Berrigan Syrah Nouveau 2022

Tasted chilled as suggested. 12.9% ABV. Soft and plush aromas of dark cherry, plum, blackberry, black pepper and au jus first off, with sarsaparilla and cured meat to follow and a glimmer of clove in support. The palate is medium bodied and juicy, replicating the aromas but with the added dimension of an attractive bitterness thanks to some very controlled and fine tannins. An integrated acid line buoys the fruit notes, pulling them long through the palate providing lift and pop. With a wine like this, the level of extraction is critical, and here’s its precise and considered – the result being a wine that is fittingly acid-led. There’s vibrancy and brightness, but not at the expense of flavour. It’s dark of fruit but light of heart, and it screams for plum duck.

Tom Kline

Wine Critic at Winepilot

Tom Kline is a wine writer, reviewer, presenter, and educator based in Victoria, Australia. He is the Australian correspondent for the internationally respected publications Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy and Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux, where he highlights the top tier of Australian wine for a global audience. Tom also writes for leading outlets including Decanter (UK), Wine Spectator (US), and Halliday Magazine, among others. An experienced wine show judge and WSET educator, he has authored several consumer-focused wine courses aimed at making wine more accessible and engaging. In 2023, Tom was awarded Best Published Feature Article or Wine Column at the prestigious Wine Communicator Awards, presented by Wine Communicators of Australia.

Wine tasting and writing