Its fair to say Luke Lambert hasn't looked back since 'relocating' his Syrah to the Tibooburra vineyard. This southwest sloping site lies in the southeastern corner of the Valley, near Gembrook, and might be the coolest microclimate of the Yarra. The site is expertly managed by Greg Kerr, the grower who planted the vineyard in 2001. The soils here are considered very unusual for the Yarra, comprising a seam of black volcanic topsoil over yellow clay with a smattering of granite rock throughout. Furthermore, the quality of the clonal material in Tibooburra supplies Lambert with deeper and darker Syrah fruit that also has more depth and structure. This is what drew him to the site and a good chunk of the reason the Syrah has become a touchstone example of cool-climate Yarra Shiraz.

Brothers at War Single Vineyard Eden Valley Syrah The fruit for this single-vineyard Syrah comes from 80+-year-old vines from the Wardlaws Eden Valley Pendee Farm vineyard. This small parcel of Eden Valley Syrah is handpicked and the fruit is mostly destemmed, though not crushed, into a one-tonne open-top fermenter with 30% whole bunch clusters. The fruit is kept cool for five days before being allowed to warm up naturally and start the fermentation process. The wine is then hand plunged twice daily for three weeks before being pressed to French oak puncheons (40% new) and aged on lees for 18 months before bottling without fining or filtration.

PIERRE JEAN VILLA Esprit d'Antan Syrah, Collines Rhodanienn