Some of our favorite wines in France come from the Northern Rhône appellations of Cornas, Côte-Rôtie, and Hermitage, where the Syrah grape reigns supreme. Our 2020 vintage Syrah was inspired by Northern Rhône greats like Thierry Allemand, Auguste Clape, and Gerard Chave, and sourced from the Bien Nacido vineyard in the agricultural heart of the Santa Maria Valley. Once of the coolest climates for growing Pinot Noir in California, we prefer what this site does with Syrah, and our 2018 was sourced from their steepest “Z-block,” giving the wine lots of tension.
Harvested on October 20th at just 22.9 brix, we vinified with 75% whole bunches, avoiding any additions of sulphur (SO2), and then aged the wine for 17 months in neutral French oak barrels. Bottling was done without fining or filtration, and only 211 cases were produced.
Our favorite burger night wine, the 2020 vintage is bold, full-bodied, and bursting with aromas of smoke, boysenberry and blueberry fruits, and the classic black pepper spice of Syrah. One of the best pairings we’ve ever had with Syrah was at a picnic overlooking the vineyards of Cornas, where Auguste Clape’s son and grandson served us Caillettes, a local version of meatballs made with liver, cooked greens, nutmeg and wrapped in caul fat. If you’re not feeling this adventurous, stick to cheeseburgers, or some thin-crust pizza!
