2017 2017 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
Syrah has the wonderful ability to be both wild and delicate. This Syrah is equal parts floral, herbal, and spice - with notes of violet, thyme, and black pepper immediately present on the nose. It is followed by a beautiful rich black current note. On the palate, there is great structure with a stronger tannin then the previous vintage. It has a beautiful blackberry note, as if they were pureed and served with pot de creme.
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.
The 2017 Weed Farms Syrah was picked on September 4, at the tail end of a record-breaking heatwave. The heat wave was just what it needed to get to an optimal 22 Brix. 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 July 27, 2018 the wine went into bottle after a 10 month aging period.