Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has black raspberries, char and black pepper. With air, a chalky quality emerges along with more concentrated black raspberries. Good acidity. Deep, still young and complex on the palate. At ten years of age, this is ageing quite slowly. Delicious and complex. It slowly unwinds in the glass. Still plenty of fruit and firm tannins suggesting much more room for development. Long finish. Worked great with hearty food.
Another winner from this winery making lower alcohol, cooler climate wines from California. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, char, black olives and roasted herbs. On the palate, this is medium to full bodied. Black raspberries with an underlying char. Also some earthiness. Good acidity. Nice finish. Very food friendly with some potential upside over the next few years.
The first bottle of this I tried had likely been exposed to heat during shipping. It is great that I was able to try a proper bottle. Much better. Purple in color with ruby swirls. Interesting nose. It is smoky with a scent that reminded me of a really good corned beef sandwich at a Jewish deli. That is meaty, slightly salty, a bit of yeast, and slight roasted meats. Very proper and welcoming. This is a cool climate Syrah and it drinks very well. There is some bacon fat too, but that wouldn't go at a Jewish Deli. ;-) There also is some boysenberry fruit lurking in the background.
