Winemaker Notes
Aromas of black pepper, blackberries, black olives and cooked strawberries. Textured and loaded with spicy black and vibrant red fruits, black pepper and white flowers. Medium bodied and everything you’d expect from cool climate Syrah with the tell-tale pepper, spice and exotic meaty flavors. Some spicy tannins add a delicious firmness that promise a long and graceful evolution.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
What a vivd nose full of racy strawberries and Chinese haw fruit! Mainly red fruit here with a splash of black plums, too. Some fine stems and mossy herbs deliver an extra dimension of freshness. This is bright, vibrant and juicy on the medium-bodied palate. Firm and fresh tannins throughout. Enticingly saline and savory in the 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.”
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.