| Score: |
91 RP.
"The 2013 Syrah Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard is aged 18 months in about one-third new French oak puncheons and some smaller barrels. It is co-fermented with 5% Viognier, giving the wine a floral, uplifted set of aromatics, followed by black raspberry and blackberry fruit. It has a nice, dark, chewy mouthfeel and a lush, heady, succulent finish. This is a sexy Syrah, and already showing some complexity. It should drink well for 8-10 years. The venerable Joseph Phelps Vineyards Napa facility has undergone a complete facelift and renovation. They started their Sonoma Coast Freestone project in 1998, and it’s hard to believe it’s nearly 17 years of age. They are making some very Burgundian, cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from sites they own, and the wines merit considerable attention. Most of the Chardonnay vineyards are planted with the Old Wente selection, along with some of the newer Dijon clonal material. With the Pinot Noir, it is both California clones and Dijon clones." Wine Advocate #221, Oct 2015 |