2018 Syrah, Wild Oak Vineyard, Sonoma Valley • St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

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2018

Syrah

Wild Oak Vineyard

Sonoma Valley

Tasting Notes

A rustic bouquet of tanned leather and juicy black currant greets the nose of this intensely colored wine. Dark fruit flavors of plum and blackberry mingle with savory notes of star anise and freshly ground black peppercorn on the palate. The wine’s condensed structure loosens into a long, mineral-laced finish as subtle hints of maple elevate delicate tannins well-integrated with the fruit flavors.

Vintage Notes

2018 provided an ideal climate allowing time for the grapes to ripen to their optimum flavor structure. The year presented a fairly mild growing season with few heat spikes, inspiring winemakers to push harvest back a few weeks. This longer time on the vine was great for grapes and the mild temperatures kept the fruit from over-ripening. More than an inch of rain fell in early October in many locations, but there was little impact on the quality of the fruit. 2018 could be remembered as one of the longest and most desirable seasons in years, producing exceptional quality grapes throughout Sonoma County.

Vineyard Notes

We source the fruit for our Wild Oak Vineyard Syrah exclusively from our Certified Sustainable Estate vineyard located at the foot of Hood Mountain. This cool climate vineyard is located on the western end of the Sonoma Valley, AVA. The gradual south-facing slope of this vineyard, provides ample sun exposure, while coastal winds and seasonal inversion layers counter the hottest days with cool nights. The rocky, volcanic soil of the vineyard develops uniquely earthly qualities as well as charismatic varietal structure.

Winemaker Notes

This Syrah was fermented using a combination of whole cluster and whole berry techniques. The wine underwent a slow 21-day ferment and was then racked off into French oak barrels where it underwent malolactic fermentation naturally. An addition of Viognier was made to add subtle aromatic nuances to the final blend. Winemaker Chris Louton chose older oak barrels for this wine to allow the expression of the vineyard to emerge. The wine was aged for 20 months before bottling.