Nose
Satsuma plums have a lovely fruit perfume much like our Syrah. Layers of licorice and marshmallow dust enhance the decadent jammy aromas.
Palate
Sweet oak char shows as tobacco and cigar box accented with maple syrup from the barrel aging. Velvety texture for which Syrah is known is expressed with black cherry fruit with black pepper spice. The tannins start to hold grip mid-taste testifying at the youth of the vintage.
Growing Conditions
Grown in several cooler locations in Napa, our Syrah vineyards offer jammy texture combined with tobacco smoke character. We allow the large, ovoid berries to start to dimple and pucker on their loose clusters before harvesting. Syrah typically has a high acid structure and patience is necessary to wait for the fruit to develop the proper flavor in the field. The dimpling in the ripe fruit is only a visual sign, which in combination with excessive tasting will provide the winery with the desirable lush, new world style Syrah at harvest.
Gentle care is taken to create a richly nuanced wine. Blending with Petite Sirah provides mid-palate structure where the tannins often attempt to overpower the beautiful fruit our
vineyards deliver.
Harvest
The 2014 vintage in Napa Valley celebrated a near-perfect growing season despite less than receiving less than half the normal rainfall. Late spring rains were well-timed, arriving after budbreak, allowing for even flowering, fruit set and helped power the vines throughout the season. However the third year of continued drought had yields on our red grapes difficult to estimate accurately. It was a small vintage for both us and our growers, but we think we did them proud!
Winemaking
7 Days Skin Contact 100% Stainless Steel Fermentation
Aging
14 Months in French & American Oak Barrels 87% New Oak
Food Pairing
Serve with an ancho chile rubbed pork loin paired with grilled winter squash.
