Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Petite Syrah reveals a black/purple color as well as notes of graphite, smoke, blackberries, blueberries, creme de cassis, a liqueur of mineral-like intensity, and huge tannin and concentration. The 2004 Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard possesses the purest fruit, density, and intensity. This is a prodigious wine that should be purchased only by those with cold cellars and good DNA for longevity as it will all age for 40-50 years.
Range: 96-98.
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Wine Spectator
Dark, rich, dense and loamy. Reduced now, but has great structure, with loads of ripe, concentrated blackberry and huckleberry flavors that are complex and expansive, finishing with a burst of flavor and ample tannins.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.