Aril, Atlas Peak (Napa Valley, California) Syrah 2009

In a blind tasting, this wine is intriguing because it can seem rather European in style.  The wine’s complex, concentrated aroma speaks of fresh fruit — dark berries in particular — with floral nuances and black-pepper spiciness.  In the mouth, the wine is full-bodied but lean and controlled in structure, a big wine but not powerful or heavy.  Flavors of dark fruit, tobacco, inky minerality and a meaty note are pronounced but not overwhelming, and the fruity notes suggest fresh fruit rather than over-ripeness.  This is a wine that seems to be holding itself back for your next taste rather than presenting itself to you head-on.  It is complex and it has some sophistication — the kind of Syrah that I could sip all night long.  From a fairly new winery, established in 2006, this current release is already almost four years old, and seems to be at its peak.