Fall Release Eddie's Patch Syrah
2018

Winemaker’s Notes

Our 2018 Eddie’s Patch Syrah, our 19th consecutive bottling, is a flamboyant and exuberant wine with mouth-filling velvety richness and depth that harken back to the early days of this bottling. I’m reminded of the great 2006 and even the inaugural 2000 vintage, recalling a track record and pedigree that very few California Syrahs can match. Typifying this wonderful high-elevation site in the Mayacamas mountains, the fruit features front and center, complemented by a broad texture and underpinned by fresh, cool-climate peppery floral elements. Thanks to the vineyard’s evening cooling breezes and whisper of summer fog, the wine remains airy and bright at all times despite its inherent power and concentration.

The wine delivers noteworthy purity and tremendous range. Captivating aromas of dark berry fruit and plum are at the wine’s core as white pepper, sesame oil and fresh rosemary add detail. The palate displays a classic lilting element found in the world’s greatest, most memorable wines: the flavors continually push and evolve with each return to the glass. The palate is deep and penetrating with broad layers and a lovely mouth-coating density. Ripe blackberry fruit shifts to graphite and tapenade notes as the wine flows and expands. Its texture fills every corner of the palate, while lingering peppery spices preserve freshness on the finish. Drink between mid 2021 and 2032 and gently decant for an hour before serving. Bottled unfiltered.

Andy Smith