Stonecroft has the oldest Syrah vines in New Zealand. These vines were rescued by the founder of Stoncroft, Dr. Alan Limmer, from the Te Kauwhata Research station and planted at Stonecroft in 1984. We still have the original row of vines. The Reserve Syrah is our flagship wine.

Robert Parker 94 Points

“…ethereal, bony, fine, bloody and mineral, both are infused with a profusion of crushed rocks, tapenade and black tea… This gentle handling has given the wine an effortless, magnificent aspect. Where the prior wine is almost austere in its expression, this is fleshier and more complex, more of the grape and the earth than the maker. I like this so much; it’s mid-weight at very best, floral and long. Although a tremendously drinkable wine now, it’s also one that will cellar…”

– Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate, 2025

19+ / 20

“…this Reserve Syrah is incredible.  This is the only wine that could sneak into a world collection of elite Syrahs and swan around the room, nodding at its peers with the utmost self-confidence and perhaps even a little swagger.  It is darker and more toothsome than the Serine cuvée, and while it is a little richer and more intense, and the oak seems a little more opulent, it is sensationally well-balanced and stunningly refreshing.”

– Matthew Jukes, 2025