2016 2016 Syrah
SYRAH is a classic French varietal, stemming from an over 2000 year old cross pollination of two nearly extinct varietals, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche, from the southeastern corner of the country. Syrah is known for its heartiness, but also delicate and smooth palate. This Syrah is meant to evoke those classic expressions, but also offer a bright California take on a beloved varietal.
Technical
Tasting Notes
This Syrah is lead by notes of blackberry, herbs, and a distinct meatiness. About halfway through the primary fermentation, a rich bacon fat quality started to emerge, which lingered and evolved to give the wine a rich palate texture. Bright blackberry is immediately presented, but with a savory thyme and rosemary right behind. This wine is ready to drink in its youth, but will continue to develop nicely for several years to come.
Details
RAFT WINES was started with this Syrah vineyard. When the opportunity to make wine presented itself, it was this vineyard that really got the wheels in motion. Weed Farms is tucked into a small corner off West Dry Creek Road, approximately 70 miles north of San Francisco. While a large portion of the valley is planted to Zinfandel, there are pockets of Rhone varietals scattered about. This particular vineyard is in a cool site, where winter temperatures can sometimes leave frost on the ground for the entire day. This makes for a surprisingly lighter-in-style Syrah in comparison to some its neighbors.
This wine was picked on September 14, 2016 by a delightful crew of friends and family. Once brought into the winery, it was 100% destemmed and left to cold soak for five days. On the second day of the soak, approximately 4% Viognier was added. The co-fermentation with Viognier aids color extraction, and adds a little floral lift. On day five, the wine began naturally fermenting.
After a 14 day fermentation, the free run wine was drained and the skins were pressed. The wine was aged in a neutral oak puncheon and a neutral oak barrel.
On November 20, 2017 the wine went into bottle after a 14 month aging period.