Nose
The nose is grainy with features notes of cracked pepper and woody cedar cigar box perfume, underlaid by a fruitful and sweet blackberry compote and charred maple. A stark counterbalance of earthy and herbal with sweet and candied tones of brown sugar and raspberry.
Palate
On the palate, juicy fig and plump plum explode on the entry but is quickly toned down by a rich pork belly savoriness. Spiced elements of allspice and sweet pepper intermingle with a moderate acidity and densely structured, yet velvety tannin.
Growing Conditions
Sharing a property line, John Rolph’s Vineyard and La Vista Vineyard both showed great exuberance and power in 2018 and we ultimately decided to blend a couple barrels of each for this year's edition. While both vineyards are situated in the deep west section of the Adelaida District, La Vista offers more hilltop elevation and exposure that makes for a great deal of concentration of flavor and power in its tannin, and Rolph is situated downhill, adjacent to Tablas Creek and features more expressive aromatics and fresh flavors. The combination of the two sites, despite their proximity, make for a more balanced and complex expression of Syrah.
Aging
19 Months.
