Radio-Coteau Las Colinas Syrah 2015
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine &
Spirits
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Winemaker Notes
The first nose of the 2015 Las Colinas Syrah brings blueberry, blackberry, and a hint of sweet cherry to mind, which is further reinforced when quaffed. A small trace of fig on the palate completes the tour de fruit as earthier aromas are invoked. Complementing the strong fruit character, an equally vocal mineral tone of crushed rock is not to be ignored. As the wine develops, fresh thyme and rosemary mingle with allspice and cracked black peppercorns. A chiseled, lithe texture partners seamlessly with firm, savory tannin.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
In addition to brilliant Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, this estate makes a bevy of beautiful Syrahs, most seeing a small amount of whole clusters and 18-19 months in 20-30% new French oak. Côte Rôtie-like raspberry, bacon fat, smoked earth, and graphite emerge from the 2015 Syrah Las Colinas, which is medium-bodied, seamless, and elegant on the palate. A blend from Cherry Camp, Timberline, and Dusty Lane, it's pure class and I suspect will keep for 10-15 years.
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Wine & Spirits
This is Eric Sussman’s blend from three growers on the coast, including John Dierke at Dusty Lane and Greta Mesics at Timbervine Ranch. In 2015, the wine's cold, crunchy fruit has full-on green-peppercorn spice, with meaty notes and anise flavors underneath. It feels vertical and tense, as if fireworks are about to go off, but haven’t yet. Cellar it to await that explosion of spice, or encourage it now with a steak cooked black and blue.
Other Vintages
2017- Vinous
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Jeb
Dunnuck
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Robert
Parker
Eric Sussman first heard the expression radio coteau from a friend while living and working in Burgundy. More than a preference for how you discover these wines, the name reflects a commitment to capturing reflections of soil, seasons, people and place. In 2002, Eric established Radio-Coteau, focusing on the north coast vineyards of western Sonoma County and Anderson Valley. With their benchland locations, well-drained soils, exposure by capricious marine air and fog, these sites host grapes naturally suited to their surrounding elements. This natural selection afforded Eric an opportunity to refine his Old World experiences while working with New World grapes. For more than a decade, he has strived to balance nature’s expression with a delicate, but disciplined human touch in these handcrafted wines.
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.