94 Points - Press Democrat
If there ever was a wine that deserved a steak, well you just found it. This is a most excellent red wine!
Winemaking
All work is done by hand: from leaf-pulling and green drop, to harvesting into half-ton bins. Once the growing season is over, the fruit is gently crushed into half ton bins, where they undergo a slow, cool fermentation with 2-3 gentle punch downs per day. When fermentation is complete they pump the juice into French barrels, where they finish secondary fermentation and gently age for 24 months. As with many of their wines, they're inspired by the great wine-growing regions of France, where minimal manipulation allows the elegance of the terroir to be most fully expressed.
APPELLATION: Alexander Valley
VINEYARDS: Estate-Grown - Hillside Fruit
VARIETAL: 98% Syrah, 2% Viognier
AGING: Aged for 24 months in French Oak.
ALCOHOL: 14.5% by volume
PRODUCTION: 200 cases
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Polished and elegantly layered Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah offers red plum and black cherry, with hints of cigar box, forest floor, bay, baking spices, light pepper and vanilla on the nose. Expressive black raspberry, sassafras and smoky pepper flavors that linger with salted dark chocolate, red plum, cherry with notes of pepper on the palate.
94 Points, Wine Enthusiast
This big juicy wine opens up with aromas of dark berry, black plum, dried violet and maple that leap from a glass, layered with dried herbs, tar, and smoke that follow. Blackberry and blueberry compote rule the palate, while leather, grilled herbs, dark chocolate and scorched earth lead to a long, satisfying finish. Delicious!
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Dark fruit aromas of black raspberry, blackberry and black cherry steer the aromatics backed by baking spices, anise and lavender. A touch of Syrah to add tannin and depth. On the palate, black cherry and blackberry preserve shine through rounded out by herbs de Provence, dark chocolate and vanilla. A gorgeous expressive wine!
