Nanny Goat Bendigo Syrah 2025 is a rich Central Otago red from Nanny Goat's own vineyard in Bendigo, with cherry, blueberry and violet. It was rated 94 POINTS by Cameron Douglas, MS. This is a lovely wine for anyone who likes perfumed, fine-tannined reds with real freshness.
In the glass it first reveals dried herbs, black olive and baking spice on the nose. The palate is full and rich with a taut edge, juicy with Black Doris plum, and the tannins are fine all the way to a long finish.
This is a wine for those of us who enjoy a rich red that still feels fresh, and it makes a special weekend wine. This wine would pair well with roast lamb and dishes built around baking spices.
The first Bendigo harvests came in 2024, so this is only the second vintage from Nanny Goat's own Bendigo vineyard.
What it tastes like
This wine has aromas of cherry and blueberry lifted by pink musk (a sweet, floral note) and violet. Clove joins the palate, and the fine tannins give it grip without heaviness. Cameron Douglas, MS described it as dry, firm and taut, with a plush, salivating mouthfeel. The finish is long.
Style at a glance
- Body: Full
- Sweetness: Dry
- Acidity: Fresh, with a taut edge
- Tannin: Fine
- Oak: 11 months in second- and third-fill French oak barrels (older barrels that add less oak flavour)
- Style: Rich, perfumed, taut Syrah
Food to enjoy this with
- Roast rack of lamb with herbs
- Roast duck
- Mushroom risotto
- Charcuterie and aged hard cheese
- Dishes with black olives, which echo the black olive note in the wine
- Moroccan lamb tagine, where the baking spices in the wine echo the cumin and cinnamon
Who makes it
Nanny Goat was established in 2005 with a single wine, a Pinot Noir sourced from throughout Central Otago. In 2023 the team bought land on Loop Road in Bendigo. The single vineyard Bendigo Pinot Noir and Syrah were released in 2025.
For the 2025 vintage, the fruit was hand-picked and destemmed into one small open-top fermenter, with many berries left whole. After a short soak before fermentation began, the wine fermented naturally and stayed on its skins for 30 days before pressing. It went through natural malolactic fermentation (the conversion of sharper malic acid to softer lactic acid) and was then bottled unfined and with minimal filtration.
About the vintage
Sophie Preece reported in NZ Winegrower that Central Otago's 2025/26 season was the most varied one winemaker Matt Connell had seen in his 21 years in the region. A cooler February, more rain and wind than usual, and less January and February heat slowed ripening, and harvest ran behind a typical year.
Even so, Matt Connell reported "really good flavours" across the region and was optimistic about the harvest.
Critic scores and ratings
- 94 POINTS – Cameron Douglas, MS – camdouglasms.com, May 2026
"Great colour and bouquet with core scents of youthful, fresh dark cherry flesh, a layer of sweet smoke and clove, clay and stone, mineral qualities and some violet lift. Dry and firm, youthful and fresh, fruity and taut, a wine with a delicious mouthfeel and youthful energy. A wine with a nice purity of fruit and plush salivating mouthfeel. Delicious on its own and with food with best drinking from late 2027 through 2034+."
When to drink it
Cameron Douglas, MS recommends best drinking from late 2027 through 2034+. Nanny Goat gives a cellaring potential of 10+ years, so this is the sort of wine you buy a case of.
Technical details
| Winery: |
Nanny Goat |
| Wine: |
Nanny Goat Bendigo Syrah 2025 |
| Vintage: |
2025 |
| Variety: |
Syrah |
| Region: |
Central Otago (Bendigo) |
| Country: |
New Zealand |
| Alcohol: |
14% |
| Oak: |
Second- and third-fill 225L French oak barriques, 11 months |
| Fermentation: |
Natural fermentation, 30 days on skins, natural malolactic fermentation |
| Cellaring: |
10+ years |
Where to buy
For international delivery to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, the Nanny Goat Bendigo Syrah 2025 is available from our winenz.com website. For delivery within New Zealand, buy it from thewineryonline.co.nz. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. On both websites and in both stores you can select a mixed case from a large range of wines, and if you are visiting from overseas, we can ship it home for you.
Questions we are often asked
How much alcohol does Nanny Goat Bendigo Syrah 2025 have?
It has 14% alcohol.
How well has Nanny Goat Bendigo Syrah 2025 been rated?
Cameron Douglas, MS gave it 94 POINTS and called it excellent.
Is Nanny Goat Bendigo Syrah 2025 fermented naturally?
Yes, it fermented naturally, then spent 30 days on its skins before pressing.
How long can I cellar Nanny Goat Bendigo Syrah 2025?
Nanny Goat gives it a cellaring potential of 10+ years. Cameron Douglas, MS suggests drinking it from late 2027.
Where does Nanny Goat Bendigo Syrah come from?
It comes from Nanny Goat's own vineyard in Bendigo, in Central Otago, New Zealand.
Where can I buy Nanny Goat Bendigo Syrah 2025?
The Winery ships Nanny Goat Bendigo Syrah 2025 internationally from winenz.com to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, and delivers within New Zealand from thewineryonline.co.nz. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.
