Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Connoisseurs' Guide
Slow to emerge elements of pepper and game bring solid Syrah credentials to this very deep, well-fruited effort, and there is still a convincing sense of structured tightness as work here that is the hallmark of an ageworthy wine. Its firm, nominally tannic finish does not entirely encourage near-term enjoyment, but there can be no doubt that time will make good things even better and we strongly encourage a wait of several years.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2007 Syrah is a textbook effort revealing notes of pepper, forest floor, black olives, earth, and copious black fruits. It is a fleshy, round, dense wine with gorgeous purity as well as a long, heady finish. Enjoy it over the next 4-5 years.
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.