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2004 Syrah
Las Madres
517 cases produced
15.1% alcohol
30% new French oak
18 months in barrel
$35 per bottle
$420 per case
Fruit for the 2003 Los Carneros was from Las Madres Vineyard in the Sonoma Carneros, and we have so enjoyed this fruit that we are happy now to endow it as a vineyard designate! The nose is a heady blend of lavender, grilled meat, savory herbs and white pepper. The palate offers lush layers of dark fruits, especially jammy blackberry and cola qualities. This wine is drinking beautifully right now, and, though it pairs perfectly with grilled meats or game dishes, the favorite pastime now in the Tasting Room is to search for the perfect chocolate dessert to accompany the wine!
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2004 Syrah
Bennett Valley
295 cases produced
14.4% alcohol
30% new French oak
Bottled April 2006
$35 per bottle
$420 per case
Originating from arguably the coldest sub-AVA in Sonoma County, the 2004 Bennett Valley is sourced entirely form Brian and Sally Connell’s Bennett Bench Vineyards. With 2004, we have begun our great whole cluster experiment with Rhone varietals. While no great revelation in the world of winemaking, it has benefited our Syrah program tremendously. The nose offers up scents of new saddle leather, bittersweet chocolate, kirsch and white pepper. The palate shows more sweet fruit notes with a combination of black raspberries, blackberries and plums fleshed out by a wet earth/sweet loam character coming from the stems. We didn’t know quite what to expect with the whole cluster additions (this wine being 40% whole cluster), but what we found is a more complex nose, a richer mid-palate and a much longer finish. The addition of stems has added greater dimension to every aspect of the wine.
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2003 Syrah
Sonoma Valley
Estate
200 cases produced
14.7% alcohol
25% new French oak
$40 per bottle
$480 per case
The last of the 2003 offerings to roll out, our Estate Syrah has benefited tremendously from the long growing season it encountered and its extended bottle aging. In a tasting including all our 2004 Syrahs, the 2003 Estate tasted like it had the greatest aging potential of the bunch. The nose is a steely bouquet of crushed rocks, white flowers, lavender and black pepper. Rich blackberries open the palate with a variety of dense black fruits, crème de cassis and firm allspice. The wine packs a tannic punch at the end so time in the decanter or a long nap in the cellar will help realize all this offering’s potential.
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