This is Wells Guthrie's interpretation of a St.-Joseph or Crozes-Hermitage. The grapes for this Syrah are grown on organically-farmed vineyards in Mendocino County, California. They are planted with, according to Copain Wines, good clonal selections, expositions and unique soil compositions. About 15% whole clusters were used along with native yeasts and malolactic fermentation. (Malo conversion is the process of turning malolactic acid into lactic acid, which generally makes for a fuller mouthfeel and a richer more buttery flavor.) New oak was kept to a minimum (thank you) and the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered allowing the natural aromatics and flavors to come out on their own. As far as organic wines produced with such little intervention, this is the gem. This delicious, fun Syrah should drink well for 3-4 years and certainly makes one of the best syrah values around.
Price: ~20
Color: Purple plums with clarity
Nose: Ripe fruit, heady aromas, with a lite mushroom scent
Taste: Bright and full, fleshy tannins, balanced and pleasurable, really a beautiful wine for the price. Good acidity allows the flavors to linger on the palate. Red cherry dominates but also red rasberry in this young full fruit wine. It has adequate complexity but it would likely age for a couple years quite fine if I could keep from drinking it (but why?, I've kept it a full year already and I like drinking it). This 2004 opened up nicely and showed increased complexity after twenty minutes or so. After a little air the varietal nuances characteristic to syrah began to come through. Made in the Rhone valley tradition, it isn't going to compete with France, but at this price point I'm very pleased. I make a point of buying this each year when we see it, the same for the Saisons des Vins Pinot Noir L'Automne.
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