In 2008, Mother Nature threw her entire book of tricks at us. First there was a significant frost in late April that thinned our Syrah crop to almost one ton per acre. Next, unpredictable weather during bloom and veraison created great variability in ripening, making selective harvesting of each vineyard block in multiple passes a necessity. Finally, hot, dry weather in September and October coaxed the grapes to the absolute peak of ripeness. Syrah vines thrive on stress and adversity, and the result of all this strife is a wine of unparalleled concentration, expressiveness and intensity. It was quite a rollercoaster, but in retrospect, we wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The nose swirls with concentrated aromas of Bing cherry, rose petal, creosote, sandalwood, butcher block and cardamom. As with every vintage of our Syrah, the 2008 saw no new oak and was 100% de-stemmed, so the kaleidoscope of complexity derives from the grapes alone. The first sip reveals a palate packed with up-front fruit and tempered acidity, followed by a dense mid-palate and a final rush of complex dark fruit flavors. With its seductive aromas, bursting fruit intensity and moderate tannins, our 2008 Syrah is a most intriguing and versatile wine.