Mary Shanahan A Hawke's Bay winemaker killed in a freak accident a fortnight ago has since achieved outstanding success for his syrah. Doug Wisor, a 31-year-old American, made pinot noir and syrah at Craggy Range. He died in a kitesurfing accident on October 17 at Te Awanga. In its November issue, Cuisine magazinehas named one of Mr Wisor's wines, Craggy Range Le Sol ("The Sun") 2002, its top syrah. Appraising 23 syrahs, the panel of wine writer Michael Cooper and winemakers Warren Gibson and John Belsham, said "small but beautiful" summed up the selection. Blind-tasting the Le Sol, the panel went straight to a five-star score for a wine it said had "enormous power". Another wine made by Mr Wisor, Craggy Range Block 14 Syrah 2002, was also rated five stars. Noting that 75 percent of New Zealand's syrah vines were clustered in Hawke's Bay, the panel said no other region could match the region for the warmth and depth of its syrahs. Other Hawke's Bay wines awarded five stars were Newton Forrest Cornerstone Syrah 2002 and Vidal Estate Syrah 2002. Hawke's Bay also dominated the tastings for New Zealand-made merlot and cabernet sauvignons, making a clean sweep of the five-star awards and claiming the top wine with Sacred Hill Brokenstone Merlot 2002. Other five-star Hawke's Bay wines were Newton Forrest Cornerstone Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2002, Newton Forrest Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignon 2002, Villa Maria Cellar Selection Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2002, Newton Forrest Cornerstone Merlot 2002.
