September Wines of the Month: Ochota Barrels Gamay 2021 & Bekkers Syrah 2020

Boom, boom – holiday magnums to share – not the ice lolly variety!

August has been a torrid month weather-wise and in the metaphorical sense for one reason and another, so these vinous tonics went down particularly well (as did the spectacular magnum of Druida 2015 from Nuno Miro d’O).  Pure-fruited, detailed and juicy, Ochota Barrels Price of Silence Gamay 2021 and Bekkers Syrah 2020 represent the best of Australian contemporary reds.  

I bought the magnum of Ochota Barrels (and a magnum of Ochota Barrels The Slint Chardonnay) in a fund raising appeal for Ukraine.  It seemed a fitting double-barrelled tribute to Taras Ochota, who died in 2020; he was a warm, generous soul.  As you will have gathered, the 2021 vintage is the first made exclusively by Taras’ wife Amber and the couple’s long-term assistant winemaker, Louis Schoefield.  It’s a beauty.

To the south of Adelaide Hills, Toby and Emma Bekkers continue their upwards trajectory.  In 2020, the latest Grenache release is rich yet contained – “on a rail” as Emma would say.  With a fair wind – great flow – of billowing never landing fleshy fruit, the smooth, elegant Syrah/Grenache is my favourite vintage to date.  But the Syrah stole my heart.

Ochota Barrels Price of Silence Gamay 2021 (Adelaide Hills)

Beaujolais’ classic variety (Gamay) and winemaking technique (carbonic maceration) is turbo-charged when combined with Ochota Barrel’s stamp of pure, vivacious fruit.  This Gamay soars and sings.  With levity, freshness and bite, it’s firmly in the smashable ‘glou glou’ mold, yet has surprising concentration and intensity to its jangle of pomegranate, redcurrant and sour red cherry fruit.  A tantalising tickle of herbs brings lift and savoury balance.  Trust me, you’ll make light work of a magnum, so make sure you buy two standard 75cl bottles!  Drink lightly chilled.  Grapes are sourced from an established vineyard in the Woodside sub-region where Taras and Amber Ochota grafted three clones of Gamay onto Chardonnay in 2013.  Handpicked at the end of March, they were fermented wild with a mix of extended maceration carbonic, destemmed and whole bunch ferments, then pressed to seasoned French barriques and puncheons.  With no additions besides minimal so2, the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.  12.3%  £37.25 (75cl) at Natty Boy Wines  

Bekkers Syrah 2020 (McLaren Vale)

A terrific trio from Bekkers in the low yielding 2020 vintage; photo credit Sarah Ahmed

A vivid aubergine skin hue with enticing whole bunch aromatics, crushed Szechuan black pepper and spicy cumin with a distinct citrus accent (the cumin).  The aromatics deliciously follow through on an animated palate bringing attack, bite, texture and length to the plum and blackberry fruit.  Savoury black olive/tapenade flavours bring umami richness and depth.  With its smoky espresso accent, the oak is subtle.  The on/off interplay of tannin and juice makes for a long, satisfying finish. This is a gorgeous Syrah, with ripe but motile sleek ‘n sinuous fruit. Wow.  Atlas Wines bring in small allocations.  I hope they import the 2020 but, given it was South Australia’s smallest for some time (a dry year on a dry year), we’ll be lucky!  This 10th vintage is a blend of four vineyards parcels from Clarendon (2 parcels, 53%) and Seaview (2 parcels), rising from 102m to 329m.  The grapes were harvested on 5th, 9th and 19th March following a much cooler than average January and February and mild harvest conditions.  The wine was fermented with an average of 21% whole bunches, the balance being whole berry.  Pressed to oak after 20 days, it aged in 500l French oak puncheons (55% new) until bottling unfiltered in December 2021.  14.2% alcohol. RRP AUS$120.00