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The Wines Coates The Syrah 2008 The Coates Consonance range has produced terrific wines at very affordable prices. Our friends in retail have always referred to this wine as the Syrah, and the companion wine, the Consonance Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon, as the red blend. To simplify our portfolio, Coates Wines have renamed the Consonance range; Consonance Syrah has become simplified to The Syrah. The Syrah fruit is sourced from vineyards in McLaren Vale (Strachan, NASSA Organic Certificate 5017) and Langhorne Creek (Borrett 22 Rows). While sitting below the Organically Grown wines in the Coates range, The Syrah shares the same minimal intervention winemaking with attention to balance, harmony and complexity. McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek produce very good Syrah. Playing around with blends of the two regions gave satisfying results that could be retailed at an affordable price point, many vignerons would be happy to have The Syrah as their flagship wine. Price – $25 Production – 490 cases made. Alcohol – 14.3% Winemaking – Organically grown McLaren Vale Syrah (58%) and Langhorne Creek Syrah (42%) fermented on skins for 12 days in open concrete fermenters with the use of wild yeasts to enhance flavour complexity. Malolactic fermentation and maturation was performed in a combination of French, Russian and American oak over 24 months. Approximately 25% new oak is used. A single racking and regular topping are the only time the wine is disturbed post malo. The bottling was determined when the tannin and oak balance feel right. Bottled unfined and unfiltered July 2010. This Syrah (as do all my 2008’s) shows a little more fruit exuberance than I aim for, but that is the nature of the warm vintage. My fruit intake in 2008 missed all but the first two days of the heat wave, which was more good luck than grand design!