Claire Rogers All about wine www.sunlive.co.nz

Ash Ridge wines produced in the Hawke's Bay are all hand-crafted single estate wines, which reflect the unique location of the vineyard in the Ngatarawa Triangle – 'the heart of Syrah country”.
The family-owned vineyard has a passion for making limited edition handmade wines in limited quantities, meaning you are guaranteed premium quality.
This single vineyard Syrah was whole berry fermented for maximum flavour and colour extraction, resulting in a fresh-fruit driven character. The deep purple hue is the first thing you notice when you pour a glass – well actually, extracting the cork is the first thing you notice (how romantic), the second is the distinct floral and plum aromas which leap out of the glass.
Hand-picked and traditionally made, the wine was aged in selected French Oak barrels for 10 months. The rich palate has notes of blackberry violets and pepper. Silky tannins and subtle oak influences lead to a lingering finish. Grab a bottle this weekend and pair up with your Sunday lamb roast or put a bottle in the cellar to have in five or 10 years time.
The Weekend Sun has a bottle of Ash Ridge 2009 Syrah for lucky readers who can tell us how long the wine spends in French Oak barrels? Enter here.
Entries must be received by June 8.

Enjoy!