2021 Santa Lucia Highlands "Rosella's Vineyard" Syrah
100% Syrah
Our last fruit of the year (and, sadly, our last Syrah from this vineyard), Rosella’s arrived to the winery just as the heavens opened up with a deluge of near biblical proportion. In fact, after a couple of days, many areas of Sonoma County had 12” or more of rain and for the first time ever, both north and south approaches to the winery flooded. Talk about slamming the harvest door shut! Twenty-five percent whole cluster. Uninoculated fermentation. Twenty-three days on the skins. Aged in all French oak, 15% new barrique and one new 600 L demi-muid. Unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note:
Dark black-purple. Lifted, very perfumed aromas of blackberry, pepper, Ruby Red grapefruit, and cream with subtle stem notes adding interest in the background. On the palate, holy moly! Such incredible texture, such impeccable balance. Plenty of dark berry fruit and Ruby Red grapefruit to complement all the wonderful Santa Lucia Highlands spice. Finishes long and gently tannic. This wine would more than hold its own in a blind tasting of top-flight Côte-Rôties. Drink this impressive cool-climate Syrah from 2024 through 2036. (MRO - 07/15/23)