Joe Czerwinski for Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2014 la collina Syrah
92 Points Drink Date 2018 - 2030
The 2014 la collina Syrah displays precise floral and spice aromas, backed by cherry fruit, and it’s refreshingly medium-bodied, supported by silky tannins and a lengthy finish. It’s still as concentrated and flavourful as ever, just not as powerful, ripe or obviously oaky as the early releases. On the other hand, it’s complex and elegant and more approachable as a young wine.
2015 la collina Syrah
95 points Drink Date 2019 - 2035
The 2015 la collina Syrah easily surpasses the 2014, which was a more heralded vintage in Hawke’s Bay. Blueberries and spice make for compelling aromas, while the medium to full-bodied wine shows no rough edges on the palate. Glossy and rich, the tannins are more supple than in the 2014, the fruit more voluptuous, the finish longer. It’s one of the top Syrahs yet to emerge from New Zealand.
2015 Bilancia Chardonnay
93 points Drink Date 2018 - 2022
Slightly bigger and plusher than the 2014, Bilancia’s 2015 Chardonnay also seems more complex. There’s a hint of struck match on the nose but also some smoky, bacony complexity built into the roasted cashew, ripe white peach, melon and citrus flavours.
2014 Bilancia Chardonnay
92 Points Drink date 2017 - 2020
The fine, elegant 2014 Chardonnay features delicate aromas of roasted cashews, white peaches and citrus. Partners Lorraine Leheny and Warren Gibson (Trinity Hill) have crafted a medium bodied wine that shows tensile strength and concentration without excessive weight and fantastic length on the focused, grapefruity finish. It’s already delicious, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it outlast my deliberately modest aging estimate