Winemaker Notes
This appellation blend Syrah hails from our two Mendocino Ridge Syrah sites The Perli Vineyard is 10 miles from the ocean and is perched 2,400 feet above sea level on a very thin and steep east facing slope. Perli has the oldest field selection known to California that was propagated in 1880 by the San Jose Mission. The Valenti Ranch is a mid-elevation (1250-1400ft) site on top of Greenwood Ridge, 6 miles from the ocean on a steep east face. We’ve co-fermented a small percentage of Grenache and Mourvèdre in this extreme cool climate Syrah. Orbaun is a soil type within the coastal ridges of the Mendocino Ridge AVA. These soils are a mélange of ancient oceanic sedimentary materials that include gravelly sand loams with high Iron content, rocky quartzite, decomposed sandstone and shale
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Jason Drew focuses this blend on syrah (84 percent), including small amounts of grenache, mourvedre and viog- nier; he ferments it with 50 percent whole clusters and ages it in neutral oak. The spici- ness of the stems comes fi rst, adding to the meatiness and black-olive fl avors; then, as the wine opens, it yields juicy notes of dark fruit and refreshing, foresty scents of coni- fers and violets. It’s a dark and vibrant wine from California’s coastal hills. Best Buy
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Cool climate Syrah, what's the big deal? The 2016 Drew Family Cellars Ornbaun Syrah is an excellent example of how this grape does under these conditions. TASTING NOTES: This wine is persistent, yet gentle on the palate and exhibits a pleasing freshness. Its aromas and flavors of red fruits and light chalkiness should pair it well with savory stews. (Tasted: September 25, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Offering up aromas of dark berries, citrus zest and subtle tapenade, the 2016 Syrah The Ornbaun is medium-bodied, velvety and layered, with tangy acids, fine-grained tannins and a mouthwatering finish. Simultaneously supple and focused, it's a beautifully elegant cool-climate Syrah.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Essentially a northern extension of the Sonoma Coast AVA but part of Mendocino County, Mendocino Ridge is one of the rare appellations defined by elevation only. The Mendocino Ridge AVA is reserved only for vineyards at or above 1,200 feet between the Anderson Valley and Pacific Ocean.