Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This full-bodied and immensely fruity wine, with no added sulfites, has such intense and concentrated fruit that the black fig, dried cherry and blackberry seem to tumble over each other in the aromas and then spread rapidly over the palate. The wine is all about generosity, ripeness and mouthfeel, which build up to a lingering finish.
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.”
Situated in northern Mendocino County, the Redwood Valley appellation sits at about 200 feet higher than the surrounding areas and is directly west of Potter Valley. The AVA is ideal for less common grape varieties such as Barbera, Carignan, Valdiguie and Viognier among California’s other usual suspects.