Winemaker Notes
Sourced from a rocky, high altitude vineyard located halfway between San Francisco and Oregon, this Syrah offers a very unique profile. The fruit is dark and intense, almost brooding, but cool and tense in character. The dark earthy complexity makes this a serious Syrah that will drink well on release but continue to improve for years.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Reminding me of a top-quality Crozes Hermitage (or maybe a Cornas), the 2011 Alesia Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard offers lots of darker fruits, scorched earth, iron and pepper to go with a medium-bodied, nicely concentrated, lively and character-filled style on the palate. Inky purple/ruby colored, with good concentration and plenty of texture, this is a solid, balanced Syrah.
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.