Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The only other Syrah I tasted at the winery (as there are certainly many more 2006s that weren’t ready for tasting) is the late-released 2004 Syrah Richards Family Vineyard, made from 100% whole clusters aged in 100% new oak for 36 months. There are only 165 cases of this prodigious Syrah. Sweet espresso intermixed with blackberry and cassis, truffle, lavender, and other floral and even exotic notes are present in this full-bodied, powerfully rich, and still remarkably fresh, unctuously-textured wine that just screams the word “hedonism.” Fabulously long, pure, and dense, this is a tour de force in winemaking.
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.”
A large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.