One of the most interesting wines in California; too bad there were only 170 cases made. It’s just 11.6% alcohol, a throwback to the 1970s, yet the wine tastes perfectly ripe: This is very savory, but there are no green notes and the tannins aren’t tough. Instead, it opens with preserved-meat flavors and strong mineral notes and leaves cherry fruit on the finish. It’s light-bodied and seems to change sip-to-sip. Just 170 cases made.
Sandler, Bennett Valley (California) Syrah 2010
By W. Blake Gray