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In 1991, we offered our first Syrah. In 1999 our own Syrah vineyards at the winery in Yountville produced their first crop, and that fruit has gone into our Napa Valley bottling ever since. Working with one other nearby Syrah vineyard and Hudson “Block M,” our 2004 Napa Valley Syrah continues that tradition.
The 2004 growing season continued a gradual warming trend begun in 2000. After a lovely, moderate Summer with very little fog but no real hot spells, the last week of August turned hot and dry, with off-shore conditions prevailing for almost ten straight days. This last push of heat is similar to favorable weather patterns in the Northern Rhone Valley. But the resulting wine shows how great terroir over-rules even weather, with its great structure and spice.
Our fermentation technique for this grape is similar to that for Merlot, pulling as much fruit and color as possible out of the grapes early in fermentation, before alcohol begins to extract harsher elements. Thus we allow higher temperatures early, but cool the fermenting must later on. The resulting tannins are soft and fine, though substantial in total volume. With Syrah, we feel that extended maceration is unnecessary to get the textures and sweet tannins we seek. In our Napa Valley Syrah lots, in particular, we want to avoid over-extraction, because we want this wine to be enjoyable early in its life.
The relative warmth of 2004 is evident in this Syrah’s rich, meaty character. But its cooler terroir shows in the mocha-coffee hints and the bright, peppery spring to its finish on the palate. What you also will taste here is a wine that is balanced between its fleshy elements (round fruit and creaminess) and its structure (tannins and acids). You will think “Rhone Syrah” (if you know it), and you will not think “oak,” because that element is fully integrated into the wine. And if you are enjoying it, appropriately enough, with a meal, you will notice how the wine keeps calling you back to refresh your palate for the next bite.
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