Winemaker Notes
This 100% Syrah blend is an intense assemblage of some of our favorite Syrah vineyards in Sonoma County. The usual suspect vineyards are present in this blend; Kobler, Lawer, Steiner and Cardiac Hill. We refer to the Cuvee Christine as our gateway drug to Syrah. It runs the full gambit, has fruit, spice and savory. There's something for everyone here. The Cuvee Christine possesses not only great length, but great breadth on the palate. This wine’s quality to price ratio is unmatched.
Blend: 100% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Syrah Cuvee Christine comes from a mix of Vineyards and offers a Côte Rôtie-like perfume of black raspberries, smoked game, bouquet garni, and spring flowers. Playing in the medium-bodied end of the spectrum, it has a classic meaty, bacon fat-like character, supple tannins, beautiful up-front fruit, and outstanding length on the finish. I’d be thrilled to drink bottles any time over the coming 10-15 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Syrah Cuvee Christine has a nose of chargrill, roasted meats, coffee beans and spicy blackberries, with wafts of sage and dried herbs. The palate offers nuances of pepper and herbs with savory, dark fruits and an abundance of fine, grainy tannins, finishing long.
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.”
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.