Big Basin Rattlesnake Rock Syrah 2005

The finished wine is a deep garnet with notes of wildberry, sage, corriander, mocha, roasted meat and cigar box on the nose. The dense, compact tannins coat the mouth and the kirsch, rhubarb, roasted fig, cigar box and pepper lay comfortably across the mid-palate. With decanting, the fruit and floral qualities begin to emerge with a sustained finish that builds and lingers. If it is anything like the 2002, 2003 or 2004 vintages that came before it, it will reward several years of bottle age that will allow the the tannins to meld into the increasingly expressive dark fruit core. This is a big wine that balances strength with suppleness.

Impressive Syrahs are being fashioned by proprietor Bradley Brown from his Santa Cruz Mountain vineyards. Unfortunately, quantities are limited for these cuvees (less than 100 cases of the Mandala and about 350 of the Rattlesnake Rock). The 2004s reveal that vintage's opulence, richness, full-bodied power, and flesh. All the wines are bottled without fining or filtration.