Winemaker's Notes:
The vineyard takes its name from an abandoned stretch of early 20th century Sonoma County highway. That link with the past is especially important to us, as these are the only grapes we still crush by foot (really). This is a great vintage for Syrah and it may have produced my favorite wine of the 2010 harvest. The wine is bright purple, deep and dark, with an exotic aroma of crushed berries and fennel. There's a trace of freshly ground black pepper in there too, along with some clove or allspice. Properly ripened Syrah has the most complex aroma of all old-world varieties, I think, and we seem to have captured it here. I like the softness too. It makes for an attractive weight on the tongue, neither heavy nor vapid, with a texture that swallows easily. This one seems to define 'Finish'. |