Winemaker Notes
This dark brooding Syrah is a classic representation of this varietal. Dark aromas of black fruit, cedar chips, and earth develop into flavors of black cherry, blueberry pie, with a hint of sweet tar. This wine is great gate-way wine to the Syrah varietal. The fruit forward characteristic of this vintage opens into darker flavors of cedar, wet earth, and pepper.
This wine pairs beautifully with grilled steak, sausage, and mushroom.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The nose is deeply scented and concentrated, with aromas of mulberries, black olives and cured meat. The palate is full bodied and structured, with notes of dark cherries, blood plums and tobacco. Well balanced and integrated.
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Wine Enthusiast
Dark, plummy aromas are leveled by smoke, turned earth and tree bark on the nose of this bottling. The palate is bold and oaky at first, opening up into roasted fruit, cracked pepper and licorice flavors.
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Vinous
The 2021 Backbone Syrah opens with a whiff of violet florals, chalk dust and red plums. This is soothingly round and supple, stepping lightly with lifted wild berry fruits and pretty inner florals. The 2021 tapers off with medium length and a subtle tug of fine tannins, finishing with a hint of licorice.
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.”
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.