Bibendum Wine Co.
Bibendum Wine Co.
Bibendum Wine Co.
Bibendum Wine Co.

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Murdoch Hill Orion Syrah 2022

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Murdoch Hill Orion Syrah 2022
Producer Murdoch Hill
Region, Country Adelaide Hills, Australia
Bottle Size 750ml
Case Size 6
Product Code 23508-750

Orion represents the cream of Murdoch Hill’s Syrah crop, comprising the best fruit from the Landau block (the lion’s share is from the apex of the vineyard) and further classified in barrel post-fermentation. This year, barrels were selected from just two parcels kept separate until the final blending decisions were made. The site is 400 metres above sea level, predominately east-facing on shallow, red loam soils with varying levels of schist rock and ironstone. The vines were planted in 1998.

The fruit was picked over two days in late March and early April and fermented with 15% bunches in a two-tonne open fermenter. It was then transferred to 500-litre Stockinger puncheons (20% new), where it rested for 10 months. We didn’t think it possible to surpass last year’s triumphant release, which took out the trophy for Best South Australian Shiraz at the 2022 Melbourne Royal Wine Awards, but Downer’s knocked it out of the park once again. This is sheer class.



Murdoch Hill Orion Syrah 2022

Reviews

“It's not often that such a detailed, delicate wine also comes with such depth. Indeed, this is a wine of gravitas. It's tight, smoky, ripped with mescal-like notes, peppery and just generally savoury, but there's also a gorgeous purr of berried fruit, ripe and settled. Along with all those spicy treble notes there's a good pound of mid-range bass. We're in classic beauty territory, balanced and complete. Give this wine some air; it needs it. And prepare to be mesmerised.”
98 points, Campbell Mattinson, Top Rated: Halliday Wine Companion 2025
“This is exceptional cool climate syrah, reeling off kelp, black cherries, tapenade, cloves and violets across a long line of flavor, measured intensity and sumptuous tannins, almost sooty and rock-face mineral of feel. Mid-weighted and savory, albeit, with plenty of power. A clench of reduction at the finish to give it just a little more tension. A wine for Northern Rhone lovers seeking a different form of transcendence.”
95 points, Ned Goodwin, jamessuckling.com
“I’ve seen the wine prior and admired it greatly. For this tasting, on day one I saw a sweetness, maltiness and ripeness that didn’t quite figure with my assumption of the wine, that can happen, though today on the bench, day two, it’s much more settled into its groove with white pepper, herbal elements and game meat qualities soaring through. It’s even, supple, shaped with lithe tannins, red cherry, rose hip tea amongst those previously mentioned savoury elements. You get the sense of liquid spice overall, a slip of green stemmy character well judged underlying. Beautiful wine, though it sits in a more opulent tone.”
94 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

Reviews

“It's not often that such a detailed, delicate wine also comes with such depth. Indeed, this is a wine of gravitas. It's tight, smoky, ripped with mescal-like notes, peppery and just generally savoury, but there's also a gorgeous purr of berried fruit, ripe and settled. Along with all those spicy treble notes there's a good pound of mid-range bass. We're in classic beauty territory, balanced and complete. Give this wine some air; it needs it. And prepare to be mesmerised.”
98 points, Campbell Mattinson, Top Rated: Halliday Wine Companion 2025
“This is exceptional cool climate syrah, reeling off kelp, black cherries, tapenade, cloves and violets across a long line of flavor, measured intensity and sumptuous tannins, almost sooty and rock-face mineral of feel. Mid-weighted and savory, albeit, with plenty of power. A clench of reduction at the finish to give it just a little more tension. A wine for Northern Rhone lovers seeking a different form of transcendence.”
95 points, Ned Goodwin, jamessuckling.com
“I’ve seen the wine prior and admired it greatly. For this tasting, on day one I saw a sweetness, maltiness and ripeness that didn’t quite figure with my assumption of the wine, that can happen, though today on the bench, day two, it’s much more settled into its groove with white pepper, herbal elements and game meat qualities soaring through. It’s even, supple, shaped with lithe tannins, red cherry, rose hip tea amongst those previously mentioned savoury elements. You get the sense of liquid spice overall, a slip of green stemmy character well judged underlying. Beautiful wine, though it sits in a more opulent tone.”
94 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

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