Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Optimally ripened, keenly varietal and sporting a full measure of savory, slightly peppery spice that plays careful counterpoint to sure and sustained blackberry fruit, Eric Kent’s very expressive Las Madres Syrah shows an unexpected sense of polish even though it is quite weighty and underpinned by plenty of grippy young tannins. Its oaky shadings are subtle but nothing else is, and, if not quite as full and flamboyant as the winery’s Kalen’s Big Boy Blend, this is an authoritative Syrah that is built to age famously for years.
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.”
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.