100% Syrah – Cristaldi & Co

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2018

Rhinory

Keras Collection Syrah

This is a bright, energetic, and youthful Syrah—even at seven years of age when tasted. Made by Richard Kershaw at a winery in Elgin. High-toned notes of white pepper and red fruit lead, with nuances of espresso bean. Medium-bodied on the palate, with sinewy tannins, juicy red berry fruit, pressed wildflowers, and loamy earth notes, all carried by a sea spray minerality—a hallmark of the ocean breezes that cool the region at night. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in neutral oak for 18 months.

Red

2019

Belle Fiore

Signature Series Syrah

The Signature Series Syrah, was just two barrels, and fermented in open-tops and aged in 50% nfr for 22 months. Winemaker Rob Folin says this is the best barrel in the cellar in 2019 and the second barrel complements this Syrah. The aromastics are incredibly hedonistic with cinnamon and allspice, with asomeo f the meaty Syrah characterur shining through with red cherry, blackberry, and blue fruit with notes of dried violets

Red

2020

Belle Fiore

Syrah

Fermented in open-top bins and aged for 24 months in roughly 30% new French oak, this wine delivers classic tar and rose petal notes alongside black truffle, charcuterie, and a distinctive black sea salt character. Earthy and layered with underbrush, it’s medium-bodied with sinewy tannins, crunchy red fruit, and a touch of allspice on the lengthy, savory finish.

Red

2020

Longboard Vineyards

Dakine Vineyard Syrah

This was the last of about 200 wines I tasted from Sonoma over two days—and what a standout. It’s a fabulous Syrah, the nose bursting with baked fruit and charcuterie notes, candied violets, and a Rhône Valley–like flair, all nuanced by white pepper and an irresistible minty freshness. Full on the palate, it offers round, supple tannins and rich fig fruit wrapped in dark salted chocolate, building with intensity and wild herb complexity through the long, drawn-out finish. What a terrific wine.

Red

2020

Wanderlust Vineyard

Syrah

The 2020 Syrah is intensely savory, marked by white and black pepper, leather, black olive pit and loamy earth. More raspberry and cherry fruit emerge on the palate, carried by sinewy tannins, dried violets, blood orange and an iron-scented acidity, with crisp apple-skin undertones adding lift.

Red

2021

Argot

Indigo Syrah

The Indigo Syrah from Sonoma Mountain is the most powerful expression in the lineup—akin to the Appellation Series, but dialed all the way up. Aged for 28 months in 100% new French oak, this bottling is the dark knight of the Syrahs: brooding, intense, yet lifted with precision. Supple blackberry fruit leads the charge, accented by violets, dark cherrywood, and deep brown baking spices. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, layered with dark cacao and salted, saline minerality that carries through an everlasting finish. Intense and muscular, yet refined by freshness and spice, this is a Syrah of commanding presence and exceptional tension.

Red

2021

Argot

Rosetta Syrah

“When we’re assembling the blends for the vintage, we put together an über-blend,” says winemaker Justin Harmon. From that exercise come tiny-production bottlings—about 50 cases each—of Rosetta and Babel. These wines are set aside in neutral barrels, left to rest for an additional year in the quiet corners of the cellar before release. This wine leads with super high-toned dark berry fruit layered with cinnamon spice and floral lift. The palate has a cooler presence, with tremendous concentration of rich black fruit and finely knit, sinewy apple-skin tannins. Broad-shouldered yet focused, it’s held together by crunchy acidity that drives freshness and tension throughout. At this stage, it remains tightly coiled, with exceptional structure and energy. There’s no doubt this wine is still unwinding—but even now, it’s profoundly delicious and promises remarkable evolution with time.

Red

2021

Carr Winery

Kærskov Vineyard Syrah

Kærskov Vineyard, located in the center of the Los Olivos District AVA, is a high-density site planted 6’ x 3’ on clay-loam and river-stone soils. Ryan Carr planted the vineyard in 2014 and continues to farm it today. This Syrah was aged for 20 months in one-year-old French oak. Dark berry fruit is interwoven with anise, fennel seed, and cedarwood spice, all building across the full-bodied palate with chalky tannins and a lingering charcuterie-and-dried-violet finish.

Red

2021

Dragonette

MJM Syrah

Brooding, expressive, and impressively focused, this blend of 97% Syrah and 3% Grenache draws from three distinctive vineyard sites—Stolpman (clay loam and limestone), John Sebastiano (Linne clay loam), and Larner (sand)—each selected for its unique soil series. The wine opens with a rush of pure black cherry and blackberry fruit, mingling with dark plum, deep forest underbrush, bark, dark chocolate, rich loamy earth, and roasted espresso bean. Aromatics build with momentum, gaining lift and energy on the palate, where gorgeously perfumed violet and rose petal notes emerge. In 2021, the tannins are particularly gentle, velvety, and elongated, wrapped in a dusting of white pepper and tobacco leaf. The finish is vivid and complex, with ripe, muddled farmers market–fresh blueberries, a pulse of blood orange acidity, and savory notes of black truffle, tar, and incense. Wow. As winemaker Brandon Sparks-Gillis explains, the idea behind Dragonette’s MJM Syrah has always been simple: “The sum is greater than its parts.” That ethos has guided every vintage since the inaugural release in 2007.

Red

2021

French Connection Wines

Newsom Vineyards Syrah

Newsom Vineyards is widely regarded as one of the top sites in Texas, though, as Ben Calais notes, Syrah can be finicky here and doesn’t always perform consistently. In 2021, at the winery’s request, the vineyard owners replanted the Syrah block with cleaned-up vine material. This bottling represents the final harvest from the original vines. Until the replanted block reaches full production, they are working with Syrah from a neighbouring section. This is a decidedly Texan Syrah, with ripe fruit and deep mineral tension. It shows meaty aromatics, but as Calais explains, it will never taste the same year to year due to the region’s extreme vintage variation. In 2021, conditions were relatively mild with no severe heat spikes. Syrah buds early, and in this vintage was harvested by mid-September—early for a red variety in the region. The wine is bold and rich, showing layered notes of toffee and wild herbs, balanced by vibrant blood orange acidity and a finish marked by baking spice.

Red

2021

JMC Cellars

Reserve Syrah

100% Syrah sourced from Clark Vineyard and Dante Robere Vineyard. A bold and juicy red with white pepper, kirsch, and expressive cedarwood aromatics. Supple, plump tannins support juicy blueberry and blackberry compote, layered with more white pepper, violets, cherry coulis, and graphite. A hint of black truffle charcuterie rounds out the medium-bodied finish.

Red

2021

Longboard Vineyards

Rodgers Creek Vineyard Syrah

The Rodgers Creek Syrah delivers layers of blackberry, dark walnut husk, black olive, dried violet, and black truffle–charcuterie character. Medium-bodied and supple, it shows vibrant, high-toned acidity and burly tannins that gradually take on a velvety feel. The finish is long, refined, and lightly citrusy.

Red

2021

Peter Willliam

PWV Peter William Vineyard Les Candives Syrah Reserve

The Syrah grapes are destemmed, given 18 days of skin contact with daily punchdowns, then aged 21 months in 50% new French oak. Beautiful Syrah character lifts from the glass, drawing you in with perfumed rose petal and violet notes, along with a black-truffle, vanilla-scented charcuterie nuance that weaves through the dark-berry fruit and spice. The palate is supple and creamy, showing loamy earth and an ironstone mineral character. Powdery, refreshing tannins and layered brown spices carry the finish. Such an enticing Syrah. Sourced entirely from the hillside estate of Peter William Vineyard in the Rogue Valley — a small site planted since 2013 with roughly ten acres under vine.

Red

2022

Argot

Indigo Syrah

The Indigo Syrah from Sonoma Mountain was aged for 28 months in 100% new French oak, and in 2022 this wine feels like an anomaly for the vintage—though perhaps not. Winemaker Justin Harmon tells me the grapes were still going through veraison during the 2022 heatwave, after which conditions cooled significantly. That sequence shows clearly in the glass. There is an impressive sense of coolness to the wine, with blue- and black-fruited character, beautifully perfumed rose petal and violet notes, all building into a full-bodied richness on the palate. The structure is framed by supple, soft, round, silky tannins, finishing with unctuous dark berry fruit and cocoa powder–like tannins, followed by a saline, wet-slate mineral note on the long finish. This is a dangerously drinkable wine—make sure you do not have to drive anywhere after pulling the cork.

Red

2022

Argot

Steiner Vineyard Syrah

From vines on Sonoma Mountain at 1,100 feet, rooted in gray, ashen soils. The nose absolutely screams with crunchy black cherry fruit, violet pastille, rose petals, white pepper, and tobacco spices. Full-bodied with a suave texture and supple tannins, it delivers layers of tobacco leaf and cigar box, black truffle, and charcuterie. Super juicy blood orange notes carry through the everlasting finish, lifted by grippy acidity. Aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak.

Red

2022

Argot

Syrah

Absolutely explosive in its expression, this Syrah from Sonoma Mountain is both intensely perfumed and deliciously concentrated. Aged for 22 months in 25% new French oak, the wine reflects meticulous farming practices that are critical to taming Syrah’s natural vigor. As winemaker Justin notes, “Syrah should be farmed like Pinot—but it’s so vigorous you need a machete to the canopy, or the sun will never reach the fruit.” To ensure proper exposure, the vineyard is farmed down to one cluster per shoot, yielding around 2.5 tons per acre. The resulting wine bursts with aromas of violets, white pepper, blood orange, and cherry, framed by expressive pine forest notes. The palate is rich yet lifted, carrying all those vibrant elements through a lengthy, beautifully attractive finish.

Red

2022

Cattleya

The Initiation

What a gorgeous aroma: black pepper, wild blackberries, garrigue, lavender, smoked game, and iron. There is a fantastic mouthfeel to go with it, too, one that’s chock-full of red, black, and blue fruit, but also tons of minerals and surprising structure. A stunner, sourced from Côte Rôtie clones planted in the Soberanes Vineyard. – J.R.

Red

2022

Dragonette

Seven Syrah

Year to year, this wine goes in and out of the most vivid floral intensity imagineable and in 2022 it is back in spades, boasting darkly seductive voilets and rose petals notes, dark blood orange acidity, darker cranberry and black cherry notes, alluring incense and a deep woodsy underbrush character, liek the backside of a fallen bark on the forest floor, detail-driven into the tannins, which are supple and salty, giving length, tension, and energy to this entry level Syrah from Dragonette. What a killer wine.

Red

2022

Melville

Estate Syrah

Syrah fruit for this wine comes from both the East Side and West Side estate properties. It was fermented with 65% whole cluster in 1.5-ton open-top stainless steel bins, then pressed to barrel and aged for 11 months prior to bottling. This is a far more approachable Syrah than Donna’s Block—juicier and more supple, with blackberry, black cherry, and blueberry fruit leading the way. The tannins are gentler, yet still carry a crisp, crunchy edge, balanced by expressive, juicy acidity with a blood orange character. Aromatically complex, the wine offers layers of perfumed rose petals, clove, and incense, with dried sage and spearmint adding nuance. Super fresh, inviting, and wonderfully complete.

Red

2022

Melville

Estate Syrah, Donna's Block

Donna’s Block is located on the east side of the estate, surrounding the winery. Fermented with 100% whole cluster in 1.5-ton open-top stainless steel bins, this wine requires foot-stomping in the early days to break things up enough for punchdowns. “The stems are perfectly ripe,” says assistant winegrower Garrett Adelman. After fermentation, the wine is pressed to all neutral oak and aged for 18 months. Typically picked in November, the grapes never become overripe—pH remains low, preserving freshness and balance. Let me tell you: this is one of the most expressive Syrahs you’ll taste from the Sta. Rita Hills. It’s a complex enigma of a wine—medium- to full-bodied, with firm, taut, mineral-laced tannins that carry a subtle meaty quality, reminiscent of the best black truffle charcuterie you’ve ever had. That profound structure frames juicy black cherry, early-season blueberry, and blackberry seed, layered with clove, allspice, incense, rose stem, perfumed violets, both fresh and dried. The finish? So very long. Just—wow.

Red

2022

Samsara

John Sebastiano Vineyard Syrah

This Syrah hails from John Sebastiano Vineyard—one of the crown jewels of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Windswept and wild, it’s an exceptional site for Syrah, and this 2022 rendition from Samsara is a case in point. High-toned and aromatic, it opens with violet, rose petal, dried lavender, bay laurel and black truffle charcuterie, all laced with a dusting of sweetly smoked paprika. The palate is beautifully supple, medium to full-bodied, with silky tannins that carry an intriguing mineral edge—think crushed red rock or iron. It finishes with slate-like texture and tension, leaving a vivid, dynamic impression. A knockout effort from winemaker Matt Brady and the cellar team. Joan and Dave Szkutak, owners of Samsara, continue to assemble an impressive portfolio of utterly riveting wines.

Red

2023

Argot

Syrah

This Syrah from Sonoma Mountain was aged for 22 months in 50% new French oak. The resulting wine bursts with aromas of violets, white pepper, blood orange, and cherry, framed by expressive pine forest notes. The palate is rich yet lifted, carrying those vibrant elements through a long, beautifully attractive finish. As it opens in the glass, the wine builds with additional layers of white pepper, cedarwood, and blackberry and black cherry fruit, accented by a hint of charcuterie. Powerful tannins and a dark slate–driven mineral character frame the wine, while blood orange notes, zesty acidity, and palpable tension keep everything fresh and focused. It feels super fresh and a bit coiled at this stage. Winemaker Justin Harmon notes, “Syrah should be farmed like Pinot—but it’s so vigorous you need a machete to the canopy, or the sun will never reach the fruit.” To ensure proper exposure, the vineyard is farmed down to one cluster per shoot, yielding around 2.5 tons per acre.

Red

2023

DANCIN

Danseur Syrah

Sourced from Crater View Vineyard, just across the street from DANCIN, this Syrah was native fermented in 1.5-ton macro bins and aged for 17 months in 40% new French oak. It’s a beautifully multidimensional wine, showcasing pure blackberry and blue fruit nuances, candied violets, and white pepper. Medium-bodied on the palate with building tannins, exceptional length, and velvet-textured structure, it’s framed by Indian spices and layered with floral intensity on the long, energetic finish. An excellent wine.

Red

2023

Kobler Estate Winery

Estate Reserve Syrah

The wine offers dark berry fruit, woodsy aromatics, dark loamy earth, and espresso bean, with the Viognier adding a touch of floral lift. On the medium-bodied palate, more Syrah character comes through as blackberry, black cherry, and subtle charcuterie notes that intermingle with the woodsy tones on the finish. Roughly 4–5% Viognier is blended back before bottling.

Red

2023

Koehler Winery

Hinnrichs Vineyard Syrah

A very small and special bottling of Hinnrichs Vineyard Syrah from Ballard Canyon. The fruit was 100% destemmed, aged 18 months in barrel, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Mixed berry fruit and woodsy spices build in the glass, joined by clove and earthy mineral notes. This is a medium-bodied Syrah framed by firm tannins that resolve gracefully, with mid-weight cherry and spiced plum adding intrigue. Notes of vanilla and wet slate carry the finish. Koehler Winery is a 60-acre wine estate in the Santa Ynez Valley, owned by the Koehler family since 1991.

Red

2023

Pedro Guillermo (by Peter William)

Peter William Vineyard Syrah-Cha-Cha

Sourced entirely from Peter William Vineyard in the Rogue Valley, fermented in one-ton open-top bins, then aged 20 months in neutral French oak. This is a spicy, cha-cha Syrah with pure dark-berry fruit, white pepper, earthy brightness, and dried florals. Silky, juicy, and persistent on the medium-bodied finish—exactly the kind of thirst-quenching wine you need after a night of salsa dancing.

Red

2023

Stolpman Vineyards

Angeli Syrah

Sourced from the own-rooted Syrah blocks surrounding the estate house—named Villa Angeli, after relatives on Pete Stolpman’s mother’s side—this wine is fermented with two-thirds whole cluster in concrete and aged for 15 months in neutral 500-liter puncheons. The aromatics are initially subtle, needing a bit of swirling to unlock layers of brambly blackberry and red cherry fruit, along with high-toned violets and rose petals. On the palate, the wine delivers super powerful, robust tannins with a muscularity that builds and builds—soaring skyward before resolving into juicy blue fruit and intense graphite on the finish. A brooding, structured Syrah with incredible lift and presence.

Red

2023

Stolpman Vineyards

Estate Grown Syrah

About 50% whole cluster, this Syrah is native fermented in concrete and aged for 11 months in neutral 500-liter puncheons. It’s sourced entirely from the winery’s own-rooted Syrah blocks. This is one of the finest California Syrahs under $40 you’re likely to encounter. It brims with coiled energy and delivers super expressive red and blackberry fruit, with blue fruit nuances woven into a tapestry of brown baking spices, clove, incense, violets, and crushed stone. Medium-bodied with powerful, expressive tannins that resolve into a powdery texture, the wine finishes with fragrant wild herbs. Gorgeous and layered from start to finish.

Red

2023

Stolpman Vineyards

Great Places August James Syrah

These are the Clape Reynard plantings from 1903. In 2013, 50 cuttings were brought over—49 were planted individually, while the 50th became the mother vine, planted at the highest elevation in the northeast corner of a 10-acre block with a planting density of 6,000 vines per acre. This wine includes fruit from within the interior of that mother vine. The first vintage was 2017, with 2018 marking the first commercial release. It was native fermented in stainless steel with two-thirds whole clusters, then pressed to barrel—mostly free-run juice—aged for 18 months in neutral 500-liter puncheons. This is a bold, powerful wine, yet it carries an elegant intensity. The complexity begins in the perfume: rose petals, violets, and white pepper rise from the glass, building into a full-bodied palate framed by mineral-laced, meaty tannins with a fine granularity. Blue fruits and blood orange acidity carry through the core, while more floral perfume unfurls on the long, layered finish.

Red

2023

Stolpman Vineyards

Great Places Jessica Lauren Syrah

Named after Pete Stolpman’s wife, Jessica, this wine is sourced from Les Grandes Places Serine, with the inaugural vintage in 2022. It was native fermented in stainless steel with two-thirds whole cluster, and aged for 18 months in two neutral 500-liter puncheons—mostly from free-run juice. This is an intensely concentrated wine, bursting with pure dark berry fruit and layered spice. The tannins are powerful and robust yet beautifully integrated, with a velvety quality. High-toned violets, mulberry, and mouth-gripping acidity give the wine remarkable freshness and drive. Exceptionally expressive and focused, with excellent depth of fruit and a precise, laser-like finish.