Nose
Smokey and woody jumps out first in the form of cedar and cigar box with chargrilled, rare steak providing savory support to an otherwise earthy first glance. Bramble and reduced blueberry offer up an attempt at warm climate expression but quickly evolves into sticky blackberry pie and vanilla flavored cigar that lead you right back to a backdrop of charred oak and sweet anise.
Palate
The wine proceeds on the palate with an immediate pop of acidity on the entry that flashes juicy cranberry and cherry cola with a dark chocolate exterior. Textured evenly with a moderate weight, the tannin is a conundrum of typical silky-smooth edges but a tense and tactile core that drinks more like Northern Rhône than Southern. Pomegranate seed and fresh plum release as a sweet effluence from the center of the wine while savory carries the wine to the finish with flavors of smoked brisket alongside allspice and black pepper.
Bottling
Bottled in Spring of 2020.
Winemaking
The Syrah was destemmed whole berry to two stainless steel tanks, one cofermented with 20% Petite Sirah the other 100% 470 clone Syrah. After 3 days of cold soak, they were macerated on skins for another 17 days, receiving two pumpovers per day, before pressing. Petite Sirah harvested about a week later was destemmed whole berry to a concrete tank and macerated for 12 days before pressing, receiving two pumpovers or punchdowns per day.
Aging
19 months in a mix of 500L and 225L French oak barrels, about 40% of which was new. Underwent a natural malolactic fermentation before being racked. Blended and returned to barrel in July of 2019 and bottled in Spring of 2020.
