2015 Syrah - Turner Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills
95 points - The Wine Enthusiast
Amazingly powerful and pure aromatics. Incredibly consistent with the previous 2014 vintage; this 2015 vintage just turns up the intensity and power dials and has more salinity and 'brininess'. White pepper for days!!! Black/cured olives, smoked meat, with tremendous flavor concentration with some fruit you can sink your teeth into on the palate. This wine will last forever, save some for the cellar!
Tasting notes
Amazingly powerful and pure aromatics. Incredibly consistent with the previous 2014 vintage; this 2015 vintage just turns up the intensity and power dials and has more salinity and 'brininess'. White pepper for days!!! Black/cured olives, smoked meat, with tremendous flavor concentration with some fruit you can sink your teeth into on the palate. This wine will last forever, save some for the cellar!
Production notes
Grapes were hand-harvested from Turner Vineyard in the northern part of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. The botella clay soil provides a rich, structured wine. 100% whole cluster fermentation in small lots (2 tons). Like always, we relied on the native yeast that the grapes carried from the vineyards to complete the fermentation. We hand punched each fermentor twice a day to enhance the extraction of colors, tannins and flavors. After primary fermentation was complete we extended maceration for up to 30-35 days to further extract color, tannins and flavor. We pressed with ultra-gentle stainless steel basket press in an 8-hour cycle. Aged in neutral oak for 22 months prior to bottling, no fining or filtering with two rackings before bottling.and then another year in bottle prior to releasing.
Vintage | 2015 |
Varietal | 100% Syrah |
Varietal Composition | Clone 1 |
Appellation | Sta. Rita Hills |
Vineyard | Turner Vineyard |
Acid | 0.63 |
PH | 3.68 |
Aging | 36 months |
Fermentation | Native Yeast |
Alcohol | 14.10% |
Wine Style | 100% whole cluster |
Volume | 750 ml |
Cases Produced | 45 |
95 Points - The Wine Enthusiast
The nose on this single-vineyard expression of cool-climate Syrah is extremely pungent and savory, offering bay leaf, thyme, charred beef, lavender and nose-tickling cracked pepper aromas. The palate is peppery as can be, lifting the dark boysenberry-jam flavors that slide toward eucalyptus and a touch of caramel on the finish: a journey of a wine.- Matt Kettmann, The Wine Enthusiast
94 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
The 2015 Syrah Turner Vineyard is laced with rose petal, cedar, sweet tobacco, spice, mint and orange peel, all of which add tremendous aromatic nuance. Beautifully lifted and perfumed, the Turner shows terrific brightness within the context of the year, along with a distinctly red fruit-leaning profile. The 100% whole clusters are very nicely integrated, even in the early going. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
93 Points - The Wine Advocate