Our winemaker, Celia Welch Masyczek, works closely with Sergio Melgoza, our vineyard manager, as they both believe that the art of making great wine begins in the vineyard. After a long ripening period of moderate temperatures and sunny weather the Syrah was selectively hand harvested during the cool morning hours from the “Grigsby” vineyard. The fruit was destemmed then transferred into an open-top tank for fermentation, with about two weeks of total skin contact time. The Syrah was then gently pressed off and transferred into barrels. The wine was aged for 17 months in French oak barrels, approximately 65% new. This 100% varietal Syrah was filtered for clarity just prior to bottling.
Located at the northwest corner of the Silverado Trail and Yountville Crossroad, the vineyard soil is a light clay-loam, sprinkled with small river-rocks. With its proximity to the Stags Leap District, the vineyard receives cooling breezes most afternoons, originating from San Pablo Bay. The vineyard is farmed with the highest quality considerations and the Syrah fruit clusters are thinned to prevent crowding or shading for optimal color and flavor development.
True to the flavors of this vineyard, the 2005 Syrah shows smokey cherry and wild plum aromas, with a touch of dried lavender and nutmeg. On the palate, the wine shows its ripe concentration yet retains an overall impression of elegance, with a soft, polished texture at the finish.