2021 Syrah Grenache Mataro

Nose of freshly cracked black peppercorn, mint chocolate, raspberry, licorice, and floral notes. Full-bodied with plum, blackberry, black cherry, mocha, and vanilla bean on the palate with well-coated tannins and pleasant acidity and mid-palate weight. SR (2/23)

Drought conditions created water stress in the vines, reducing yields and resulting in outstanding fruit concentration. Syrah is the dominant varietal in this Rhône-style blend and is beloved for its color, richness, and depth. The grenache brings floral aspects to the wine, and the mataro adds subtle spice. Delicious now, this complex wine will continue to evolve over the next six to eight years. SR (3/23)

This wine comes from two hillside parcels at Lytton West. One is planted entirely to syrah while the other is planted to half grenache and half mataro. Mataro, a late-ripening variety synonymous with mourvedre, does not always mature before the onset of fall rains.

Rainfall: 14 inches (below normal)
Bloom: Early May
Weather: A dry winter and spring stressed the vines, limiting yields and concentrating flavors.

Harvest Dates: 1 – 16 September
Grapes: Average Brix 24.4˚
TA: 6.83 g/L
pH: 3.86
Fermentation: Natural primary and secondary; daily pump-overs.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (16% new and 84% five-plus years old).
Aging: Sixteen months in barrel

Hand-harvested, organically grown, organically grown grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by a full malolactic on the naturally occurring malolactic bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush and 83 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

See all food pairing recipes we have created specifically for this wine.