Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Amazing aromas of blue slate, dried meat and blueberry. Full body, with fine tannins and a fruity finish. Yet reserved, complex and stylish. Lots of meat and iodine. Intense and elegant.
-
Wine Spectator
A well-crafted and meaty red, with hints of baked yam that give the ripe dark fruit flavors an intensely savory edge. Sinewy midpalate, featuring a finish that explodes with Asian spice and hot stone notes. Drink now through 2018.
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.”
With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity.
This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay also perform well here.