Winemaker Notes
The Las Colinas Syrah is indicative of what is possible for cool-climate Syrah as it captures the essence of the western Sonoma Coast appellation. Élevage in 500-liter French oak puncheons helps to preserve fruit and spice, and affords graceful aging in the cellar.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
In contrast, the 2006 Syrah Las Colinas is a fuller-bodied, denser Syrah with more roasted meat, bouquet garni, charcoal, and blackberry fruit, a superb texture, and a long, heady, rich mouthfeel with stunning length. It is close to being a blockbuster Syrah to drink.
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Wine Spectator
Big and intense, yet also elegant and stylish, with peppery wild berry, sage, mineral, light sage and dusty berry flavors. Has great balance and length without heavy tannins.
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 vast appellation covering Sonoma County’s Pacific coastline, the Sonoma Coast AVA runs all the way from the Mendocino County border, south to the San Pablo Bay. The region can actually be divided into two sections—the actual coastal vineyards, marked by marine soils, cool temperatures and saline ocean breezes—and the warmer, drier vineyards further inland, which are still heavily influenced by the Pacific but not quite with same intensity.
Contained within the appellation are the much smaller Fort Ross-Seaview and Petaluma Gap AVAs.
The Sonoma Coast is highly regarded for elegant Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and, increasingly, cool-climate Syrah. The wines have high acidity, moderate alcohol, firm tannin, and balanced ripeness.