Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Tasting Panel
Co-fermented with 3-7% Roussanne and aged on the lees for 16 months, this spectacular small-production red opens up immediately with gorgeous blue floral tones on the nose and a hint at blueberry pastry. Velvety and rich; grilled meat and dark chocolate are a unique pair of first notes. White pepper surges on mid-palate, but the satin mouthfeel and fine acidity also portray a noble structure.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Syrah Annadel Gap Vineyard comes from a cooler, wetter site in Sonoma that’s planted to a mix of Rhône varieties and Pinot Noir. Smoky, meaty, white pepper, and herbal notes all emerge from the glass and it shows more floral notes as it sits in the glass. With medium to full body, impressive concentration, and a sappy, vibrant texture, it’s a terrific cool-climate Syrah to enjoy over the coming decade.
-
Wine & Spirits
Located in the gap between Mount Hood and Sonoma Mountain, this vineyard receives morning fog and potent afternoon wind. It’s been farmed under biodynamics since 2012 (certified in 2017). That farming may contribute to this wine’s persistence of flavor, which mimics old vines in its intensity and depth. The fruit is dark and umami-black, the warm aromas of floral spice adding complexity to a sleek, cushioned red wine. An intriguing red to serve with roast boar or other wild game.
-
Wine Enthusiast
An estate wine that's 100% varietal, this is thick and unrelenting in concentration, with blackberry, black licorice, leather and smoky oak pleading for attention in equal measure. Rough and tumble power and intensity rule the day, with seasonings of coffee and cinnamon.
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.”
Perhaps the most historically significant appellation in Sonoma County, the Sonoma Valley is home to both Buena Vista winery, California's oldest commercial winery, and Gundlach Bundschu winery, California's oldest family-run winery.
It is also one of the more geologically and climactically diverse districts. The valley includes and overlaps four distinct Sonoma County sub-appellations, including Carneros, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Mountain and Bennett Valley. With mountains, benchlands, plains, abundant sunshine and the cooling effects of the nearby Pacific, this appellation can successfully produce a wide range of grape varieties. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, and most notably, Zinfandel all thrive here. Ancient Zinfandel vines over 100 years old produce small crops of concentrated, spicy fruit, which in turn make some of the Valley's most unique wines. These can also be made as “field blends” (wines made from a mix of grape varieties grown in the same vineyard) along with Petite Sirah, Carignan and Alicante Bouschet.