to open top fermenters and hand plunged during fermentation. After primary fermentation was completed the wine was pressed to barrel and underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel in new Burgundian style (Sirugue) oak. The wine was regularly racked and very gently aerated during aging. The winemaking philosophy is to preserve the very distinct vineyard character and fruit purity along with support from low impact French oak. The wine was bottled in September 2003, unfined and unfiltered, and released in November 2004 after 14 months bottle age. The wine has possessed an “x” factor since fermentation including a unique and incredible spicy/licorice texture. This can only be attributed to the site and particular growing conditions.

  Download la collina 2002 information sheet here

TOP 12 TASTED & RATED

NZ Syrah

A relative newcomer to the New Zealand wine scene, syrah has rapidly made up ground. Bob Campbell MW highlights his picks of this increasingly popular variety.

95

2002 Bilancia La Collina Syrah,

Hawkes Bay,

This is the first Syrah from Bilancia’s small hillside vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels area of Hawkes Bay. A small percentage of Viognier grapes grown in the same vineyard were co-fermented with the syrah. This is a remarkable achievement for a first vintage from young vines. This power-packed wine is enormously dense, rich and complex, with masses of sweet fruit flavours that include violets, cracked black pepper, plum and dark berry fruit. It is surprisingly accessible now but promises to age for a decade or more.

Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, Collector's Issue

August/September 2005

Wine of the Week

edited by Sue Courtney

Wine of the Week for week ending 19 December 2004

Bilancia 'La Collina' Syrah 2002

Wine of the Year

Syrah

There are more and more examples of stunning New Zealand syrah every year and the Unison Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2004 from Hawkes Bay quite rightly took the trophy for Champion Syrah at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards. This is almost black in colour, gorgeously fragrant and sumptuously flavoured with lots of peppery spice.
Another top syrah tasted this year is Te Mata Estate Bullnose Syrah 2004, also from Hawkes Bay. When tasted at a vertical tasting in Auckland in October, it showed all the stellar qualities that the 1998 did in youth, and the 1998 showed superbly in the vertical tasting with its deep garnet colour, rich flavours and spicy, long lasting finish. Te Mata Bullnose Syrah 2004 is inky blackberry coloured with floral peppery aromas, a finely structured palate and concentrated fruit with gorgeous mouthfeel and fantastic length.
But Syrah of the Year goes to the seductive Bilancia La Collina Syrah 2002 from Hawkes Bay tasted in December 2004 and again in February 2005. It's a densely coloured, velvety textured, mouthfilling wine that is seamless in its delivery with delectable shiraz flavours and an incredibly long finish.

Click here for the WOTW review.