2012 Santa Lucia Highlands "Sierra Mar Vineyard" Syrah
100% Syrah
Holy cannolis! If you liked our 2011 Sierra Mar Syrah, wait until you flop your lip on this puppy! I am so happy Gary Francioni decided to plant a small amount of Syrah at Sierra Mar Vineyard. I’m even happier he decided to sell me some! Picked on October 17th at 26.0 Brix (compared to 25.8 in 2011), the must was cold soaked for five days before being inoculated with a slow fermenting yeast strain isolated from a fermentation in Germany. After 21 days on the skins, it was pressed to all French oak, 23% new. Unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note:
Opaque, blacklight purple. Glass staining. A totally compelling bouquet of blackberry, flowers, licorice allsorts, and creosote. Compared to Papa’s Block, more bass and less treble. Quite rich and full bodied with ample structure framing the umami and dark fruit flavors. Luscious. A captivating wine that can be enjoyed now for its power and intensity or left alone for up to 10 years to become something more civilized. (MRO – 01/18/14)