A bruiser that’s leaning hard into the meaty side of the variety, with a huge backbone, brown spice, oak char and dark side fruit. It’s taut and a little shy at present, but promises a future of richness, weight and power balanced by an Hermitage-like elegance. Try tucking one of these away if you’d like to see what Syrah can do over the long haul.
Stolpman, Ballard Canyon (Santa Barbara County, California) Syrah 2014
By Rich Cook