PlumpJack Syrah 2014
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Robert
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The Syrah grapes are sourced from two amazing vineyards in the Napa Valley – Hudson in Los Carneros and Stagecoach on Atlas Peak. These unique AVAs lend this wine its signature characteristics. The cool, foggy Hudson vineyard imparts this wine with a smoky, gamey nose layered with white and black pepper along with some floral notes, while the sunny and rocky Stagecoach vineyard lends this wine intense and concentrated fruit aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, and huckleberry pie. The Hudson vineyard also brings beautiful, bright raspberries, black pepper, smoke, finesse, and a lively acid to the palate, whereas the Stagecoach vineyard adds dark fruit, great concentration, and structure. The whole-cluster fermentation adds more complexity with some green peppercorn and spice in the finish, and the oak imparts smokiness to the nose and bittersweet chocolate to the finish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Syrah is gorgeous. Loads of flowery blackberry and cassis fruit, along with spice and forest floor jump from the glass of this killer Syrah. It is no wimpy wine at 15.4% alcohol, but the complex aromatics, the stunningly full-bodied, rich flavors of blue and black fruits, the nicely integrated acidity, tannin and wood, all make for a compelling example of Syrah to drink over the next 10-15 years – perhaps even longer. This is a great effort.
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Wine Spectator
Polished and impeccably structured, with blackberry and smoky meat aromas and layered, rich flavors of licorice and espresso that linger toward big but firm tannins. Drink now through 2027.
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PlumpJack Winery sits squarely in the heart of Napa Valley's renowned Oakville region, surrounded by a 42-acre estate vineyard highly-regarded for the quality of its Cabernet Sauvignon. Both their winery building and their vineyard date back to the 1800s, when winemaking pioneers first took advantage of a unique position on the valley floor. The east side of their vineyard lies along the foothills of the Vaca mountain range and yields grapes with the kind of bold fruit character that comes from well-drained hillside soils. To the west, their estate lies in the Napa River flood zone. Here, their vines take root in rich, deep clay soild, for grapes with softer, more supple varietal character. From their oldest, rockiest section - the "I" Block, where they source their Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - to more recent plantings, they strive to maintain balanced vines.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.