Product Review
Wells Guthrie made this wine after selling Copain to Jackson Family in 2016. A blend of syrah from the High Rock, Yorkville Estate and Hawk’s Butte vineyards, all between 1,200 to 1,600 feet in altitude, this was fermented with ambient yeasts, then aged in neutral barriques for 18 months. It starts out with the scent of a field of lavender. Then, between the wine’s tactile gentleness and lasting coastal forest scents, it develops into a glorious Pacific coast red. Underneath, there’s something dark and disruptive about the wine—some tasters found the acidity overpowering or the stemminess overt. As for me, I want it in my cellar. (1,105 cases) —J.G.
Depending on where it's grown and how it's made, the variety has two names. In France, where it goes by Syrah, it makes a huge contribution to the red wines of the Rhone Valley. In the southern Rhone villages of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and Vacqueyras it is blended with a number of varieties but mainly Grenache. It is in the northern Rhone, including Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage,Côte-Rôtie, St. Joseph, where it most often stands out on its own, and is only occasionally blended with the region's white grapes. More recently, in the late 20th Century, Shiraz has put Australian producers such as Penfolds and d’Arenberg on the fine wine map, with cult wines like Grange and The Dead Arm. Generally speaking, the style from the old world is more savoury, expressing aromas of pepper, cured meat and leather. The hotter climate experienced in Australia results in more upfront, dense and even jammy fruit. The grape has also taken off with rapid success in California and Washington, as well as South Africa and New Zealand. Producers in these regions often name their varietal wines according to the style they intend.
California is one of the most diverse wine producing regions of the world. Although it has a history spanning over 200 years, it has experienced most of its growth in the last fifty years. The regions of Napa Valley and Sonoma County have become as renowned as France’s Bordeaux and Burgundy. While Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay are by far the most popular fine wine varieties, producers in the Golden State have also experimented with an unparalleled array of diverse varieties, including Zinfandel, Syrah, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, and Tempranillo.
