Aramis, “The Governor” Syrah 2006

There’s little doubt that bad wines make the good ones seem great and vice versa, but if you ever try the Aramis “The Governor” Syrah 2006 after a glass of poorly crafted Pinot from the Yarra (like I did), you’ll seriously believe that you’ve received manna from heaven!

The “Governor” is probably Aramis’ flagship wine, so you’d expect it to be pretty good, and there’s no doubt that it stands head and shoulders above anything I’ve sampled recently. The typically dark berry McLaren Vale fruit has more than a hint of chocolate and mocha on the edges and there’s plenty of smoky burnt oak and licorice flavours at the back.

It’s perhaps no surprise that Halliday gave it 94 points and it retails at around $55 a bottle, but at least it delivers a quality of finish that’s commensurate with its price point. It’s definitely not a quaffer but if the alternative is a cheap but astringent Pinot, I’m happy to pay for quality!