Winemaker Notes
The 2016 Syrah is a dark and intense wine yet maintains bright, fresh aromas and flavors. The aromatics are strong with big aromas of fresh blueberries, cassis, a touch of toasty oak and fresh cut flowers. On the palate this is a rich, dark, juicy, concentrated wine but maintains brightness of the fruit. Flavors include blueberries, black cherry, cassis, dark chocolate and some balanced oak with very soft elegant tannins to give great length to the finish. This wine will age beautifully for at least 5-10 years plus if you can let it last that long in your cellar.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.