"Upon smelling the 2017 Estate Reserve Syrah, my first thought was "Wow, this reminds me of a young Côte-Rôtie." The nose of this wine has a glossy polish to it, with black fruit that expresses power and complexity while remaining pristine and elegant. After the impressive fruit aromas, the soft herbal and lavender tones flutter in, bringing with them soft oak tones and a nuance of spice rack. The palate has good mineral tension with the depth and breadth of expression only found in world-class Syrah. The finish is long with grippy tannins and begs me to take another sip. Samantha O'Keefe is clearly doing things right. The Lismore Estate wines are highly collectible and show amazing quality. - Anthony Mueller"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #245, October 2019), 93 pts
Go to Lismore Syrah Reserve
"The 2017 Estate Reserve Syrah comes entirely from Greyton, 40% whole cluster and aged in 500-liter barrels with 40% new oak. It has a very refined, perfumed bouquet of red cherries, crushed strawberry, broom, iris and a touch of potpourri. The palate is very well balanced, offering fine tannin on the entry, good weight in the mouth and blackberry, blueberry, clove, star anise and light fennel notes toward the finish. There is very good length here, but it needs another year or two in bottle to fully coalesce. Great potential. - Neal Martin"
"This is the best release yet from Lismore, superior even to the impressive 2017. Made from blocks that are now 13 years' old, this is wonderfully, enticingly floral, showcasing all that is best about Syrah: aromatic spices, layered cherry and strawberry fruit, bright acidity, some tannic backbone, subtle whole bunch notes and a long finish. The oak is on point, the alcohol daringly restrained. 2020-30 Greyton (13.2%)"