NZ Syrah

IF THERE IS AN example of ‘It’s never too late to start again,’ it is Sir George Fistonich who started his first wine brand, Villa Maria, in 1961 at the age of twenty one. The desire to start again with Čuvar in his eighties might bring people to think it will be his swansong but knowing the determination Sir George Fistonich is renowned for, I couldn’t be sure.

Čuvar means ‘guardian’ in Croatian, Fistonich’s father’s native tongue. The name plays homage to the immigrants who came to New Zealand from the late 1800s to work as gum diggers, doing wretched, back-breaking work for which they were poorly compensated. Having come from what was then the Austro- Hungarian Empire, these workers – known collectively as Dalmatians – formed bonds with other Dalmatian families and created tight-knit communities. They celebrated their culture and customs together, which included wine, literally a foreign concept to the then beer-drinking Kiwi culture.

Some Dalmatians morphed into vine growers and the impact has been etched on the bottles of iconic brands we love in New Zealand ever since, from Selaks to Babich all the way through to Čuvar which launched in 2023. It’s an incredible shared heritage and experience that is reflected in this syrah which is ripe and blue fruited on the nose with just a hint of herbs, underlying earthy tones and a hint of spice. The fruit is sweet through the generous palate which is well weighted and clean with smooth tannins, smoky toast and a lingering length.