2014 Donelan Syrah Obsidian Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Knights Valley, Wine Review

Sadly, this vineyard was burned in 2017 in the fires of Sonoma and Napa. It is being replanted which is good news as this was the star of the Donelan line-up. This was tasted from Magnum. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, and some grilled meats. With air a nice floral note emerges. On the palate, this has a softer accessible side which is nice, but don't mistake that for a lack of structure. Black raspberry fruit with underlying char. It is classic Sonoma Syrah that should last a couple of decades more and continue to improve along the way. Worked well with grilled pizzas.

Grade:

Score:

Vintage:

2014

2014 Donelan Syrah Obsidian Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Knights Valley Wine Review

Vintage:

2014

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$100.00USD

From Magnum. This bottle was opened and allowed to breather for six hours prior to serving. It needed every bit of that and more. Inky purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, roasted herbs, slight earthiness and slight floral qualities. Full bodied. Firm tannins. On the palate, lot of black raspberry fruit with a bit of roasted meats and black pepper. Though there is a lot of fruit, this is not over ripe at all. Juicy acidity works well with the food. This is still young and will likely improve over the next five years. The wine has already improved since t

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The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. The 16th annual Hospice du Rhone events in Paso Robles, California from May 1 to 3, 2008 was an opportunity to consider Rhone-style wines from a fresh perspective. Unlike most tasting opportunities, these events included Rhone-style wines from the Rhone Valley itself (51 wineries), elsewhere in France (4 wineries) as well as from Spain (4 wineries), Australia (17 wineries), South Africa (6 wineries), Chile (2 wineries), Argentina (1 winery) and the United States. The American wines were mostly from California (144 wineries), but a few examples from Arizona (2 wineries) and Washington State (5 wineries) were also included. While this is a California-dominated event, and while many of the Rhone Valley’s best producers aren’t represented, there is still sufficient European and other entries to make for interesting comparisons and contrasts. The events included two general tastings and a series of focused seminars.

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Top Ten California Syrahs - 2016

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Syrah is a grape that most wine merchants will tell you is a difficult sell. It seems it’s always going to be the next big thing, but never is. For consumers, that’s a good thing. A great Syrah usually will cost far less than a comparable quality Cabernet or Pinot Noir. For my money, I tend to buy more Syrah than any other grape. A disclaimer here – I liked it so much, I started to make it. In any event, as the temperatures start to drop, fall is great time for a hearty red with dinner or next to a warming fire. Syrah is a grape that really changes its personality depending on where it is grown. Cooler climate Syrahs can be quite different from warmer climate ones. California has plenty of each. While I love many of the cooler climate Syrahs, most of the ones listed below are warmer climate Syrahs. In my opinion, that is where the very best of Syrahs from California can be found.

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2014 Donelan Syrah Obsidian Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Knights Valley, Wine Review

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