Bullnose is the Syrah from Te Mata Estate, the Hawke's Bay winery founded in 1896. It is blended from mature vineyards at Bridge Pa, in the Gimblett Gravels and at Dartmoor, and Bridge Pa alone holds around 90 per cent of Te Mata's Syrah plantings. There, ancient river gravels lie about 1.5 metres under a fine, red, dusty metal soil. The Gimblett Gravels sites are the opposite, with stones at or near the surface that soak up and hold the heat.
The fruit is hand harvested from separate, fully ripened parcels. Each vineyard lot is destemmed and fermented on its own in a traditional warm plunged ferment, then left on its skins for an extended maceration. The wine matures in French oak barriques, a mix of new and seasoned.
In the glass it is dark and fragrant, with violets, raspberry, plum and dark cherry, then black olive, pepper and a little spice. The palate is concentrated and textured, with fine tannins and a long, driven finish.
Roast or grilled lamb, venison, duck, or a slow cooked Moroccan style dish all suit it, as does a hard, washed rind cheese. It is made to cellar, and older bottles move towards liquorice and game.