Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A fantastic mountain wine, distinct and compelling. Wonderfully rich aromas of tangerine rind and blueberry ride high over cassis, plum and the smoky vanillins of fine oak. Tastes as rich as it smells, a dense, lush wine with a huge mouthburst of sweet fruit, smooth, ripe tannins, and a long, spicy-peppery finish. Needs a few years to knit together.
Editors’ Choice -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From Mendocino, the tightly wound but impressively made 2001 Syrah Eaglepoint boasts a saturated purple color in addition to a sweet perfume of white flowers, blue and blackberries as well as a hint of spice. Full-bodied and fruit-driven, without the nuances displayed by the Cailloux-Coccinelle cuvee, this formidably endowed, large-scaled Syrah reveals abundant tannin in the finish.
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.”
A large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.