Winemaker Notes
Agenda is a blend of Syrah & Tannat, graced with the bright fruit, and subtle elegance that is quickly becoming the hallmark of the 2017 vintage. The Syrah comes from a hillside vineyard in Mint Canyon, within LA’s Sierra Pelona AVA. With a south facing slope, the vineyard receives ample sun all season long and benefits from cooling breezes that come through the canyon in the evenings. The Tannat comes from another hillside vineyard—Bella Collina in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles—and is a perfect complement to the LA Syrah. All of the fruit was hand-picked and fermented in open-top bins, with punchdowns performed daily. After aging on the lees for 6 months, it was racked and settled back into French oak barrels (45% new) where it stayed for a total of 22 months.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
