Wind Gap, Syrah 2014, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California

Tasting Note: A North Coast syrah that seriously impresses and punches above its weight.

Deep-intensity purple in color, this wine has a medium-plus-intensity, aromatic nose that is reminiscent of Northern Rhone fruit done in a slightly more floral style.

There are aromas of fresh raspberry, black plum, dried-crushed violet petal, blackberry, vanilla baking spice and blossom.

On the palate the dry, medium-plus-bodied wine is as smooth as a silk sheet in texture with raspy, medium-plus-intensity purple-fruit flavors suggested on the nose.

The wine is medium in acidity with plush, ripe, medium tannin.

There is midpalate complexity and balance between the fruit and tannin structure.

A dinner-party-impress-the-host-worthy bottle.

Bottle Note: This syrah is a selection of some of the finest hillside plantings on the Sonoma Coast. Multiple expressions, elevations, clonal selections and rootstocks work together to create this savory, complex and coastally-shaped wine. Traditional wine making techniques including 100% whole-cluster fermentations in concrete, wild yeasts and neutral French Oak aging for 10 months can be attributed to this wine’s precision. 60 barrels, 1,300 cases bottled.