2013 Syrah

The best Syrahs are wines with great aging potential and this wine is surely that, with its concentrated flavors and profound structure that are the hallmark of red wines from this phenomenal vintage. Intense aromas of boysenberry, blackberry, black tea, wild strawberry and white pepper are balanced by a thick and rich texture that just keep on giving.

The 2013 growing season started off early and very dry, creating tiny berries with a high skin-to-juice ratio which is always a sign of exciting wines to come. Grapes were night-harvested in three individual picks on September 28, October 4 and October 7, co-fermented with 1.5% viognier and drained off their skins approximately two weeks later.  The wine was then barrel aged in neutral oak for 16 months prior to bottling.

 

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Appellation: Sonoma County
Vintage: 2013
Harvest: October 2013
Fermentation: Stainless Steel
Cooperage: 100% Neutral Oak
Blend: 98.5% Syrah
1.5% Viognier
Alcohol: 14.7%
Bottling: March 2015
Production: 1300 cases
Release Date: April 2015
Release Price: $60.00

Reviews

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  • Vinous: October 2015, online - Rating: 92+

     

    A deep, inky wine, the 2013 Syrah offers tons of density and pure power. Black pepper, plums, smoke, licorice and dark spices all meld together in the glass. This is an especially ripe, sumptuous Syrah built on bold fruit and textural creaminess.

  • The Wine Advocate: eRobertParker.com #221 Oct. 2015 - Rating: 90

    The 2013 Syrah, which is aged 16 months in neutral French oak, comes from the Sonoma side of their vineyards. It is a full-bodied, inky purple wine with good density, plenty of plum, blackberry, pepper and steak tartare notes. There is even a floral element, which may be attributable to the 1.5% Viognier that is co-fermented with the Syrah. This wine tips the scales at about 14.7% alcohol, which is in keeping with what most of their wines tend to be potency-wise, as they range from about 14.4 to 14.9%.

  • Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine: November 2015 - Rating: 91

    That this is potent and powerful stuff is clear from its immediate aromas of ripe berries, chocolate and hard-charging oak, yet it is only with airing that peppery spice begins to join in and set it on the defined varietal track. On the palate, the wine is dense and impressively stuffed, but it is grippy and toughly tannic as well. Although it earns high marks for its depth and richness, refinement will be long in the making, and, if perhaps succeeding as a foil to heartier roasted meats several years hence, it has the structure and strength to encourage longer keeping and is sure to reward patience.

  • California Grapevine: May 2016 - Rating: 90

    Dark purplish ruby; attractive, deep, fragrant, spicy, earthy, blackberry fruit aroma with notes of vanilla, black tea, and cracked pepper; full body; big, rich, extracted, peppery, black fruit flavors that are mouth-filling and a bit rough on the finish; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Will benefit with another three to five more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

  • Wine Spectator: February 2016 - Rating: 91

    A firm backbone of lively acidity and loamy tannins gives fine structure to an array of flavors, from black raspberry and licorice to mineral, dried herb and cracked pepper. Drink now through 2027. 1,300 cases made.–TF