2008 Syrah

2008 Syrah

In 2008, Mother Nature threw her entire book of tricks at us. First there was a significant frost in late April that thinned our Syrah crop to almost one ton per acre. Next, unpredictable weather during bloom and veraison created great variability in ripening, making selective harvesting of each vineyard block in multiple passes a necessity. Finally, hot, dry weather in September and October coaxed the grapes to the absolute peak of ripeness. Syrah vines thrive on stress and adversity, and the result of all this strife is a wine of unparalleled concentration, expressiveness and intensity. It was quite a rollercoaster, but in retrospect, we wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The nose swirls with concentrated aromas of Bing cherry, rose petal, creosote, sandalwood, butcher block and cardamom. As with every vintage of our Syrah, the 2008 saw no new oak and was 100% de-stemmed, so the kaleidoscope of complexity derives from the grapes alone. The first sip reveals a palate packed with up-front fruit and tempered acidity, followed by a dense mid-palate and a final rush of complex dark fruit flavors. With its seductive aromas, bursting fruit intensity and moderate tannins, our 2008 Syrah is a most intriguing and versatile wine.

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Appellation: Sonoma County
Vintage: 2008
Harvest: October 2008
Fermentation: Stainless Steel
Cooperage: French Oak
Blend: 100% Syrah
Alcohol: 14.8%
Bottling: February 2010
Production: 575 cases
Release Date: May 2010
Release Price: $60.00

Reviews

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  • Wine Enthusiast: August 2011 - Rating: 90

    This wine earns its high score by virtue of sheer richness. It's enormous in blackberry, cassis, roasted meat, licorice, black pepper and smoky cedar flavors, and finishes dry and spicy. There's a tannic toughness that resists the palate, and doesn't seem likely to age out, so drink over the next few years.