2014 Syrah
2014 turned out to be another perfect year for wine grapes despite the drought. The mild Winter and Spring brought about an early bud break. These growing conditions allowed for even ripening resulting in an almost perfect development of flavor, sugar, acid, and structure. The weather during the season allowed for an almost clockwork style of harvest.
Cases produced: 433
Tasting Room Retail price: $34
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Winemaking
The 2014 Syrah is a blend of two French clones: 470 and 877. Both of these selections are considered high quality and originate from the northern Cote du Rhone. The wine is made much like our Pinot Noir in that it is fermented with a large portion of whole berries in open top fermenters. The cap is hand plunged up to four times per day to allow for maximum extraction of flavor and color from the skins. The whole berries retain the deep dark blackberry fruit character that is so intense in this wine. In addition to Syrah, 5% Viognier is added to the mix to give a floral, aromatic component to the finished wine.
Alcohol: 14.8 percent by volume
TA: 4.10 g/l
pH: 3.69
Tasting Notes
The 2014 Syrah is an excellent example of a cool climate Syrah. The color is dark and the aroma is rich and deep. It’s earthy, but with a beautiful fruit component reminiscent of the scent of blackberry and blueberry pies cooling on the window sill. This wine is drinking fantastic right now and will develop in the bottle becoming more refined overtime. This Syrah can be aged for the next 5-10 years or enjoy now.
