Winemaker Notes
Bright-eyed, fresh and full of varietal character our 2018 Ethan’s Syrah serves up complex floral fruit aromas with black truffle, violets, pancetta and Turkish coffee. Vibrant and generous on the palate the wine keeps an even keel with baker’s chocolate and crushed rock at the tail.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Slightly cooler climate notes of blackberries, peppery herbs, spring flowers, and smoked game emerge from the 2018 Syrah Ethan's, another beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, balanced wine from Lewis Cellars that's well worth seeking out. This beauty should evolve for 8-10 years, although there's no need to delay gratification either.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
One of the most forward wines in this tasting, this go-for-broke effort will find enthusiastic takers in those who relish its deeply concentrated, dried blackberry and dark chocolate aromas and flavors and its dense and chewy, fully expressed character. Yes, it may not be the right recipe for all folks, but for matching up to long-cooked pieces of red meat like short ribs of beef, some of us will need to look no further.
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.