Stonecroft, Undressed Syrah, Gimblett Gravels, 2018

A small family winery owned by Dermot McCollum and Andria Monin, the wine sourced from their Mere Road vineyard, west of Hastings, grown on the stony and free-draining Omahu Gravels; yields are kept very low at around 2kg per vine. Fermented in open-top stainless steel fermenters with a two to three-week soak afterwards, then aged five months in French oak, just 20% new, with no added SO2. On the nose this can only be Syrah: intensely white peppery with fragrant violet florals and spiced plum jam notes. The oak is barely discernible on the palate, with an unimpeded, fruit-focused style, not complex as such but enjoyably clean and gluggable – note the friendly alcohol level of 12%. Good for grilled meats, baked mushroom or aubergine dishes of all kinds.