Winemaker Notes
This smaller crop and the frost issue can often lead to uneven ripening and that was certainlythe case in some Pinot Noir vineyards, but not so at Page-Nord. If anything, the frostseemed to affect this southern Napa Vineyard quite equally, lowering yields in all plants andresulting in greater concentration. We ultimately picked the vineyard between October 1and October 17 and a range of sugars from 24.4 to 27.7 brix. We fermented the differentsections separately, with some in tanks and some in bins, some with indigenous yeast andothers with cultured yeasts. The goal was to make the most complex wine possible. Wethen selected only a few of the barrels to make this wine.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The dense ruby/purple-colored 2008 Syrah exhibits a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, wild berry fruit, lavender, and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied and luscious, it is ideal for drinking over the next 4-5 years.
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Wine Enthusiast
Robust, full bodied and frankly delicious, this is a great value in an upscale Syrah. It's bone dry, but exceptionally rich in blackberry and cherry-pie filling, currant, licorice, bacon, sandalwood and pepper flavors that are deep and long in the finish. Amazing how good it is for the price. A sommelier's dream, but production was only 248 cases. Editor's Choice.
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.