Syrah – 2014

Aged Syrah from the Palatinate by Oliver Zeter

In this vintage, the Syrah from Oliver Zeter is an aged red wine that spent twelve months in wooden barrels following maceration. It comes from the period before the winery divided its Syrah into two lines, and it displays fleshy, dark fruit.

Syrah 2014 is a dry Syrah from the Palatinate by Oliver Zeter, grown on stony, quick-warming soils and bottled unfiltered. At 13.5% ABV, it is robust, and more than ten years after the harvest, it possesses the tranquility of a mature wine.

Sloe, iron, and a hint of smoke

In the glass, this Syrah from the Palatinate reveals a fine, fresh aroma of blue berries, mingled with a light note of iron and a hint of smoke. On the palate, it is fleshy and concentrated. Flavors of black olives and ripe sloes resonate, combining into a dark, spicy depth, while its concentration holds the fruit together.

After so many years in the bottle, the tannins of a robust red wine generally become rounded. The fruit usually recedes slightly, while spicy and earthy tones take center stage. This vintage is therefore exciting for anyone who wants to experience how a Palatinate Syrah changes over time.

Maceration, wooden barrels, and vines from the Rhône

When Oliver Zeter planted his first Syrah vineyard in Hambach in 2009, the grape variety was still considered an exotic choice in the Palatinate. This heat-loving variety originates from the Rhône and requires soils that warm up quickly in the sun. The winery chose exactly these kinds of stony sites, open to the east and south, for its cultivation.

The grapes for the 2014 vintage were fermented using traditional maceration, allowing the skins to impart color and tannins to the wine. Afterward, the young Syrah spent twelve months in wooden barrels, where it was slowly exposed to oxygen and gained structure. It was then bottled without fining and has been maturing ever since.

At that time, Oliver Zeter produced only this single varietal Syrah. It was not until the 2018 and 2019 vintages that the winery divided the range into a Réserve from the best vineyards and a more accessible entry-level wine.

Ox cheek, lentils with bacon, and mountain cheese

Aged red wine pairs best with dishes that have also taken their time, such as ox cheek braised for hours until it falls apart with a fork. Lentils with bacon and root vegetables pick up on its spicy tones. A piece of aged mountain cheese at the end provides the salinity that complements the dark fruit well.

Because the wine was bottled unfiltered, a fine sediment may have formed in the bottle over the years. If you stand the bottle upright a few hours beforehand and then pour the Syrah slowly into a carafe, the sediment will remain behind. Served at 16 to 18 degrees Celsius, its spice is perfectly showcased.

The Syrah 2017, which was aged in amphorae, demonstrates how the style developed later on. You can find the current pinnacle of the Syrah range in the Syrah Réserve 2022, and further red wines with depth are available in our red wine category.

Syrah 2014 – A red wine and its specifications

• Origin Germany
• Region Palatinate
• Oliver Zeter, Neustadt an der Weinstraße
• Grape variety Syrah
• Aging in wooden barrels
• 13.5% ABV alcohol