Description
TASTING NOTE:
Even a cool vintage does little to nudge Roll Ranch Syrah away from a lavish expression of fruit. This 2019 bottling is all about it. Still, there’s lots of cool-climate intrigue and freshness to this big Syrah. Rich aromas of ripe red plum and black cherry dominate, but brighter beams of apricot poke through and there are pretty botanical qualities of jasmine tea, fenugreek and sage-y herbs. Lots of that is on the palate too, which gives luscious stone fruits before turning toward mouthwatering berry notes with spiciness and roasted herbs in the finish. The tannins are fine but plentiful—pair it with fatty meat dishes like carnitas, ribeye or cassoulet in the meantime. Not a meat-eater? The big fruit of this wine is a tasty counter to the bitter edge of crispy roasted vegetables.
VINTAGE & WINEMAKING:
2019, like its sister vintage 2018, will go down as one of our favorite vintages. The cool Spring led to a later start for the vines, then onshore coastal weather dominated throughout veraison. We obtained perfectly healthy fruit throughout a long, staggered harvest that stretched into the end of October. This Syrah was harvested in the wee hours of the morning on September 16th. We loaded the tank with 71% whole-clusters, including a bit of Viognier. Then added our house-cultured yeast (derived from fruit picked while sampling) and gently pumped over the juice twice a day until the wine became dry. It was then aged in French oak barrels (21% new) for 20 months, with just one racking before bottling. Like almost all our reds, it was bottled unfiltered and unfined with minimal effective sulfur.
